Blue skies for Silchester's 2012 fun run

A spokesman for the Silchester Association organisers, treasurer, Howard Wilkinson, said the run, which normally takes place in May, was re-arranged for September, due he said, to dreadful weather earlier in the year:
“We still had to create a new course to avoid certain waterlogged areas of our traditional course,” said Mr Wilkinson, adding the two races comprising the fun run - 8k and 4km - had to be changed from miles, to kilometres to keep up, he said, with the times.
Blue skies and sun held throughout Saturday (Sep 22), after runners set off at 11am from playing fields outside Silchester Village Hall. The 4k race, which mostly took place in Benyon’s Enclosure, was for fun runners and younger age groups.
Aimed at more serious runners, the route of the 8k race encompassed the walls of Silchester’s Roman town, Calleva Atrebatum.
A total 225 runners - about 40 less than last year - entered both races, from a wide area of north Hampshire and West Berkshire.
The winner of the 4k race under 12 boys was Samuel Wright, of Kintbury, while Leila Stoker, of Silchester, won the under 12 girls section.
Winner of the 8k race was Steve Jeffery, of Pamber Heath, winner of the women’s section was Francis Mitchell, of Bramley. The winner of the under 16’s section of this race was James Robinson, of Pamber Heath, with no girls entered in this section.
Veterans winners were Steve Fleck, of Tadley and Debbie Pagen , from Hook.
“The weather was very kind to us and thanks to a good turnout of volunteers from the village to act as marshals timekeepers etc we had a really good event. We’ve had some very positive comments from runners about the new course which was very gratifying,” said Mr Wilkinson.
For a full list of results and times visit www.silchester.org.