TOUGH autumn hill races have kept City of Salisbury runners occupied as they prepare for crucial competitive events.

Ruth Thom took the Butser Hill challenge which, at around 900ft, marks the highest point on the South Downs in its five-mile trail course. With her climbing ability to the fore she passed with flying colours, her time of 41min 32sec giving her a well-earned second place in the ladies’ event. To follow, she produced a season’s best in the Basingstoke half marathon, clocking 98min 54sec.

Stuart Holloway also completed the Butser race, but, remarkably, this was soon after running a hot half marathon, his leg-weary 40.29 giving him a margin of just 10 places over Thom.

The Purbeck marathon is no less severe a test, climbing a total of 3,000ft in its 26-mile route along the Jurassic coast in Dorset. Ian Shelley clocked a good 4hours and 50seconds, while Liz Roberts completed the distance in a commendable 5.15.54.

At the only slightly less strenuous Clarendon mara-thon between Winchester and Salisbury, fastest home runner was Kevin Tilley in 14th place with 3.18.29. He was followed by David Osment in 3.48.25, Melenie Murphy 4.24.41 and Les Campbell 4.36.40. Jeanette Hardiman clocked 2.16.59 in the half distance race.

In the rather less hilly Bournemouth marathon, Liz Roberts crossed the line in 4.18.54 and Christopher Burton in 4.23.11.