My friend Matthew ran in the Snowdon Marathon - a hilly road and trail marathon and clocked 3:56:03. Nice work… Click here to see the results.

The second round of the British Cycling national trophy series was very local to me in Chorley, and I had another good ride. The course was nothing like I’d have expected there - it has the potential to be very muddy - but this time round, early in the season it was dry and very fast. Lewis Craven had a great ride to finish 9th (and had the fun of being escorted post-race for a drug test), but other than that, it was not a brilliant day for Wheelbase /Ron Hill - Stuart Reid was a bit below par and seemed tired and Rob Jebb snapped his chain and could have done with a bit more mud to suit his style.

Click on the piccies of little ol’ me to see them in full size. Full report, results and photos here.

I had a great race at Pitville Park in Cheltenham on Sunday. 27th (6:29 behind the winner) was my best ever result in a national trophy event - I did very well not to be lapped, but I have no doubt that a fast dry course like that suited me well. I beat several people who I would have expected to have been thrashed by - a very impressive field. Lovely opportunity to catch up with my old club mates from Cheltenham and it really helped so much to hear everyone cheering me on. Good photo here from Larry Hickmott (thanks Larry - made my day!). More photos on the British Cycling web site here.

The race was won by Oli Beckonsale, in fine style - he disposed of second placed Jody Crawforth with about 15 minutes of the race remaining and soloed to victory. Oli was 7th in the recent world mountain bike chapionships.

I’m on the start list for a national trophy event for the first time in four years. The Pittville Park course is special to me because i used to co-organise the race in its infancy with Pat Alexander. The field’s like a who’s who in cyclo-cross and I don’t expect to finish in the top 30, but it’ll be a good laugh and a chance to catch up with some old friends.

Rob Jebb (Wheelbase / Ron Hill) closed in on Tim Gould’s all-time record of six wins with his fifth straight Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race victory. Jebb’s closest rival, for the fourth race in succession was former winner Nick Craig, but once again Jebb’s fell-running expertise proved more potent than Craig’s all round cycling skills.

Rob was well clear by the top of the first mountain, Ingleborough and although Craig closed in a little on the more cyclist-friendly second half of the race, Jebb’s winning margin was still over three minutes. Craig’s Scott team-mate Dave Collins was an impressive third, whilst Geoff Beetham was fourth. My Wheelbase team mates Lewis Craven and Stuart Reid were 5th and 8th respectively, and took the team prize. I finished 26th - fairly pleased with that after some shocking preparation in the last two days (Friday: Broke a bone in my foot, Saturday, got mega indigestion and couldn’t eat enough!).

It wasn’t one of the fastest races ever - the hills have begun to absord the first of their annual winter deluge of rains and although not significantly boggy, with heavy showers also slowing progress, along with variable visibility on the higher sections, the race was tough enough to test the best.

Louise Robinson, the only woman to have won the race more than twice, took her fourth win in a row, by eight minutes from Heather Dawe, with Isla Rowntree third.

In the men’s age categories, John Wilkinson was the first over 40 (and ninth overall) with Ian Holmes second and Chris Young third. First and best first timer was Junior Josh Ibbett in 48th position, just ahead of first over 50 Carl McDonagh in 52nd. Peter Walkington was the first over 60 in 133rd place.

Full Results are here

Thanks for the original text and photos from Phil Ingham here.

Photos on the official three peaks website are here.