Welcome to the Avon Valley Runners Website
Welcome to the Avon Valley Runners WebsiteAvon Valley Runners are a Running club based in West Wiltshire. The club was founded in 1986 and currently has around 200 members of all abilities.
We meet at least three times a week at our training venues in Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford-on-Avon with typically between 10-40 members running anywhere between 1 and 10 miles in different pace groups.
Avon Valley Runners host
a number of events throughout the year including the
Over the Hills
12K Multi-Terrain Race, the
Conkwell Killer and
assist with the organisation of the
Trowbridge 10K,
the
Around the Common 5K,
the
Shaw&Whitley Stampede,
the
DB10K
and the
Foxtrot 5.
Forty one members of Avon Valley Runners turned out for the Stan Farr 5K, marking the 50th running of the Boxing Day race started by the club's founder back in 1960 during his days at Trowbridge & District Athletics Club. Having abandoned the original route along the West Ashton Road some 10-years ago due to increased traffic, this year’s race started in Whaddon lane heading down onto the towpath of the Kennet & Avon Canal before climbing back up Hill street back to the finish in Hilperton.
The race saw a close three-way tustle with last year’s winner, Michael Towler making his move with just 200m to go to retain his title in 18-minutes 23-seconds. With 2006 winner, Michael Bryant three seconds adrift and third placed Jim Hart a further three seconds back also. Coming home in fourth place Stuart MacGregor claimed the MV50 title and in 5th place, Richard Morgetroyd claimed the MV40 title. Having last run the Boxing Day Race in 1982 Gordon Russell celebrated by finishing as 1st MV60.
For the ladies Melanie Nichols claimed victory running 22:23 with Ali Atkinson & Tina Giles close behind in second & third places. Sue Macgregor claimed the FV50 title and Fiona Newman the FV40.
Darren Wrintmore, 26th December 2009
Twenty two Avon Valley Runners got into the festive spirit for their final training session of the year. Wearing an assortment of Santa hats and reindeer antlers the group negotiated patches of black ice enroute on their run out of Christie Miller Sports Centre to admire the Christmas lights on Longford Road and Melksham High Street.
Darren Wrintmore, 23rd December 2009
Mike Towler and
Bemused Sheep
In the ladies race, Great Britain international Holly Rush running for Team Bath, led from start to finish around the six kilometre course to win in 20:21. First back for Avon Valley in the lashing rain was Tina Giles finishing in 7th place overall recording 25:51 just 52 seconds ahead of Rose Barber who had a fantastic run to finish 8th and 1st FV60, next in was 10th place Sue MacGregor and then 13th placed Joyce Field allowing AVR to take the team prize ahead of Swindon Harriers.
The Men's race of 9K and saw Simon Plummer of Salisbury ARC lead all the way to victory ahead of Dan Woolford running for Bristol & West AC. Avon Valley Runners Mike Towler ran well but lost a position in the final lap to finish fourth overall but claim the Junior Men’s title. Further back a number of closely fought battles took place, Carl Davies just got the upper hand on Brett Flook; Richard Morgetroyd, Stuart MacGregor & Mike Pace had a three-way tussle finishing 22nd, 25th & 28th places respectively. Making a return to the country Niel Whitehead reeled in many a tiring athlete on the final lap; whilst Anthony Hickson proved that he still has what it takes to compete at a Championship level at the age of 74!
Darren Wrintmore, 29th November 2009
The view of the waterfall over the dam at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre showed a spectacular torrent of water cascading down to the river below. Unfortunately that's where the pleasure ended until it came back into view as we crossed the finishing line. The Elan Valley 10 mile race, described as 'undulating', seemed anything but, having climbed two miles steeply within the first three. The conditions were appalling with driving wind and rain causing running water sometimes shin-deep and wet leaves making the downhill stretches treacherous. Multi terrainers would have probably felt at home out there, but for a whimp like me, who hasn't run further than 10k since the bath half, I was just happy to finish and complete the three races for the year. Would I do it again? Only if it took place in the summer.
Ken Marshall, 22nd November 2009
The weather turned out to be very kind to the runners, after having strong winds and rain till the early hours of Sunday, skies brightened up and only a couple of showers before the start - then sunny throughout the race. Winner this year is - or should I say winners - were Jonathan Sharkey and Steven Way of Bournemouth AC coming in at 54:09. Third place Paul Adams (St Albans Striders) at 54:46 followed by Ian Habgood (Bournemouth AC) at a time of 54:58
First lady was Gemma Turtle (Shaftesbury Barnet) at 56:49 breaking the course record of 58:33 set by Amy Chalk Bristol & West AC in 2007
Bournemouth AC took the Mens team prize with the Ladies team prize going to Poole Runners Harriers.
This race was the penultimate in the AVR series, top points for the men went to 11th placed Michael Towler in 58:37 (1st Male U21), with James Hart 23rd 1:02:34 second and Carl Davies 48th 1:05:30 consolidating his position at the top of the table with another good performance achieving 18 points by coming in third for AVR
For the Ladies, also extending her lead in the race series, Ali Atkinson 206th in 1:17:08, took the 20 points, from Kay Middleton 226th 1:18:22 and Kathy Kinsey 272nd 1:18:22.
A well-organised race, with 567 finishers all receiving complimentary Tea and cakes at the finish.
Ali Atkinson, 16th November 2009
Avon Valley Runners held their inaugural Track championships at Clarendon school in Trowbridge.
The first event the Men's 800m which saw a close three-way race with Andy Grist taking victory in two minutes twenty nine seconds from Will Whitmore just one second behind and Carl Davies a further three seconds adrift. The Ladies 800m also saw a tight race with just one second separating the victorious Claire Howard in three minutes dead from Tina Giles. The 3000m saw an early break away from the field by Michael Towler and Alex Booth, unfortunately a missed timed finishing kick by Alex saw Michael capitalise to take victory in nine minutes forty one seconds. The Ladies 3000m title went to Kay Middleton who clocked thirteen minutes and twenty five seconds.
The Men’s 400m proved so popular that two heats were required and saw Club Captain Will Whitmore take victory in 1:04:13 from Carl Davies in 1:04:66. The Ladies 400m saw Tina Giles take revenge upon Claire Howard for the early 800m, by taking victory in 1:17:62 to 1:20:94. Michael Towler claimed his second win of the evening in the Men’s 1500m recording four minutes thirty nine seconds from Alun Rees in four minutes fifty six. Sue MacGregor claimed the Ladies 1500m title running six minutes and twenty eight seconds.
The evenings final event was the 4x400m Relay with teams drawn at random. Victory went to the grouping of Tina Giles, Chris Atkinson, Andy Britten and Carl Davies.
Photo’s here
Darren Wrintmore, 11th August 2009
This year's reports: