Latest names are unveiled for Performance of the Month

IT is no surprise that cross country runners dominate the short-list for the February Running Bath/chron Performance of the Month competition with some terrific performances, in particular from the city’s young athletes. The Saucony English National Cross Country Championships in Leeds were the highlight of the month, but in addition the Gloucestershire League also reached its climax and the Gwent League was also in action. Road running never stops, but Alberto Lapedriza headed to the south of Spain for some sun and heat to accompany his latest marathon – and clearly made a very wide decision. As always, the winner will received a pair of shoes to the value of £80 from Running Bath. The leading athletics retailer in the city where expert advice and top class service is guaranteed. ■ ELLA TREBY: In her first Gwent Cross Country League race for four years, Team Bath teenager Treby claimed a superb second in the under15 girls’ race at Pontypool. Treby’s last appearance in this event was 46th in the novice girls’ age group race at Bristol in March 2014 and since then she has favoured the Gloucestershire League events, and she also ended that league season on a high with a third in the final fixture at Cheltenham just a few weeks later. ■ ALEX PARSONS: Newly-crowned Avon Schools’ inter-boys cross-country champion, Parsons made his first appearance of the season in the final race of the Gloucestershire Cross Country League and what an impact he made as the teenager ran strongly to finish second overall and top under-17 in the race that was combined with the under-20 men. ■ FREYA SPRUIT: Spruit completed a clean sweep of victories to seal a perfect season in the Gloucestershire Cross Country League. With a runner’s best three results from the four league races counting towards the overall standings, the Team Bath teenager had already wrapped up the under-17 women’s title before the final fixture at Pittville Park, Cheltenham. But Spruit showed no signs of taking it easy as she produced another strong performance to finish fourth overall in the senior women’s race to leave her under-17 rivals trailing in her wake. In terms of position it was her second best finish this winter, having achieved a high of third in the penultimate match at Dursley in December to go with her sixth and 13th places in the opening two fixtures. But as far as her own peer group goes, Spruit was imperious with a perfect four wins out of four. ■ ALBERTO LAPEDRIZA: The Team Bath runner opted for a trip to southern Spain for his first marathon of 2019 and was rewarded with a super personal best of 2hrs 58mins 17secs in the southern city of Seville. Lapedriza’s time, which saw him finish 636th, took him under the landmark barrier of three hours for the first time as he previous best stood at 3:11.49 recorded in London last year. It was his third marathon having clocked 3:18.36 on his debut in the short-lived Bristol to Bath marathon in 2015. ■ INDIA IBBOTSON: Making the top 100 of the Saucony English National Cross Country Championships is no mean achievement and signifies that you are one of the best runners of your age group in the country. With that in mind, Ibbotson fully deserves her place in this month’s short-list for placing 90th of the 220 finishers at Harewood House, Leeds the other week. To underline her versatility it is also worth noting that the previous week she clocked 2mins 25.24secs to finish third in the Birmingham Games, an indoor personal best. ■ DYLAN STONEMAN: The Saucony English National Cross Country Championships is the Blue Riband event of the winter season, so for rookie Team Bath runner Stoneman to finish 30th in the under 13 boys’ race was a fantastic achievement. Coming on top of a silver medal in the junior boys’ race at the Avon Schools’ Championships and a second place in the final Gloucestershire League season it adds up to a great start to the year for the youngster.