Mayhill Massacre 2026

Thanks to a wet and soggy January, this year’s Mayhill Massacre on 1^st February had the benefit of gruellingly tough conditions underfoot! 

The rain had stopped ready for the 10am start (restarting 3hrs later) and the daunting ascent of the famous Mayhill at just under 1,000 feet – or higher if you include the fascinating “crown of Mayhill” with the ~100 Scots pines. Technically not as high as Bredon Hill by 3 meters, the two hills stare at each other every day. The event has been staged in various reincarnations over the last 20 years. However, over the last few years it has become shorter in distance and emphatically more demanding – if the climbs aren't demanding enough, the descents certainly are. 

This year’s event features in the club’s off-road race series. It was once included a few years ago, but the fear-factor reduced the TRC uptake to just one or two. The entries for this year were much improved – although not everyone made the starting line?  Pre-race excitement was centred around Imogen Knox. Knox is in great form at present and off the back of her smooth victory at the Fladbury Five, TRC had a reasonable chance of another podium placing after Natalie Jenks in 2025. The long climbs would certainly be a match for Knox’s noted lung power, but how would she, and the rest of the Tewkesbury team deal with the infamous mud during the later stages of the race?

Julia Jackson and Roy Bottomley, both well-trained Bredon Hill runners were chomping at the bit. Another Bredon Hill frequenter Clive Sentance was apprehensive with an annoying knee niggle. Hannah Moon was brave to take on the challenge after a recent virus knocked her off the Boddington 10m course. Jon Mansfield has a long history of Mayhill Massacre runs, his last run was in 2019 over the 9.1 mile course. Another veteran on Mayhill, Phillip Howells was another TRC vest wearer chomping at the bit.

To make things even more colourful, 2^nd claim Tewkesbury runner, Chris Nicholls was starting too. Although running for his Severn AC team, it was a surprise to see the speedy Parkrun specialist take-on one of Gloucestershire’s toughest courses. 

Starting from Huntley’s St John the Baptist’s Church, the runners were released from their handbrake start and up through the woods. The lead runners shot off but this time without Mansfield as he started at the back after a little mishap during the warm-up. It was Knox who hung on to Nicholls during the climb up. He almost made it to the top before Mansfield caught them both. From that point Mansfield was off descending and never looked back finishing 6^th in 1:05:06 h:m:s. 

Knox enjoyed a running battle with the Severn AC athlete throughout the course. She even managed to perform a 360-degree twirl through the ankle-deep sections. Up against some strong ladies, including former winners, Knox finished in a close 3^rd place, in a respectable 1:13:35. She did, however, manage to get the jump on Nicholls who also finished in a respectable 1:13:39 and with an evident desire for more off-road antics. 

The trees at the top of Mayhill are known as the “psychological finish line of the Mayhill Massacre”. But in reality, it is just the dawn of a gruelling day!  Hannah Moon led Julia Jackson up the climb. Surprisingly, both ladies were seen enjoying a conversation during the climb! Although Moon was the stronger ascending, Jackson edged ahead once the “psychological finish” came in sight. Jackson finished in 1:23:17 – a strong time. Moon worked hard to keep catching glimpses of her club mate ahead through the woods but couldn’t quite hang on. Moon finished in an equally strong time of 1:26:08 and on the bounce from illness. 

Moon did have the company of Clive Sentance for most of the course; with a painful knee, he reduced speed on the descents. It was a tough day for the club treasurer, although a creditable finishing time of 1:28:55 is good for even a fully-fit athlete. Closing down on Sentance as the race progressed, Roy Bottomley ran strongly. Finishing in 1:29:20, he stayed upright through terrain that even the toughest ramblers would avoid – all colours of ankle-deep mud, and of various sticky and slippiness. To add to the underfoot woes, some of the forest route included head-high branches, thigh-high brambles and some incredibly precarious roots – the runners needed to be looking-out for the waiting hazards constantly. 

The biggest smile at the finish was from Phillip Howells. His 2:22:20 meander through some of the most glorious yet demanding countryside, followed by some of the loveliest downhill sections imaginable, was time very well-spent.