It was a year when the elite competed at a home Olympics and Team Bath Athletics Club went from strength to strength, both in quality and quantity of members.
So what better way to wrap up a memorable 2012 than to name the third annual Running Bath athlete of the year?
There is a shortlist of ten athletes to follow in the footsteps of marathon international Holly Rush and Team Bath chairman Dave Coales, who took the honours in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
The winner will be unveiled next week and receive a special trophy from Running Bath, the city's leading athletics retailer and sponsors of the Chronicle's athletics coverage. The contenders are:
LOREN BLEAKEN The 17-year-old from Marshfield's outstanding versatility saw her shine both on and off the track. Having won the South West Club's cross-country title in the winter, as well as be crowned both the Wiltshire and South West Schools' champion, the Team Bath runner went on to dominate the 800m during the summer. She was victorious in the British, English and South West Schools' Championships, and won the Sainsbury's UK School Games at the Olympic Stadium. Bleaken also won the England Indoor under-20 women's title and took silver at the outdoor event.
ALAN BUCKINGHAM The 43-year-old is living proof that it is never too late to improve as he set new personal bests in the 5k, 10k, ten-miles, half marathon and marathon, finishing ninth in the veterans' over-40 age group in London.
ALEX CARTER Like training partner Bleaken, 16-year-old Carter showed amazing consistency on cross-country, road and track. As well as winning the Running Bath 5k series, he claimed the Wiltshire and South West Schools' cross-country titles and won bronze in the Midlands Counties Championships. On the track, he took 3,000m silver at the Midland Indoor Championships, the England Schools' Championships and the UK School Games, as well as bronze in the British Schools' Championships. A great medal haul was completed with 1,500m bronze at the South West Schools' Championships.
JENNY CARTER The 39-year-old mother of two won both the Royal Victoria Park four-mile road race and the Bath Skyline 10k in November, shortly after slicing three minutes off her half-marathon personal best in Cardiff. Carter, who teaches Year 1 students at King Edward's School, wants to go quicker still at March's Bath Half.
EMILY DIXON The 17-year- old's terrific year ended on a real high as she made her England debut at the British Schools' Indoor Pentathlon Championships. Multi- eventing is a tough path for a young athlete to follow but the Team Bath ace – who receives coaching from Di Viles, Baross and Ken Holmes – showed great dedication to end 2012 third in the UK under-17 heptathlon rankings. She was runner-up in the inter-girls' event at the English Schools' Championships having earlier lifted the South West title.
HANNAH GRUBB The 17-year-old is continuing a rich tradition of fine pole vaulters at Team Bath, having ended 2012 ranked fourth in the UK for women under-20 thanks to an indoor lifetime best of 3.70m. She also won the South West Schools' title outdoors but just missed out on the podium at the English Schools', England Athletics Championships and UK Under-20 Championships.
WILLIAM KENNEDY The 15-year-old Team Bath sprinter and mentor Colin Baross, who was named coach of the year at the inaugural Bath Chronicle Sports Awards, will look back on 2012 with great satisfaction. He ran 72 times and picked up several medals, starting with bronze in the under-15 boys' 60m and 200m at the England Athletics Indoor Championships. Outdoors he claimed a 100m and 200m sprint double at both the Wiltshire and South West Schools' Championships. Kennedy ended the year fifth in the under-15 boys' UK 100m rankings and third in the 200m, having set PBs over both distances and the 60m.
DANNY TALBOT The University of Bath graduate – who started his career at the Wessex & Bath Club, which later merged with Team Bath AC – lived the dream by representing Great Britain in the 4x100m relay at London 2012. The rising 21-year-old sprint star, coached by Bathampton's Dan Cossins, also won his first senior international medal – a 200m bronze at the European Championships.
The Chronicle's athletics coverage is sponsored by Running Bath, Bath's specialist running shop. Catering for runners of all abilities, from complete beginners to experienced athletes, it offers a wide range of running footwear, apparel and accessories. Visit Running Bath at 18 High Street, Bath, call 01225 462555 or log on to www.runningbath. co.uk.
