Bristol Sri Chinmoy Races Summer Series 2015

Run, run with your soul’s
Dynamism-river-flow.
You are bound to succeed
In everything
That you want to do
And everything
That you want to become
~ Sri Chinmoy

There was a record number of 45 Teams competing in this year’s exciting and energising 3 × 1 mile relay race. The numbers were swelled by Bristol & West AC seniors and in addition their junior runners, along with the ever present Great Western Runners, and new to our series were runners from Emersons Green RC and Frampton Cotterell Harriers.

First team over the finish line were the Men’s Bristol & West AC D Team in a fast time of 14:37, each mile time get faster and faster with splits of 5:03, 4:50, and fastest mile of the night of 4:44 from Robert Stewart, Jarlath McKenna and Mark Edwards respectively. Nearly over 2 minutes behind in a time of 16:40 were another Bristol & West AC Men’s team, Mark’s Merry Men, with Mark Burley (5:33), Charlie Pantlin (5:30), and Tom Watkins (5:37). In hot pursuit and in third place the Men’s Frampton Cotterell Harriers team, Frampton Manscaping with a time of 16:56 – Jason Bidwell (5:44), Brue Sellers (5:53) and Nick Bennett (5:19).

The first Women’s team were the Bristol & West AC Racy Racers in a time of 18:11 and 6th place overall with Tracy Allan (6:09), Imogen Peck (5:57) and Marianne Britten (6:05). Second women’s team was Team Taylor from Bristol & West AC with a time of 19:01 and 10th place overall, and another Bristol & West AC women’s team, Team Owen with a time of 19:28 were third and 15th overall.  Maria Jones of Bristol & West AC for Team Owen was the fastest woman on the night with a time of 5:55.

This year we were excited to see so many Junior runners and we have to thank Bristol & West AC’s Ali Hurford for bringing them along to the event. First Junior Boys team was the Hurricanes of Caleb Owen (5:59), Joseph Hulls (6:21) and Charlie Hodges (6:17) coming in a time of 18:37 and a tremendous 8th overall. Second Junior Boys team was the Blizzards in a time of 19:29, followed by Grease Lightning in a time of 19:41. Joe Meands (Bristol & West AC) of the Grease Lightning Team was the fastest Junior with a time of 5:48 and at the first mile they were 5th overall. The first Junior Girls team was KMG, all from Bristol & West AC of Katie Jones (6:02), Molly Orchard (6:18) and Grace Evans (6:44) with a time of 19:04 and 11th overall. They edged out the first Mixed Team Burge’s Babes (Graham Wright, Joe Bereza and Steve Burge) from Emersons Green RC with a time of 19:07.

The first Non-club team with a time of 19:52 was Bakan Tuesday with Emma Baker (6:22), Dan Kanaris (7:20) and Richard Antrobus (6:10).The first Women Vets Team (all over 50) was won by The Three Muskateerettes of Bristol & West AC in a time of 21:37, with Christine Burren (7:41), Maggie Salter (7:23) and the unstoppable Rosey Mushens (6:33). The first Family team were Relayted in a time of 22:24 of Ella, Sue and Ewan Campbell.

Daring enthusiasm
And abiding cheerfulness
Can accomplish everything on earth
Without fail.
~ Sri Chinmoy

The Bristol Self-Transcendence Summer Race Series 2015 had the most runners ever competing in the two 2 mile and 5km races. We had exactly 59 runners for each race. Although they are not on a grand scale compared to other races in the region, we do like to think that Sri Chinmoy AC offer something different where we create a family and friendly atmosphere at our races to encourage you to self-transcend and get the joy from running. 

The first two mile race was won by Bristol & West AC’s Mark Edwards in a time of 10:15, the women, Louise Cronin (Great Western Runners) in a time of 13:08. That was the only race Mark Edwards competed in which left Soren Adams (Bristol & West AC) to win the Men’s Series with a third and two first places accumulating a total of 19 points. Louise Cronin continued her dominance of this year’s series with two firsts and a second place amassing a total of 20 points, thus retaining her title from last year. Her nearest rivals were Alice Doggrell (Bristol & West AC) and Chloe Potter (Westbury Harriers) with a total 12 and 11 points respectively. 

In the Men 50-59 age group, once again Gary Hughes (Team Bath) was dominant and retained his title from last year with two wins in the 2 mile races with times of 11:33 and 12:35 respectively.

In the Women 50-59 Tracy Allen (Bristol & West AC) with 19 points just edged out her fellow Bristol & West AC runner Rosey Mushens by 1 point. Each time in the races they competed in they finished in the top 7 women picking up the extra points.

