Clare Elms, 62, clinched the monthly Hyde Park 5km series with two races to spare, a day after being in Germany, as Kate Olding dominated the Liddiard Trophy women’s race.

ROAD

BEDFORD BLUES HALF-MARATHON, November 1

Overall: 1 M Elbayan (Stops) 69:52
Women: 1 A Thorogood 84:53
W50: 1 S Keane 94:49
W65: 1 M Stringer 1:41:41

BIDEFORD 10, Devon, November 1

Overall: 1 C Hewitt (Tiv) 51:26; 2 P Norman (WG&EL) 52:04; 3 J Landers (Tamar) 53:26; 4 S Wordley 53:51; 5 L Passmore 54:04
M40: 1 J O’Donoghue (Tiv) 55:06
M60: 1 S Hall 63:47
M65: 1 V Helliwell (Bide) 66:37
Women: 1 L Small (AFD) 55:18; 2 A McEwing (Erme V, W35) 58:26; 3 A Arnold (Plym) 59:18
W55: 1 S McDonald (S Lon) 65:31; 2 H Harbottle 68:00
W60: 1 C Newman (Exe) 66:36
W65: 1 C Benstead (SW Vets) 69:03

CIRENCESTER HALF-MARATHON, Gloucestershire, November 1

Overall: 1 J Bellward (RAF, M40) 70:59
M65: 1 D Esposito (Mid M) 89:39
Women: 1 K Waller (FoD) 85:23
W50: 1 N Kemp 89:56
W60: 1 J Fairs 98:04

DEAL CASTLE 5, Kent, November 1

Overall: 1 T Smith (Deal Tri) 25:37
Women: 1 V Hodges (Deal Tri) 30:03
W50: 1 O Cockell (Swale) 33:47

DEEPDALE DASH 10km, Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, November 1

Overall: 1 O Donkin (Barton) 30:23; 2 W Strangeway (Linc W, M40) 31:47
M50: 1 S Hobson (Driff) 35:51
Women: 1 L Skinner (Off Couch, W40) 35:59; 2 C Stansfield (CoH, W35) 36:17; 3 N Curtis (Off Couch, W40) 37:28

DERWENTWATER 10, Keswick, Cumbria, November 1

Overall: 1 S Stirling (Falk) 51:27; 2 O Dawson (Border) 53:44; 3 R Lightfoot (Ellen) 54:37
M50: 1 S Smith (Hoad H) 59:48
M60: 1 C Upson (Cambus) 63:48
Women: 1 S McCourt (Amble) 58:08; 2 K Maltby (Border, W40) 60:23

ELSWICK HARRIERS NORMAN WOODCOCK RELAYS, Gosforth, Tyne & Wear, November 1

Men (2 men 1 woman, 3x1.66M): 1 Elswick 25:06 (D Milton 8:02, A Bell 8:14, S Pickett (W) 8:50); 2 Heaton 25:31 (J Garthwaite 7:49, R McNeill 8:12, S Pennett (W) 9:30); 3 Morpeth 25:44 (J Fiddaman 7:41, R Balmbra 8:08, K Birville (W) 9:55); 4 Tyne Bridge 25:47; 5 Sunderland 26:09; 6 Gosforth 26:12
100 teams finished
Fastest Men: Fiddaman 7:41; Garthwaite 7:49; S Armstrong (Sund) 7:55
Fastest Women: Pickett 8:50; H Warburton (Tyne Br) 8:51; R Purves (Gosf) 8:59

FLYING FOX 10, Stanton, Staffordshire, November 1

Overall: 1 L Gratton (Ruge, M40) 50:36; 2 C Gidlow (Stoke, M45) 53:45
M45: 2 C Moulton (Boalloy) 57:11
M55: 1 P Hancock (S Chesh) 61:46
M60: 1 S Chambers (Salf) 64:38
Women: 1 G Stanfield (Trenth) 61:26
W55: 1 J Stanfield (Trenth) 66:09

GAINSBOROUGH MORTON HALF-MARATHON, Lincolnshire, November 1

Overall: 1 A Czapla (CoH) 70:29
Women: 1 E Warren (St Thr) 80:02

GUY FAWKES 5, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, November 1

Overall: 1 J Pickering 25:05; 2 S Merry (M40) 25:54
M70: 1 A Whitby (Tewk) 32:49
Women: 1 A Milnes 28:35
W55: 1 N Shoemark 33:30

RICHARD BURTON 10km, Cwmavon, Port Talbot, South Wales, November 1

Overall: 1 J Butler 30:29; 2 D Jones 30:33; 3 J Griffiths 30:43
Women: 1 I Tsim 35:32; 2 E Powell 36:16

RUN-A-WAY 10km, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, August 31

Overall: 1 C Derbyshire (Danum) 31:21
M40: 1 S Courtney (Stadium) 31:58
Women: 1 A Watson (Off Couch, W40) 37:47
W50: 1 L Horrel (Vegan) 40:31

SERPENTINE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km, Hyde Park, London, October 30

Lewis Laylee, a mainstay in Herne Hill relay teams, has been in PB form at 3000m and 5000m this summer and he set the fastest time this year of 15:23 in this monthly series, Steve Smythe reports.

