Bristol & West AC's Kate Goodhead warmed up for the Commonwealth Games Mountain Championships in the Lake District next weekend with a record-breaking performance in the Cotswolds.

The hills in Gloucestershire may not be the biggest around but the Great Britain international claimed second place overall in the Woodchester eight-mile multi-terrain race.

Goodhead said she felt the event was an ideal loosener, after she had been injured in the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy earlier in September.

"I finished second in the race to Stroud's Matt Withey and I also broke the course record, finishing in just over 49 minutes," said Goodhead.

"I felt I needed that run before the Commonwealths next week and the race went well. The hip problem I suffered in my fall at the World Championships the previous week was OK."

Another Bristol & West runner opting for a change of surface was junior Nathan Young, who won the Ash Excellent eight-mile multi-terrain event, in Somerset.

Competing in the Chippenham half marathon Vanessa Hawkins smashed the Bitton Road Runners' over-50s record, set only the previous week at Bristol by Karen Dawkins.

Hawkins completed the race in 1hr 33mins 05secs to carve over five minutes off Dawkins' time of 1:38.37.

The leading local runner in the women's race was Great Western Runners' Aileen Brown, who finished fifth.

Julian Lewis, of Hogweed Trotters, was the top local male runner, in 37th place, while club-mate Paul Becker also made the top 50.

Bristol & West AC's Tom Merson led Devon to second place in the regional championships at the Robin Hood half marathon in Nottingham.

Just a week after the Bristol half marathon and three days after smashing his personal best in the Devon 10,000m Track Championships, Merson finished sixth in a time of 70mins 12secs.

"I think the sharpness may have gone slightly but it was a solid run," said Merson.

Amazingly it was Merson's fifth race in two weeks, after opening with the Battle of Sedgemoor 10k and Run Exe 5k road races, and he will now concentrate on a period of training.

Hogweed Trotters' Dave Wintle finished 99th (3:14.42) in the Robin Hood marathon, in Nottingham.

Competing in the half marathon, Bitton Road Runners' Bill Graham won the over-55s prize in 89th overall (84:38).

Avon & Somerset Police runner Rob Wood finished fifth in the inaugural Somerset Levels and Moors Marathon in a time of 3hrs 42mins 48secs.

North Somerset AC's 12-year-old Sophie Thomas clocked times of 14.6secs for the 100m and 31.5secs in the 200m at the Last Chance Saloon meeting at Braunton.

Clubmate Francesca Allen ran 14.6secs in the 100m and 7.47m in the shot 7.47m.

The 2009-2010 Weston Prom 5-mile series gets under way on Thursday night (7.30pm) with the race HQ in the basement room of the Pavilion Bar on Upper Church Road.

Runners can enter the whole nine-race series for just £15 or pay £3 per race.