The last bank Holiday of the year is behind us, and the nights are steadily drawing in but there is still plenty going on at great Bentley Running club as you will see below. But before you do I would like to congratulate Amy Osbourne who has recently had her baby.
Club Championships
The new Club Championship programme begins in November. Make sure you have a read through the details on the email from Chairman Paul Arnold and see which events you’d like to target. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved and with more ways to score points throughout the season, this new format will open the door for more of you to get involved!
XC Country Season 26/27
We are only a matter of weeks away from the first race of the new XC season. These races are always a great team event with every runner that crosses the finish line adding to the teams total so we need to see as many of you there as possible to give the club the best chance of winning the league. Please see below a list of provisional dates and races.
Sunday 25th October 2026 – Halstead Road Runners- Gosfield School, Halstead Road, Gosfield CO9 1PF
Sunday 15th November 2026 – Great Bentley Running Club- Hilly Fields, Colchester
Sunday 22nd November 2026 – Springfield Striders RC-Wild Forest Outdoor Activity Centre, Ongar Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA
Sunday 24th January 2027 – Braintree and District AC- Thorrington Scout Camp, Colchester CO7 8JF
Sunday 21st February 2027 – Harwich Runners – Dengewell Hall, Clacton Road, CO11 2RU
Bentley V’s Harwich 5K relays
On Sunday 20th September for the second time this year be going up against Harwich running club in a 5K relay race. I think the teams have been finalised, and it looks like we will have a strong field this time round, which is fantastic to see. If you can’t run then why not come down and cheers your fellow Bentleys on.
New Training Schedule Autumn/winter
The new training schedule is now available, so please take some time to have a look through it.
There is plenty in there for all abilities and goals, whether you’re aiming for shorter races, improving endurance or preparing for longer-distance events. We are back on the track for the Thursday night sessions, and we also have the return of Lou’s Booty on a Wednesday with the first one being Wednesday 7th October.
Bentley V’s Harwich 10 miler
On the 3rd of January comes the annual Great Bentley versus Harwich 10 Miler in January. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or stepping up to the distance for the first time, the new training schedule has been designed to help you prepare, with several of the Sunday sessions specifically geared towards building the strength and endurance needed for both XC and the 10-mile challenge. It would be great to see plenty of you there as every runner counts towards the winning score. We will also need a team of willing volunteers to help put this race on safely so if you can’t run then please help by volunteering.
Awards Night
Due to the success of this years awards night we are returning to the Rugby club at the Northern Gateway for the next one. The date has been set for January 16th there will be more details closer to the time but for now, please make a note in your diaries so you don’t miss out on this wonderful evening.
Men’s Section
The men of Great Bentley have had another great month of running be it short sharp 5k’s to more gruelling longer challenges there’s not much in the world of running you can’t handle.
So starting with the short sharp 5k distance plenty of you turned out on the Friday night at Northern Gateway with some notable performances from Martin Cotton, Paul Smith and Paul Hollidge to name but a few.
Doug Mcgillivray went for the longer more gruelling distance option taking on the Stour valley path in a time of 4hrs 57mins 27secs great running as always Doug.
For the in between distance we have the Clacton 10K and half marathon where Andrew Lanham flew round the 10k course finishing in 11th place (39:10), and Malcolm Statham went round the half marathon in 1hr 53mins 55secs adding another race to him impressive total, well done gents.
New member Martin Spencer completed the British Aquathon championships which also incorporated the English championships, he managed to come away with a bronze medal in both. This is a great achievement considering he was against some of the country’s finest athletes.
Tim Clifton was in fine form taking on yet another marathon, this time it was the Colne valley marathon where he was joined along the way with some Bentley ladies.
Phil Presland earnt himself a top 10 place at Essex trail events ‘Admiral McHilly’ a 16.2 trail run and as the names suggests flat it wasn’t.
Runner of the Month
This month we have another well known member of Great Bentley Running club. He gets involved with many of the clubs outing’s and events as well as showing up and putting sterling efforts at inter-club races. He is also currently doing rather well in the Essex grand Prix and achieving some of his best race times of recent years which is why Paul Hollidge you are August’s runner of the Month, well done!
Ladies Section
Hello Ladies,
As we head into September, I just want to say how fantastic it has been to see so many of you out training, racing, volunteering and supporting each other. The strength of our ladies’ section continues to grow, and whether you’re chasing PBs, building confidence, returning from injury, or simply enjoying your running, every mile counts.
🏆 Runner of the Month – Bev Shortley
This month’s Runner of the Month is very deservedly Bev Shortley.
Bev has been a regular and consistent presence at club training, always putting in the work and showing great commitment week after week. Her dedication is clearly paying off, with some excellent recent race performances.
At the Arthur Whiston 5 Mile, Bev secured an Essex Grand Prix bronze medal in her age category, followed by a superb silver medal at the ATW Gateway 5K. These fantastic results have further strengthened her position in the age category standings and are a real reward for all her hard work and consistency.
As highlighted in the recent race reports, there truly seems to be“no stopping her at the moment!” Bev is proving that she’s definitely getting better with age.
Congratulations Bev, and thank you for being such a positive example of what consistent training and hard work can achieve. You thoroughly deserve this recognition. [gbrc.org.uk]
Race Round-Up
The last few weeks have showcased the incredible variety of events our club members have been tackling.
There were strong performances at the Clacton 10K and Half Marathon, with Daniella Harris producing another PB and breaking the 60-minute barrier in the 10K, while Andrew Lanham secured an impressive 11th place finish.
Further afield, Kathy Bishop achieved the remarkable feat of becoming an Ironman at Ironman Copenhagen, conquering a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and marathon run. An absolutely inspirational achievement and one that most of us can barely comprehend.
When I last spoke to Kathy, she wasn’t totally against the possibility of another one! She may have been slightly disappointed with her run, but I think we can all agree that is a little harsh on herself. Kathy, we are in complete awe of your achievement and think you absolutely smashed it!
Our own Bluebelles, including Donna Harris, Larina Marsh, Andrea Markwick and Lou Balfour, took on the challenging Colne Valley Marathon, demonstrating true grit, teamwork and determination over 28.3 demanding miles.
Meanwhile, GBRC runners also represented the club at events ranging from Aquathlon Championships and trail races to ultras and parkruns around the country. It’s wonderful to see so many different goals being pursued and achieved.
💪 Ladies Challenge for September
This month’s challenge is all about one thing many of us neglect…
The Stretching Challenge
Aim to complete 10 minutes of stretching or mobility work at least three times per week throughout September.
It doesn’t need to be complicated:
- Stretch after a run.
- Follow a short mobility routine.
- Focus on calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and glutes.
- Add some balance and stability work if you can.
Consistency is key. A small investment now can help improve flexibility, reduce tightness, aid recovery and support stronger running through the autumn and winter months.
Let’s see how many of us can complete the challenge!
Donna Harris & Lou Balfour
Ladies Captains
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” 🏃♀️💙
Great Bentley Running Club 