Standing on the start line of the Gloucester Marathon, it struck me that the average runner must sound very sickly to the uninitiated. The waiting room conversation in a doctor's surgery would pale into insignificance alongside the excuses that runners offered up as we awaited the gun - shin splints, lower back pain, flu, hangovers - all trotted out alongside the old favourites of lack of training, too early in the season and so on.

Standing next to Connor Carson of Kenilworth Runners, I thought back to my last visit here a year ago, but couldn't remember much about the course to give any top tips. The only words that sprang to mind were laps, hilly, exhausting. With no confidence-boosting repartee to hand I listened instead to Connor's positioning of this as a training run... for the record, he managed a PB of 2.48.49 and 5th place. Runners may be generally healthy but they are full of bull at times.

This race attracts more than its fair share of "100 Marathon Club" runners, ticking off a race as early as possible in the year. A 50K event also takes place at the same time, adding a 4th lap to the marathon route, and the two races combined add either motivation or confusion depending on your perspective, as faster runners almost always have someone to chase and overtake.

This is a double-edged sword of course. For every pursuer, there is a runner pursued. I found myself among the latter for a couple of laps at mile 14 as a spell of dizziness cost me several places. A couple of gels and some mental games to re-focus and I was back in business as we entered the 3rd lap. Telling myself that this was now only a 10K race, I picked up the pace, or at least it seemed as if I was running faster again. Thankfully, Carolyn was on hand to pass me drinks en route, as the drink stations seemed a long way apart during my bad patch.

I managed to gain more places than I had lost, to stagger home in 16th place, two better than last year, albeit a slightly slower time of 2.59.07 which I put down to a windy day and being a year older. Thank you Fetch for giving me an age-weighted score higher than 2011! (There's always a straw to clutch if you look hard enough).

If anyone fancies a January marathon in 2013, I may even be tempted to come along and do this again.

Five miles at top speed around the university of Warwick campus.

Is there any better way of clearing the lungs and getting the legs moving again after a restful Christmas?

This was the first race of 2012 for a whole host of Striders, and as always well-attended by other local clubs including the hosts Coventry Godiva.

Being part of the Strider Race Series always guarantees a good club presence and I suspect London Marathon training schedules may also have helped focus minds.

And so it was that 17 Striders tested their mettle on this 3 lap course. Sandra Stokes, Harky Kalsi, Jo Butler, Fiona Salmon and Kate Evans are all set to tread the streets of the capital in April and looked in fine form today.

This event also marked Carolyn's return to racing and gave us an extra challenge... who would be left holding the baby? Fortunately we had a willing volunteer in Jackie Lindsay, passing up the chance of a flat course to help us out. As it turned out, Jackie was able to team up with the injured Roz Cox to cheer us on and keep Sian from crying too loudly throughout.

Rich Shephard was first Strider home in an excellent 28.25, having paced local running celebrity Sue Harrison most of the way before pulling ahead towards the finish. I was very pleased to dip under the 29 minute mark for a PB, and Mark Urbanowski was third home in 29.30, showing that his regular Park Run appearances are paying dividends.

Nick Adams continued his good run of form to finish in 33.29 a little ahead of first Strider lady Jenny Spillane. Caroline Whitehouse was second lady home, followed by Jo Butler.

Several of us headed back to the Godiva clubhouse for a festive mulled wine and mince pie (or a cup of tea for the drivers amongst us). Godiva dominated the race results and very generous prize list. I picked up the Mens 45 masters prize and Nick Adams temporarily held the Mens 55 masters prize before realising he was too young to have earned the honour and handing it back to the organisers.

Full list of Strider finishers below. Next race up is Not The Roman IX on Sunday 15th January.

Richard Shephard 28.25 Trevor Wilkinson 28.58 Mark Urbanowski 29.30 Nick Adams 33.29 Jennie Spillane 34.48 Justin Mallard 34.48 Darren Gillman35.48 Caroline Whitehouse 36.04 Jo Butler 36.45 Kate Evans 37.02 Ben Parkinson 37.12 Sue Cox 37.57 Jude Baum 38.53 Carolyn Wilkinson 39.35 Sandra Stokes 40.49 Harky Kalsi 40.49 Fiona Salmon 42.19

In a change from previous years, the Christmas Cracker 10K was on-road rather than around the grounds of the Agricultural College.

So, no water jumps or stiles, to the relief of some and the disappointment of others no doubt.

As is traditional at this time of year, several Santa hats made an appearance, but these were topped by the splendid full costumes sported by Bethan (a slim Santa) and Sandra (a spectacular reindeer). Photographic evidence has been obtained and will be loaded to the Strider gallery when I get a moment.

Queues for race numbers made for a twitchy build-up to the 11am races. I say races because a 10K and 20K (two lap) race were held. The field for the latter was much smaller, but of quality as our own Richard Bicknall was in this one. The rest of us, and there were n-n-n-nineteen (which shows my age).

The lap was slightly short of 10Km, which meant that the 20K runners stood about 150m back from those of us in the shorter race, and were round a corner.

This led to a slightly odd starting arrangement where the starter stood on the corner behind us and in front of the 20K runners. Not a problem for them, but it meant that the 10K runners had no visual cue to get set, and were still chatting when we heard the air horn sound.

The 10K route started with a gentle descent out of the college grounds before heading more steeplydown through the village of Moreton Morell and out into the countryside. After a very nippy 3 km the course gradually headed up and through the aptly named Newbold Pacey before heading back into Moreton Morell and the only significant climb along a1.5km access road back through the College Farm to the finish.

