Impressive Severn Athletic Club runner Steve Kenyon powered to victory in the Apperley Quarter Marathon on Sunday.

He finished in 36 minutes, 52 seconds, well over three minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

It was the fourth time in the past five years that he has crossed the finishing line in first place and race organiser Rowan Leeke joked: “I think he’s trying to keep the trophy to himself!”

Josh Hand, of Almost Athletes, was second in 40.04, while Hand’s clubmate Nick Lewis was third in 40.54.

More than 370 runners finished the race – known as the AQM for short – which starts and finishes at Apperley Cricket club.

Leeke was among those mightily impressed by the performance of Kenyon.

“I saw him around the five-mile mark and then I thought, ‘Where’s the next guy?’

“He was excellent, he’s a lovely lad too.”

But while Kenyon’s run was obviously one of the big talking points, there is plenty more to admire about a race that has become a well-established event in recent times.

“The weather was amazing,” continued Leeke, “it was sunny but not too hot. We also had 62 kids take part in the kiddython.”

That was run over one kilometre and raised money for the local primary school.

The main race, meanwhile, raised money for Bowel Cancer UK as well as other community causes.

“It’s taken time to build it up but it is a popular event,” Leeke said. “One runner said she loved our race because it’s so quirky.”  

The first Apperley Quarter Marathon was held way back in 1983, a race that was organised by Leeke’s mum Jean.

She ran it for some five years before it disappeared off the Gloucestershire sporting map for more than two decades, before being revived by Rowan Leeke in 2011.

Part of the reason for the race’s popularity – they had 450 entries in 2019 – is that it offers runners something a little bit different.

“There isn’t another quarter marathon in the county as far as I know,” Leeke said, adding with a laugh, “it means quite a lot of runners leave with a PB!”

The race is actually run over 6.55 miles – “It’s 10K with a little bit extra,” said Leeke.

Martin Ineson was the first runner home from Stroud Athletic Club, finishing sixth in 41.14, while Jon Mansfield was the first across the line from Tewkesbury Running Club in a time of 41.22, which earned him eighth place overall.

The first woman was the Forest of Dean’s Amy Penn. She completed in 41.29 for ninth overall.