Three out of the four course records fell at the Fleet 5K and 10K races on Sunday 22 October 2023, bringing cash bonuses for the successful athletes. The times to beat were 10K Male – 31:04; 10K Female – 34:55; 5K Male 16:46; 5K Female – 18:56.

The races were based at the Harlington Entertainment Centre in the centre of Fleet – the major town in the Hart District of Hampshire, believed to be named after the French words: "Le Flete", meaning shallow water and referring to Fleet Pond and Nature Reserve, the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire, albeit one of the shallowest.

Fleet 10K started in 1972 as the Peter Driver Memorial Road Race as a tribute to the Fleet and Crookham AC former secretary's contributions to the club following his untimely death and to commemorate his brilliant 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games 6 miles victory.

The main race is held on a remarkable two-lap course that is flat and fast, utilising just three roads in an almost perfect triangle. Fleet 5K has since been added and although the course has changed over the years, the event is still organised by volunteers from the host club, Fleet and Crookham AC, and is promoted by runners for runners, just like the other major event run by the club, Fleet Half Marathon.

First of the new record-setters was Harris Worship (#1050 above) of the host club at 16:25, followed by M40 Damian Spreckley (City of Portsmouth AC, 16:49) and M50 Darren Bradley (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 17:24).

It wasn't long before W40 Lesley Locks (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 17:52) was home for another bonus payment ahead of W40 Sarah Cleland (Hart Road Runners, 19:28) and junior Skye Johnson (New Forest Junior AC, 19:48) – an under-20 who went under 20:00!

Then it was the turn of Joshua Grace (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 30:12) – pictured leading above – to claim a record award in the 10K race. Joshua was comfortably ahead of Ben Chown (26.2 RRC, 32:36) and Tom Harding (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC, 32:56).

W40 Alexa King (Hart RR, 37:43) took the top step on the women's podium from Agnieszka Wilk (unattached, 38:24) and W40 Ruth Wallace (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 38:32).

The full results are available via the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy Richard Brown of 21CPhotos.com for Fleet 5K and 10K