Call of the Common: Wimbledon Trail Series recap

The beginning of May heralds the start of the Wimbledon Trail Series and the summer racing calendar. Gone are the spring marathons, and we can finally turn our attention to the shorter distances.

The three-race series includes two rounds over the familiar 5-mile course that takes in all the lumps and bumps of Wimbledon Common, culminating in a leg-trembling climb up the infamous Toast Rack—where many dreams and egos have been burnt over the years. For those who dare, the grand finale offers up the longer 13km route, which many describe as ‘one of the toughest races of the year’.

As well as individual honours being at stake, the series also acts as a battleground between local clubs fighting for the Toast Rack Trophy. Forty-one of us answered the call to arms for Race 1; the promise of post-race pizza and a collectible, limited-edition mug for all participants drew all kinds of bandits out of the woodwork. A strong contingent returned in June for Race 2, and despite clashing with an important soccer match, 25 stalwarts saw out the series in July.

Fulham RC Leaders: Front runners and podium finishes

Fulham is rich in ‘golden oldies’ who continue to defy the rules of ageing and inspire the younger generations. One such athlete, Stuart Farmer, did just that, winning the MV40 category outright in both the second race and the long finale, whilst finishing sixth overall in each.

He wasn't alone at the front. Andrew Humphries produced an impressive time as he stormed to second overall in Race 2, while Dillon McEvoy was no slouch either, taking fourth in the opening race.

Leading the Fulham women home was Alice Malin, who produced her usual show of strength to finish as second woman overall in Races 1 and 2. There were also several age-category podiums: Sarah Bergin took third in the LV40 category in the first two races, Jeanne Thorp was third LV50 in Race 1, and David Cornock rounded out the MV60 podium in the opener.

Wimbledon Trail results: Big personal bests across the field

The trail series provides the perfect platform to test your progress in training and run yourself into form ahead of those all-important summer races. Over half of the Fulham runners who ran in both 2025 and 2026 provided promising signs by running quicker this year.

Some notable improvements over the 5-mile course came from Maddie Barrow, who knocked a staggering 6 minutes and 13 seconds off her time from last year. Michael Dennis took off over 5 minutes, and Colm Gallagher found over 3 minutes, proving to be one of the most consistent performers across the whole series. Other honourable mentions include Alice Heath and Louise Garlick, who both took more than two minutes off their previous bests.

The True Winners: Club spirit and community

While those pesky Clapham Chasers retained the trophy, what we did win was the admiration and love of our fellow clubmates, with plenty of banter and race stories exchanged long after the sun had set on the verdant plains of the Common.

I finish with this: would you rather have a huge trophy to lug home, or a club spirit where every last bandit is cheered across the line? I, for one, know who the real winners are.

Written by Graham Pattle