Alton Runners hit the ground running in the opening race of the 2025-26 Hampshire Road Race League (HRRL) season.

The Totton 10k, held in the village of Copythorne, just outside Totton, joined the HRRL calendar for the first time and drew an impressive 620 runners to the start line.

Among them were 27 members of Alton Runners, all proudly representing the town in the first fixture of the season.

The race began promptly at 9am under light rain, which quickly cleared to leave ideal running conditions. The course featured two laps of gently undulating roads.

Alton Runner Jane Scrase said: “The two-lap course was very manageable, with a few gentle slopes to keep things interesting.

“I especially enjoyed the tree-lined stretch and appreciated the fully closed roads.”

Alton Runners made an immediate impact. Dylan Poulton led the charge with a superb fifth place finish in a time of 34.02, followed closely by Richard Webley and Alex Hall in 11th and 12th respectively.

In the women’s race, Rachel Walsh delivered a standout performance, finishing fourth in 39.58.

There were also strong showings in the age categories. Hugh Bethell claimed second place in the MV80 group, while Andrew Tarrant secured third in the MV60 category.

Danny Taylor and Lydia Andrews celebrated personal milestones with new 10k personal bests, rounding off an excellent start to the road race league season.

Alton Runners men’s captain Christian Coles said: “It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout for the opening race of the season, and the performances across the board were impressive.

“Judging by the individual results, Alton Runners are well placed for a successful year ahead.”

Anyone who would like more information about Alton Runners should visit the club’s website at www.altonrunners.co.uk for further details.

By Lydia Andrews