Seventeen members of Alton Runners took part in the sold out Netley 10k near Southampton, enjoying warm spring conditions alongside a field of 697 finishers.

Hosted by Netley Abbey Runners, the undulating route started inside Royal Victoria Country Park, headed out around the village of Netley, and returned to the park for a traffic-free finish.

While a particularly sharp hairpin bend typically interrupts rhythm and prevents personal bests, warm sunshine and light winds still helped produce some excellent performances. The rising temperatures did, however, add an extra challenge over the latter stages of the race.

Alton Runners secured a number of strong results, including three impressive personal bests. Lee Ellis, Emma Coles and Wendy Hall all celebrated new personal bests after standout runs. Coles’ result was particularly memorable.

Coles said: “I was really pleased I got a personal best. Thank you to you all for the support to help me cross that finishing line. Well done everyone.”

First home for Alton was Sam Larcombe, who finished in an impressive 17th place overall, while Samara Kelleher-Jacobs was the first Alton female runner to cross the line.

The achievements were made even more notable by the fact that five members of the squad had also competed in the Emsworth to Basingstoke relay the day before, showing impressive resilience across a busy weekend of racing.

The race formed the tenth fixture in this season’s Hampshire Road Race League, with just two races remaining before the end of the campaign.

The event once again proved hugely popular, with all places selling out in advance and creating a lively atmosphere throughout the morning.

After crossing the finish line, runners were rewarded with a striking orange drawstring bag, water and fruit to help them recover from the warm conditions.

By Lydia Andrews