For much of the race he followed August winner and ultra international Ollie Garrod but had too much finishing speed for the Belgrave Harrier and won by 11 seconds.

Master athletes dominated the women’s race and it was W35 Deborah Bruce who came out a clear winner less than a month after winning the Barnstaple Marathon.

The 34:53 10km performer this year ran 17:42 to finish 50 seconds clear of former training partner Clare Elms.

Elms, who had been in Germany the day before, was warming up for the upcoming masters international event in Dublin on November 14. Her 18:32 second-place at the age of 62 gave her a clear win in the age-graded competition.

It also guaranteed her overall victory in the six 5km events to count for the 2026 competition with still two races remaining.

Second in the age-grading was European champion Andrew Leach, who narrowly lost out to Terry Booth, new to the age group, in the M60 contest, and both should also be in medal contention in Dublin. Sue McDonald also runs for England in Ireland and she was first W55, albeit behind the first two W60s. Other master performances of note came from M50 winner Mathew Smith, who ran the fastest time in the M45-54 BMAF relays the week before, and W70 mile record-holder Anna Garnier, who equalled her best time of 2026 with 23:23.

Overall: 1 L Laylee (Herne H) 15:23; 2 O Garrod (Bel) 15:34
M45: 1 E Samuel (Lon H) 16:37; 2 A Russell (Dulw R) 16:42
M50: 1 M Smith (Ton) 16:55
M60: 1 T Booth (G&G) 17:11; 2 A Leach (N Herts) 17:17; 3 S Corfield (SoC) 18:23
M70: 1 M Millard (Ful) 21:29
Women: 1 D Bruce (B&W, W35) 17:42; 2 C Elms (Kent, W60) 18:32; 3 E Owen (Ton, W45) 18:45; 4 I Errington (S Lon, U16) 18:50
W50: 1 N Sturzaker (Herne H) 18:58
W55: 1 S McDonald (S Lon) 20:45; 2 K Murphy (Barn) 21:15
W60: 2 A Smith 20:02; 3 L Thomas (HW) 21:21
W70: 1 A Garnier (HW) 23:23
W75: 1 R Tabor (Dul) 27:23; 2 N Stanford (Serp) 27:49
Age graded: 1 Elms 97.6%; 2 Leach 93.3%; 3 Booth 92.0%

SEVERN BRIDGE 5, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, October 29

Overall: 1 C Sherwin (FoD) 24:23; 2 T Batchelor (Chep, M40) 24:42
M50: 1 I Leonard (Emer G) 26:34
M55: 1 L Fleet 27:47
M60: 1 T Marshall (Chep) 28:41
Women: 1 L Simpson (B&W, U20) 28:17
W50: 1 S Jones 32:37

CROSS-COUNTRY

OXFORDSHIRE LEAGUE, Round 1, Brackley, November 1

Forceleap Farm played host and Jack Shayler took a comfortable victory as top veteran Ben Cole, who dominated the league last winter, was down in fourth spot.

For the women, it was W35 Victoria Bodeker who continued where she left off last winter by posting her third league win in a row, 60 metres clear of top W45 Jess Franklin.

Overall: 1 J Shayler (Abing) 24:18; 2 J Davies (Oxf C) 24:59; 3 A Bampton (Swin) 25:27
M40: 1 B Cole (Swin) 25:34
M50: 1 P Fernandez (Abing) 31:04
M55: 1 F Campbell (Head RR) 30:07
M60: 1 M Slevin (Head RR) 31:07

U18: 1 H Colson (Radley) 21:15; 2 A Collins (Abing) 21:29; 3 J Bryant (Swin) 22:11
U16: 1 S Cousins (Radley) 16:39; 2 J Saunders (Swin) 16:42; 3 L Kyson (Swin) 16:59
U14: 1 J Lindsay (Abing) 12:13; 2 W Goode (Banb) 12:17; 3 S McPartlin (Abing) 12:32

Women: 1 V Bodeker (Hook N, W35) 31:38; 2 J Franklin (Newb, W45) 31:51; 3 C Anderson (Wit) 32:12
W50: 1 J Stueber (H’worth) 34:18
W55: 1 E McDowell (Head RR) 34:23

U18: 1 A Lorimer (Oxf C) 23:54; 2 B Humphrey (Swin) 24:01; 3 C Campbell (Oxf C) 25:04
U16: 1 R Walker (Banb) 19:11; 2 H Saunders (T Kennet Tri) 19:30; 3 B Brien (Swin) 20:04
U14: 1 L Leach (Swin) 13:14; 2 M Saunders (T Kennet Tri) 13:18; 3 L Jones (Read) 13:58

GLOUCESTER LEAGUE, Race 2, Cirencester, October 31

For its second fixture the league again clashed with a major cross-country relay event, this time the hugely popular Mansfield ECCA event.