Strider ladies occupied the first three positions through Mel, Dawn and Nadine. The Strider men also did well, finishing 4th, 5th and 9th (Trevor, Rich Shephard, Felix)

An enjoyable way to burn off some calories ahead of the Strider Christmas Party on the same day. Prizes for Mel, Dawn and Nadine, several PBs (my list isn't exhaustive) and a mince pie for all finishers added extra cheer and rounded off this Winter Series race very nicely.

Next race... Godiva New Year 5 on Monday 2nd January.

Full list of finishers:

20K

Richard Bicknell 1.38.23

10K

Mel Venables 42.43 Dawn Clark 44.00 Nadine Fleckenstein 44.16 Jo Butler 45.17 Bethan Gwynn 45.20 Caroline Whitehouse 45.25 Sue Cox 47.26 Sandra Stokes 52.39 Janice Smith 58.12

Trevor Wilkinson 36.11 PB Rich Shephard 36.26 PB Felix Langley 38.37 PB Mark Urbanowski 39.29 PB Hartwig Busch 42.07 Nick Adams 42.23 Neil Butcher 44.55 Pete Schofield 46.07 John Burden 48.17 Steve Atherton 1.00.29

Despite looming grey clouds, the rain held off and the weather was a balmy 7°C-ish (well, balmy if you were out of the wind and in the shelter of the tent having a cup of tea!). Fame and glory in the form of having your name immortalised on one of the Strider’s Cross Country Trophies were up for grabs. And, of course, the honour of organising next year’s event.

So, twenty intrepid striders set off on a 4.2 miles cross country course around Newbold Comyn, guided by some stoic marshalls (thanks marshalls!) and plenty of arrows drawn in flour (in total, Newbold Comyn is now 2kg richer in plain flour, and 1kg in self-raising - thanks Ben!). The route was similar to the previous year’s and took in the golf course, the river, and the nature reserve, with a small change to take in some additional mud en route to the children’s playground, before the familiar final push up the Beacon Hill and back down. A few deviations to the planned route occurred, some apparently less unintentional than others (!), but everyone came over the finish line from the same direction in the end.

Uptake on the through-the-river route was reported to be lower than last year, with more people opting to keep their feet dry and run the extra distance across the bridge a second time. A special mention should go to Harky, who embraced the cross country aspect of the race by freestyling her route choice across a deceptively deep, boggy patch of the course and in the process treated her entire leg to a generous rejuvenating coating of bog mud.

Everyone was spoilt for choice for cakes and hot beverages after the run – thanks to all cake bringers and tea makers, and to Peter for the loan of the tent and the professional tea making facilities.

Congratulations to the men's winner, Neil Butcher, and the ladies winner, Caroline Whitehouse.Results are available in the format of time in after the first person.

Anyone searching for evidence of climate change would have been well rewarded on last Sunday when the Coombe Park 8 mile race featured for the second year in the Winter Series:

2010 - minus 9, snow on the ground and clear blue skies 2011 - a balmy plus 7 with a heavy mist enveloping the fields

Seventeen Striders were drawn to the event by the promise of club points and free soup. As I arrived, and sought out green and red vests, most greeted me, not with a friendly "How are you?", but with "Have you brought Sian?" Is this the inevitable role to which I must now resign myself.... my daughter's taxi driver?

So to the race. The start line was part way along an avenue of trees, made atmospheric by the mist, leading away from the visitor’s centre in the grounds of Coombe Abbey. A sharp right turn led us into a meandering route across neighbouring fields and then back past the start line.

Hurdling a couple of low wooden fences, or rather stepping over them with the help of hay bales, we entered the park's woodland and 3 miles of delightful trail running.

The switchback route afforded glimpses of runners both ahead and following on and I could see Strider vests in both directions. A stream crossing was a new addition this year as we left the trails, but caused no problems. Passing the start line, after once again leaping over the low fences, the second half of the race entailed a further criss-crossing of fields, dipping down and up out of bomb craters (or at least the marshals called them this as I passed).

A group of Strider supporters - Carolyn, Dawn, Fay and Andy - cheered us all over the line. Free soup, free gels and a Christmas-y T-Shirt to all finishers rounded off this enjoyable cross-country race. If you've only tested yourself on-road, stick this in your diary for next year.

Full list of Striders in finishing order below. Next Club Race is the Moreton Morrell 10K Christmas Cracker on 10th December, the morning of the Strider Xmas Party. Hope to see you at both.

Rich Shepard time- 49.26, position in race- 4, club series points- 50 Trevor Wilkinson 50.52, 6, 45 Rich Merrell 52.45, 14, 44 Mark Urbanowski 54.06, 21, 43 Mel Venables 1.00.09, 67, 50 Cecilia Wong 1.02.52, 80, 45 Neil Butcher 1.02.41, 83, 42 Vicki Smith, 1.03.13,87,44 Jo Butler (Hawkins) 1.03.41, 93, 43 Richard Bicknell 1.05.00, 106, 41 Esther Wollaston 1.05.22, 113, 42 Richard King 1.05.39, 115, 40 Caroline Whitehouse 1.07.41, 137, 41 Michelle Clements 1.08.26, 148, 40 Sean Lonergan 1.09.48, 156, 39 Richard Brookes 1.15.05,195, 38 Melanie Carty 1.20.02, 231, 39