And once again in the Men 60-69 age group Wilf Burke defied his age with a first and a second in the 2 mile races and a win in the 5km race with a time of 21:13 and 16th place overall in that race. However, Kevin Barton and Carron Downer (Bristol & West AC) made him work hard to retain his title.

Moya Church (Great Western Runners) reclaimed her Women 60-69 title back again after a year’s absence with three wins out of three.

The ever present at our races of Steve Parson (Great Western Runners) won the Men 70+ series with two firsts and a second. All over 70 men were from Great Western Runners with Malcolm Offer and Roger Haynes who won the first 2 mile with a time of 17:05. I hope I’m that fast when I’m over 70; well I think I’ll be happy just to be running at over 70!

At the other end of the scale the Junior Boys title was won by George David (yet to be attached to a club, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he will be with Bristol & West AC sometime soon) with 7 points after his 2 mile time of 11:38 and 4th overall in that race. That has to be the performance of the series. Megan Grimshaw edged out Rachel Potter to claim the Junior Girls title.

A big thank you has to go to Jan Burke and Paul Burgess for stepping in to marshal at the last moment, and tremendous gratitude to Alan Wilcox for galvanising and encouraging so many Bristol & West AC runners to enter our races. This definitely helped Bristol & West AC, both Men and Women win the Club Championship with total points of 86 and 101 respectively. It would be great to see more clubs enter to challenge the dominance of Bristol & West AC. However, it was good to see new runners from Frampton Cotterell Harriers compete in our races this year.

As always a big thank you for all those runners (especially from Great Western Runners) who continue each year to support our races, and all those runners who have been coming for such a  long time – Richard Nuell (Portishead) mentioned that he has been running in our races since 1994. At this rate I’ll have to be handing out Self-Transcendence long service medals, lol. And finally a very special thank you to photographer Rich Kenington for capturing the wonderful smiley faces at the race for all to enjoy.

“Sri Chinmoy has shown me that if you just follow the Supreme in yourself and also challenge yourself, then there are really no limits".  –Carl Lewis
(p. 93, in Sport & Meditation. The Inner Dimension of Sport; Selected writings of Sri Chinmoy compiled by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team Switzerland. The Golden Shore Verlagsges.mbH; Nurnberg: Germany).

Bristol Self-Transcendence Race 2 mile 7th July 2015

Bristol Self-Transcendence Race 5km 16th June 2015

Men's individual points

Women's individual points

Clubs points for both Men and Women

Summer Series Race Report

“They’re lovely races – sort of parkrun with medals. Very friendly and supportive” ~ Jan Burke

The first race of our Self-Transcendence Bristol Series saw 59 runners tackle the undulating 1 mile loop around the Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile at Eastville Park. This was one of the best turn outs for the first race, enticed no doubt by the dry and sunny conditions. 

Bristol & West AC were the largest contingent bringing 22 runners followed by Great Western Runners with 13 runners. As always it was great to see old faces and new runners, especially from Tring RC and Emersons Green RC. This year we have some new impressive Men and Women Club Championship trophies and last year it went right down to the relay race where it was all decided  - within a matter of a few points. It could go the same way this year. 

Mark Edwards (Bristol & West AC) won in a fast time of 10:15, with his first mile split of 5:05. He was followed by Team Bath runner Olly Sheppard (last year’s Series Winner) in 10:47. In the Men 50 – 59 Gary Hughes (Team Bath) won with a time of 11:33, and no doubt as the series progresses we will see him get faster to push into the top seven spot. Wilf Burke with an impressive time of 13:03 (22nd overall) won the Men 60 – 69 (and yes he got his well-earned medal). As always we are truly impressed with the ever present over 70s of Steve Parsons and Malcolm Offer (both Great Western Runners), however in this over 70s category Roger Haynes (Great Western Runners) won with a time of 17:05 and between all three of them picked up 6 points for their club, two-thirds of their men’s club championship points for this race. 

Louise Cronin (Great Western Runners) (last year’s Series Winner) won the senior women in a time of 13:08, followed closely by Chloe Potter (Westbury Harriers) in a time of 13:16. The 5th women overall and first women 50 – 59 was Rosey Munchens (Bristol & West AC).  The women 60 – 69 was won by Moya Church (Great Western Runners) followed by Jan Burke who was given the loudest cheer of the evening crossing the finish line.

As expected, with the number of Bristol & West AC runners they accumulated 22 points for the Men’s Club Championship, however they didn’t have it their own way as Great Western Runners women picked up 15 points, edging out the women from Bristol & West AC by 2 points.

"Individual self-transcendence

Collectively inspires

Humanity at large."

~ Sri Chinmoy

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