Stand By Your Beds…. This is my first race report so please bear with me as I embark on this journey of becoming a race reporter (believe me, running is far easier and less nerve racking than this!!) If I have forgotten anyone or event I apologise, the more I do the better I will become. So here goes and in no particular order…
Saturday 30th March Colchester Castle Park Run celebrated its 500th Park Run and we saw many blues taking part in the celebrations. They were as follows:
Justin Hayhoe 00:20:18 Richard Moor 21:40 Danny Draper 22:11Craig Mitchell 22:47 Robin Oakley 23:05 Kelly Hayhoe 24:09 Charlie Sharp 24:21 Scott Young 27:31 Gary Howard 27:44 Charlotte Hammond 28:24 Claudia Keitch 28:24 Lisa Briggs 28:44 Meera Rajoo-Oakley 28:46 Caroline Searle 30:01 Shawn Leek 31:12 Teresa Farmer 37:29
Meanwhile down in sunny Clacton the following runners took part in the 314th Clacton Park Run. They were as follows:
Ray Baggs 21:14 Scott Brian 23:12 Katie Siggery 26:22 Larina Marsh 26:53 Dave Jones 27:12 Brian Telford 28:49 Mathew Grant 31:30 Debbie Smith 32:07 Ricky Spencer 34:37 Bee Harris 38:25 Frank Gardiner 38:25
Clare Castle Park Run Martin Cotton 29:23 Sammy Cotton 34:52 Mark Harris 30:13 and Donna Harris 30:11
Harwich Park Run Inga Hayden-Cooper 23:44 Tricia Stacey 24:30 Anna Lyon 25:17 Gary Cooper 31:05 Leoni Harvey 31:11
Felixstowe Park Run Mark Jasper 17:29 Caroline Dyer 23:22 Chris Smith 35:31 Mel Parris 36:51
Highwoods Park Run Dean Pepper 25:35 Hien Hoang 27:28 Paul Hollidge 27:39 Stephen Ashbee 27:41 Debs Hollidge 29:11 Magdalena Komorowska 29:12 Tom Komorowska 29:13
Kicking the week end off on Saturday 6th April saw Mark Crittenden out in full force along with his partners in crime Leoni Harvey and Michelle Auer at The Maverick ARUK Original Suffolk Trail. This is self-navigation 10 mile route that takes runners through an unspoilt and largely unventured landscape. Despite this Mark didn’t get the team lost, all finishing in an impressive 2:08:14. Well done team.
“Super Windy” Sunday 7th April.
Brighton Marathon
We saw Bee Brent complete her very first (and I am reliably informed not last!) MARATHON in Brighton. She didn’t let “Storm Kathleen” get in her way coming home with a thoroughly deserved PB of 5:18:31. Congratulations Bee on your marathon debut, absolutely fantastic running. Another huge congratulations to the lovely Helen Coe who completed Brighton marathon despite having one arm in a sling! (yes, you read that correctly!) She came home in an incredible time of 5:35. Well done Helen and hope the injury heals quickly. Julia Leonard secured herself a very impressive PB finishing in 4:37:49. Well done Julia and congratulations on your PB. Zoe Reynolds completed the Brighton 10K in a great time 1:13. In Zoe’s own words “I finished the race a lot quicker that I thought I would” Yes you did Zoe well done and congratulations.
Southampton Marathon
Our Head Coach, Caroline Searle was in action at the Southampton marathon in also incredibly windy conditions, despite this she came in with a fantastic time of 5:06:31. Apparently, she was adamant that she would never run a marathon again! You just have the Eryri one in October to go Caroline!!
London Landmarks Half Marathon
The predicted winds were so strong that the organisers took the decision to remove a lot of the billboards and signage the night before. However, this did not stop Dan Palmer storming in with a PB 1:43:52. Well done Dan (those Monday night training sessions are clearly paying off!!) Anna Lyon also braved the elements and finished in a fantastic time 1:54:56. Well done Anna another great run for you. My fellow race reporter Tim Clifton was out pounding the same streets and finished in an impressive time 2:08:43. A highlight for Tim was apparently catching Keifer Sutherland staring at his finishers medal! Another fantastic run from Karen O Grady who despite having a nasty virus the week before made the decision to still run and finished in 3:25:23. Well done Karen on what I know was a very difficult run for you, you nailed it, Congratulations.
Further afield the “Dynamic Duo” Paul and Yolande Arnold ran the Monsal Trail Half Marathon. This race is made up from a former Midland railway line in the Peak District which takes you through four railway tunnels across the Monsal Viaduct surrounded by beautiful Countryside. Despite also having very windy conditions Paul finished 1:56:53 followed very closely by his lovely wife Yolande 2:02:56. Very impressive times there Mr and Mrs A, well done. Oh, and Paul can you rest up now, remember London in a couple of weeks!!
Meanwhile back in Colchester the Essex Road Relays were held at the Northern Gateway on what had to be the windiest one yet! There were many blues in action completing a 5km race. We had 5 Ladies and 6 Men’s teams entered and we saw Milly Presland making her debut wearing her blue vest. Well done Milly blue certainly suits you!
Well done GBRC the smiles certainly show how pleased you all were with your stunning performances. Apologies I do not have any pictures of our boys in action, but I am sure your smiles were just as broad!
Great Bentley Running Club 