Parkrun Results
Our friends at Letchworth Parkrun celebrated their 6th Birthday this Saturday which saw 114 runners flock to tackle the famously muddy course. Their efforts were rewarded with birthday cake, hot drinks and a fabulous party atmosphere.

​Finishers from the club were; Ian Datlen (22:13), Rhiannon Botha (24:00), Ian Harvey (25:15), Steve Brenton (25:40), Laura Fairbanks (27:07), Jennie Fraser (29:37), Viv Lucas (30:02), Jo Harbon (30:34), Alan Hazlehurst (30:55), Andrew Robson (32:13), Nick Walker (32:17), Philip Flack (34:54). 

Sixteen determined North Herts Road Runners headed south down the A1 in blustery conditions on Sunday morning, to kick off the 2024 road race calendar. St Albans Striders host the sell-out annual Fred Hughes 10-mile event and top athletes from surrounding counties and London travel to race around the quiet hilly country lanes bordering St Albans.

North Herts Road Runners Men’s team started the year in sparkling form with Tom Webb setting an incredible personal best time of 53 minutes and 9 seconds to finish fifth overall and lead the Squirrels team to top spot. He was followed closely by team mates Mike Roberts in 13th (after a 7 mile warm up as part of his London Marathon preparation), Matt Sayers in 27th and Shahab Ahmad in 29th.

Further afield in Norfolk, Jennie Fraser ran her first 50 miles event, the Peddars Way Ultra on a picture- perfect crisp, bitingly cold winter’s day.  A low-key trail event, Jennie found herself running alongside wild ponies, through nature reserves, with Finnish Lapphunds and Siberian Huskies until night dropped and she then had the pleasure of Lapwings and Tawny Owls until arriving at the seaside village of Holme-Next-The-Sea.  Of her first 50 miler, Jennie said it was only made possible due to the logistics and checkpoint support from fellow Squirrels Paul Bowal and Michelle and Andy Grudzinkski.

Forty six North Herts Road Runners stormed to victory in the team competition on Sunday in the fourth race of the five series Three Counties Cross Country League. This race was hosted by Stopsley Striders on a notoriously hilly course in the beautiful countryside to the north of Luton and included a section of the historic Icknield Way. However the course is not without its challenges with the final hill one of the most feared ascents in the league, and coming at the end of the race, some runners commented "felt like cement had been poured into my legs, just couldn't pick them up"!

The team needed a great performance to give them a chance of winning the league title for a fourth consecutive year at the final race in Dunstable next month and they did not disappoint. Both women's and men's teams displayed strong racing, with the women's team finishing first, well ahead of second placed Bedford Harriers. The men's team were just pipped to second place by Rugby and Northampton Athletic Club.

In the women's event Katie Harbon crossed the line with a clear lead and this has guaranteed she will be crowned League Champion for a second year. Rhia Botha had her best cross country race to date and finished fourth overall, first female 35-39 and also looks set to win her age group in the league. Other notable age group performances came from: Caroline Thrussell first female 60-64; Hannah Ridley second female 25-29 and Astrid McKeown second female 50-54.
 
In the men's event Tom Webb was third overall and first in his 35-39 age group. Other great age group performances from: Andrew Leach first 55-59; Rob Jowett second 30-34 and Pete Sibbett second 60-64.

​The Hertfordshire County Cross Country Championship took place at Verulanium Park, St Albans on Sunday. The recent weather meant that the course was changed to avoid damage to sensitive parts of the park. The new course was described as “tough with very few flat sections and over 750 ft of elevation - it was either up or down and all on either tough grass or pure mud. The whole course was very strength sapping. The temperature was cold with a bit of wind - but at least it wasn’t raining!”

Lindsay Cook was the only female squirrel competing. The men had a scoring team of 6 and a total of 7 participants. Tom Webb was 5th overall. The rest of the scoring team was Nathan, Matt, Shahab, Mike and Ian finishing 28th, 39th, 50th, 59th and 68th respectively.

Lindsay and Barbara Sayers were on the course providing well needed cheers.

First Saturday of the Month
An intrepid 53 runners had great fun in the mud and puddles at the First Saturday of the Month on Letchworth’s Norton Common. First male home for the club was mud-loving Captain John Auld with Squirrel Alice Carty as first lady. 

Welwyn Half
Rachel Arnott was the only squirrel competing in the Welwyn Garden City Half Marathon. She completed the course in a superb 1:32:45 and was rewarded with 2nd Lady. Rachel described the race as “geat winter weather conditions made up for the muddy parts of the course on the Cole Green Way!”