DAVID Bruce and Jude Craft were pushed hard before making it two Mota-Vation Series wins out of two at Bletchingdon.

Bruce (Highgate Harriers) and Craft (Headington Road Runners) finished five and four seconds clear respectively of their nearest challengers.

Running in the colours of his first-claim club, Oxford’s Bruce battled it out with Dan Hamilton (Abingdon) and James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers) over the undulating 4.25-mile course.

Bruce clocked 21mins 45secs to Hamilton’s 21.50, with Bolton third and first vet 40 in 21.54.

Two days later, Bruce was second man home in the Man v Horse race at Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales.

Bruce clocked 2hrs 48mins 24secs for the off-road challenge, but was beaten by eight horses!

Craft, also the top vet 35, crossed the line in 26.21, with Alchester’s Michelle Pank (26.25) second home and first senior lady.

Witney Road Runners’ Alan Reynolds was the first vet 50 man in 25.42, also making it two wins from two in his category.

Oxford City’s Stewart Thorp took the vet 60 honours from clubmate Roy Treadwell in 26.33, reversing their order from round one at Charlton-on-Otmoor.

Series organisers Kidlington provided the vet 45 lady in Sue Morton, who recorded 31.13.

Eynsham Road Runners Kate Williamson, 67, was the first vet 55 home in 31.36.

With six runners in the top 14, Oxford City extended their lead in the men’s team rankings.

Headington are looking even more dominant in the ladies’ standings after bagging places one, three and four.

RESULTS

(top 20, senior men unless stated)

1 D Bruce (Highgate) 21.45, 2 D Hamilton (Abingdon) 21.50, 3 J Bolton (Woodstock, V40) 21.54, 4 D Bellinger (Oxford) 22.11, 5 T Wright (Banbury) 22.20, 6 J Eve (Headington) 22.50, 7 T Jones (Witney) 22.55, 8 L Newell (Oxford) 23.15, 9 A Burgess (Oxford) 23.23, 10 J Richardson (Oxford, V40) 23.31, 11 S Male (Oxford, V40) 23.48, 12 R Storey (Eynsham, V40) 23.49, 13 D Cantwell (Woodstock, V40) 23.51, 14 E Mezzetti (Oxford) 23.53, 15 J Bowness (Magdalen College School, U19M) 24.03, 16 M Marshall (Oxford, U19M) 24.04, 17 B O’Connor (Woodstock, V40) 24.05, 18 S Pritchard (Banbury, V40) 24.17, 19 K Game (Woodstock) 24.17, 20 J Atyeo (Oxford, V40) 24.30.