There was no ‘taking it cheesy’ for over 120 participants at Sunday’s (13 November) Double Gloucester Run as they completed two tough loops including Cooper’s Hill. It was a cracking event to get your teeth into...

Cooper’s Hill is better known as the venue for the famous (and what may appear completely bonkers!) Cheese Rolling event where every spring bank holiday, men and women chase a 9-pound Double Gloucester down a near-vertical hill. We are talking about a 1 in 2 gradient and a cheese reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. 

Runners at Sunday’s event didn’t have to throw themselves down this hill, thankfully. Instead, they had to climb up it on two occasions whilst trying to admire the views from the Cotswold Way. Legs and lungs of steel were required. 

The Double Gloucester Run is a 6 mile challenge from Trimax Events open to people of all ages starting at 10am from the foot of Cooper’s Hill. This hill is 200 yards long or 180 metres and uneven, often muddy underfoot so trail shoes needed and an ‘up for it’ mentality. There was a 1 mile Double Gloucester Kids Run too.   

There were King and Queen Cheese awards for the male and female winners of the first climb up Cooper’s Hill: prizes for the overall winners of this looped race. 
    
Matthew Gillespie was the winner in 44:16 followed by Garry Hughes of Stroud & District AC in 45:02. Jasper Robinson of Croft Ambrey RC was third in 47:24. 

Kate Houghton was the women’s winner in 52:41. Rachael Sycamore of CLC Striders was second in 59:56 and Jackie Creed of Dursley RC third in 1:07:52. 

View all the results via the runABC Midlands Race Listings page.  

Have any of the top finishers taken part in the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling event or plan on doing so? Just a thought...

Image courtesy of Hucclecote Harriers.