There was a good turnout at the Abingdon 5K Parkrun this morning, with 502 finishers — the fourth-highest total since the event began in 2011. Notably, three of the top four have taken place in 2025.

Cool, dry conditions made for good running weather, and a large team of volunteers helped ensure the event ran smoothly.

While many participants were unaffiliated fun runners or walkers, the field also included members of a wide range of clubs – from local teams such as Abbey Running Club, Abingdon AC, Harwell Harriers, and White Horse Harriers, to visitors from further afield, including North Shields Polytechnic AC from the North East and Canterbury Harriers from the South East.

With the Abingdon Marathon taking place tomorrow, some runners treated the Parkrun as a gentle warm-up.

The two-lap course followed its familiar route past Abingdon Lock and Kingfisher Barn. By the second lap, the lead runners were well spaced.

After crossing the finish line, and checking their times, many participants made their way to Abingdon Market Place, where coffee and conversation have become a Saturday morning tradition.

On a sunny August Bank Holiday, members of Abingdon Bowling Club gathered at their rink in Albert Park to compete for the Martin Cup. Teams were drawn from across the club members there, making for a competitive afternoon of bowling.

Bowls is a social sport, with plenty of encouragement and advice exchanged between teammates. For spectators, the basics are straightforward: each end begins with the small white jack rolled to the far end of the green. Players then roll their bowls, aiming to finish as close as possible to it.

Scoring is less obvious – at the close of each end, the team with the nearest bowl scores one point for every bowl closer than the opposition’s nearest. Sometimes only a single point is won; at other times a team can collect several. Scores are added up during the match, and the team with the highest total wins.

Abingdon Bowling Club were founded in 1913. Their present clubhouse, built in 1994, stands beside the green in Albert Park surrounded by a hedge which makes a peaceful setting for the game.

Despite the cancellation of the Great South Run in Portsmouth due to stormy weather, the 40th Abingdon Marathon went ahead at 9 am. The event began with light rain at Tilsley Park, and winds increased by the early afternoon but were not too strong.

Matthew Kunov, from Reading, had an early lead in the men’s race, at the Oxford Road roundabout, just a half-mile into the race. He went on to win by about 4 minutes.

Rebecca Piggot, the women’s race winner, with number 1129, can be seen at the front of this group.

The main pack followed behind and took a few minutes to pass. Among them was Jack Dugan, representing Abingdon A.C..

Harrison Read, wearing number 18, was the first Abingdon A.C. runner to finish in 10th place. He is seen here, running along St. Helen’s Wharf, approximately 4.5 miles into the race.

James Clayton, another Abingdon A.C. athlete got 39th place.

Simon Webb, of the Stragglers Running Club, is seen here with Oli Bowers, his guide runner, in East St. Helen Street.

Spectators lined the Market Place and other view points and cheered the runners on and made many smile.

There was a 6-hour time limit for the race. Abingdon A.C.’s Helen Nash crossed the finish line with over half an hour to spare.

990 runners completed the race within 6 hours, and one runner came in with 6 hours 9 minutes. The event’s organisation, as always, deserves high praise. Volunteers were enthusiastic, offering encouragement and instructions to runners throughout the course. They waited patiently for the last runner (the officials could allow an extra 15 minutes).

P.S. Let me know if I got anything wrong. Thankyou  to https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-83087# for the results.