The Wheels on the Bus go round and round!!

Rimi Riga Marathon

Riga is the vibrant city of Latvia which is described as a cultural gem in Northern Europe and the biggest Baltic capital. The route is based on the courses of the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships held in Riga in 2023.

2025 is a very special year for the Rimi Riga marathon as it was the 35^th anniversary of this marathon and our very own Bentley boy Alan Johnson celebrated this event in style by completing the race in 4:08:38 which was his fastest marathon time in 35 years. Amazing running Alan, congratulations and well done. All those long training runs along the seafront with the Sunday gang and no doubt my whistle certainly paid off…!! Superb run and I believe you have another one lined up in October!!

Alan Johnson

XC Winners 2025

Congratulations to both Mark Jasper and Meera Rajoo-Oakley who were awarded GBRC XC Runners of the year as voted by our members. They were also both awarded 3^rd place trophies for their outstanding performances out of all the clubs in the NESS League. Well done guys.

Congratulations also to our junior XC runners of the Year Charlie Sharp and Angel Jasper both having produced some outstanding performances during this year’s season. This dynamic duo are clearly ones to watch for the future and the family “running gene” has obviously been passed down to the next generation. Well done Charlie and Angel.

Also, congratulations again to Charlie Sharp who ran Alton water parkrun this weekend finishing 21^st overall and first in his age category in 23:07. Another fantastic run Charlie, well done.

Angel Jasper, Mark Jasper, Meera Rajoo-Oakley and Charlie Sharp

Friday 5- Kirton- Race 1

The Friday 5 series kicked off with the first race of the season being held by Felixstowe Road Runners. We had 7 Bentley Blues all completing the race in spectacular times. Please see below:

Stephen Bullen 31:02, Justin Hayhoe 31:42, Kelly Hayhoe 38:38, Martin Cotton 44.46, Mark Harris 44.59, Donna Harris 50:22 and Sammy Cotton 50:29

Well done all, great running.

Look at those Smiles!

Parkrun – Dartford

The wheels on the bus go round and round!! 15 of our members boarded the “love bus” for a very early start last Saturday morning to complete parkrun in Central Park at Dartford. Many thanks to Charlie Keitch and Jon Mann (now known as Jon Vann) for organising the event and for Jon for driving the bus. It appeared everyone had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed Jon’s driving and Charlie’s navigational skills! Well done everyone and great running from you all.

Jon “Vann” with his new Wheels!!

Parkrun – Lake Bled, Slovenia

Lorna Sharp, Vicky Law, Rachael Chadwick and Claire Fathers travelled to Slovenia and whilst there they took part in the Lake Bled parkrun which I think perhaps takes the award for one of the most scenic Park runs I have seen to date. Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia where it adjoins the town of Bled which is surrounded by mountains and forests.

Two well known facts about Lake Bled:

The areas culinary speciality is a cream pastry.
The traditional transportation to the Island is a wooden flat-bottomed boat known as a “Pletna”

So, ladies how was the boat trip to the Island and how many cream pastries did you eat after your 5k run?!!

LDWA Flower of Suffolk 100

Two words can only describe this, WOW and BONKERS!!

Paul Davison, Tomasz Komorowski, Rob Dyer and Fiona Gosling completed the Flower of Suffolk 100 last weekend. Beginning on Saturday and finishing 34 hours later with lots of ups and downs in mood, weather, terrain and energy levels but the plan was to finish and finish they did.

The Long-Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) organise their “flagship” 100 event each Spring bank holiday weekend where each of these events are held in a different area every year. The event entails running/walking 100 miles in 48 hours. The 2025 event was held in East Anglia for the very first time starting and finishing at Ipswich School Sports Centre in Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich. The route passed through Flynn Valley heading north to Framlingham out to Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant and from here they headed to Thorpeness and onto Aldeburgh. From there it went to Snape passing through Snape Maltings onto Orford. From there they went into Rendlesham Forest and looking at Rob Dyers face on one of the below photos I am not entirely sure if he may have perhaps had a brief encounter with a UFO in the forest!

The route then continued to Sutton Hoo, through to the lovely town of Woodbridge along the River Deben and back towards the finish where they were met with a flight of stairs, they each had to climb up to receive their medals and a well needed and deserved meal!!

The event had to be completed within 48 hours, the boys finishing in 34 hours and I believe our amazing Lady Fiona Gosling finished in 44 hours. Well done to you all a truly amazing and incredible achievement. I hope by now you are all rested and caught up with your beauty sleep!

Before!!

After!!

The incredible Fiona Gosling

The Green Man- Toppesfield 10

The Fab 4, Phil and Vicky Presland and Paul and Debs Hollidge were at it again. This time completing The Green Man at Toppesfield which is a self-navigation trail race using a written route description only with no marshals and NO GPX!!! Obviously, it was no issue for these highly experienced XC runners.

The course check was completed 3 days prior to the event on bank holiday Monday and the RD reported that they had spotted hares, muntjac and Sika Deer.

A suggestion for the Committee: How about hiring a minibus asking Jon “Vann” to drive and having a Bentley outing to this one next year?

Well deserved tipple!

Friday 5 – Framlingham- Race 2

Round 2 of the Friday 5 series was held by Framlingham Flyers and judging by the below results are Bentley Blues were all flying on Friday night:

Gavin Byrne: 28:18, Stephen Bullen 31:04, Justin Hayhoe 31:28, Craig Slocombe 33:15, Chris Smith 34:39, Danny Draper 37:13, Kelly Hayhoe 39:12, Martin Cotton 43:20 (PB), Mark Harris 44:01, Donna Harris 44:46 and Sammy Cotton 50:08.

Special congratulations to Gavin Byrne who finished in 9^th place which places him in 9^th position in the GBRC all-time Top 10! Amazing!

Well done guys fantastic running on a very hot evening!

Gavin Bryne.

Grasmere Gallop 10k and Marathon

The Lake District running festival was held this weekend which included events to suit all abilities from The Teddy Bear Dash, a 10k trail run and a FULL marathon.

First up on the Saturday was Paul Hollidge who completed the 10k trail run described as the perfect 10 which takes you through some of the most beautiful landscape in the country, the Vale of Grasmere and Rydale. The route leaves Grasmere village along a closed road before climbing through Deer Bolts Wood and then into the stunning Loughrigg passing Rydal Cave and then returning to Grasmere via the shorelines of Rydal Water and Grasmere. Well done, Paul.

On Sunday we saw our very own “GI Debs!” (Debs Hollidge) take on the full marathon, alongside her friend and ex GBRC member Gemma Colling. This is an extremely tough and challenging event with approximately 6252 feet of ascent. The route is a fully way marked trail route looping around Grasmere and the neighbouring valleys with breathtaking views including Alcock Tarn, Rydall Hall, Loughrigg Tam, Loughrigg Summit, Rydal Caves, Great Langdale valley, Stickle Tarn and Easedale Tarn. What a fantastic achievement Debs, well done and all in aid of Red Squirrels which apparently she never saw apart from the grown man wearing a squirrel suit, or perhaps Debs was hallucinating as she crossed the finish line!!

Paul said he absolutely loved the 10k trail run and is considering the full marathon next year whilst Debs who completed the full marathon will be on the start line of The Teddy Bear Dash next year!!

Well done Team Hollidge!