There was a repeat senior men’s victory for Cheltenham’s Jacob Pickering, with a 45-second margin over Team Bath’s James Reeder.

The women’s race again saw the team from Bath University come out on top, this time led by Guernsey runner Eleanor Jamieson.

The age group races had Ben Clarke again take the under-18 boys’ race for Gloucester and Alex Kirk the under-16 boys’ event for Dursley.

It was a similar story in the younger women and girls’ races where Constance Rendell also scored a repeat under-18 win.

Men: 1 J Pickering (Chelt) 30:26; 2 J Reeder (T Bath) 31:11; 3 R Monti (Bath U) 31:23; 4 T Loughlin (T Bath, U20) 31:45; 5 M Threlfall (T Bath) 31:57; 6 J Ingleby (Bath U) 32:22
M40: 1 D Wright (W Tempo) 32:41
M45: 1 K Sheppard 33:45
M50: 1 L Rankin (Stroud) 35:36
M55: 1 H Bampton (Chelt) 36:45
M60: 1 M Dooley (T Bath) 38:06
TEAM: 1 Bath U 44; 2 T Bath 61; 3 W Tempo 131

M65 (6km approx.): 1 P Reddaway (Corsh) 23:58; 2 R Beardsworth (T Bath) 24:17
M70: 1 T Hutchison (T Bath) 26:27
TEAM: 1 T Bath 9

U18: 1 B Clarke (Glouc) 19:57; 2 G Davies (T Bath) 20:13; 3 T Spurr (Chelt) 20:27
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 13; 2 Gloucester 25; 3 Swindon 30

U16: 1 I Wightman (Chelt) 17:56; 2 M Goodwin (W Tempo) 18:45; 3 K Hodgkinson (Chelt) 19:29
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 14; 2 Gloucester 29; 3 Cirencester 35

U14: 1 O Davenport-Jones (Chelt) 10:58; 2 S Guzman (Yate) 11:00; 3 T Litman (Chelt) 11:28
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 8

Women: 1 E Jamieson (Bath U, U20) 21:13; 2 I Brinsden (CLC) 21:16; 3 F Rocha (Bath U) 21:25; 4 C Hammett (T Bath) 21:56; 5 A Mourao (Bath U, U20) 22:10; 6 I Price (Bath U, U20) 22:12
W40: 1 N Eaton (W Tempo) 22:29
W45: 1 G Wood (T Bath) 23:52
W50: 1 N Lazarides (Thorn) 27:32
W55: 1 G Hinga (Glouc) 26:00
W60: 1 C Dale (T Bath) 27:39
W65: 1 J Thompson (T Bath) 27:03
W75: 1 C Lavis (Yate & S) 33:35
TEAM: 1 Bath U 9; 2 CLC 32; 3 T Bath 61

U18: 1 C Rendell (Stroud) 22:15; 2 L Leon-Hodgson (Glouc) 22:44; 3 B Watts (Chelt) 23:20
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 14; 2 Gloucester 14

U16: 1 I Wightman (Chelt) 17:56; 2 M Goodwin (W Tempo) 18:45; 3 K Hodgkinson (Chelt) 19:29
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 13

U14: 1 J Bailey (Chelt) 12:10; 2 R Lear (Somer) 12:11; 3 R Newns (Stroud) 12:36
TEAM: 1 Cheltenham 9; 2 Tockington School 19; 3 Stroud 54

LIDDIARD TROPHY, Fryent Country Park, London, October 31

Kate Olding regained the trophy that she last won in 2023 and here dominated the women’s race for the Pat O’Connor Cup, winning by well over a minute.

Men: 1 M Smith (Harrow) 27:26; 2 J Laing (Hill) 27:37; 3 A McCarron (QPH, M50) 27:44
M55: 1 J Bignall (Harr) 31:55
M65: 1 R Rigby (SB) 32:43
TEAM (8 to score): 1 Serpentine 138; 2 Harrow 162; 3 QPH 168
Women (Pat O’Connor Cup): 1 K Olding (TVH) 31:12; 2 V Lindsay (High) 32:23; 3 J Triou (ESM, W45) 33:27
W50: 1 L Faherty (High) 35:14
W55: 1 N Cendrowicz (High) 35:43
TEAM (4 to score): 1 Highgate 32; 2 TVH 33; 3 QPH 57