Three Squirrels ran at in the lovely surroundings at Shuttleworth in the 10k. Elwyn Howell,  Andreea Weisl-Shaw and Richard Baker. 
 
Elwyn came 5th overall with 46:27 and 1st in his age category. Andreea ran her first official 10k and 3rd ever race excluding parkruns. Cheered in my her team mates, she finished in 1:02:34, 46th overall and 22nd female. 
 
Elwyn complemented his team mates on great running before giving a big cheer to the organisers of the race for for providing great support. 
 
Photo by Georgia Baker
 
Parkruns
 
St Albans: Tracey Pitcairn 20:46, James Poulton 21:32, Mike Bullock 48:13.
Kettering: Steve Williamson 26:49
Stevenage: Andreea Weisl-shaw 29:37, Tracey McCreath 32:00
Knysna: Joseph Barker-sherry 24:25
Castle Park: Branch Moss 40:05
Letchworth: Peter Clarke 19:56, James Dalton 21:43, James Godfrey 25:27, Bob Davis 27:51, Philip Flack 30:14, Geoff Pettengell 33:01
Clevedon Salthouse Fields: Steve Brenton 29:59
Henlow Bridge Lakes: Mike Phillips 21:03, Matt Roberts 22:50, Michael Over 23:06, Andrew Coates 24:44, Kat Gourd 25:12, Natalie Philips 29:44, Brian Judkins 34:00
Durlston County Park: Shahab Ahmad 22:55
 

On Saturday, a bunch of North Herts Road Runners ventured across the border to Bedfordshire to take part in the Great Denham parkrun – a popular fast and flat course that is renowned for providing the opportunity to notch up some speedy 5k times.
In what was an otherwise quiet week for racing, the event was the squirrels’ Run of the Month for August, and had a great turnout. 20 club runners were listed in the official results, with additional members also coming along to cheer, provide support, and enjoy the glorious sunny morning.
Despite the hot weather conditions (even at 9am in the morning) making the course a bit more challenging than usual, several squirrels were rewarded with impressive new personal bests, including David Edwards, who achieved his first sub-20 min 5km in 19:56 (on his birthday!) and Vince Wright (18:19). Other parkrun personal bests were claimed by Paula Holm (20:42), Dave Braybrook (21:17), James Poulton (21:39), Tim Banting (26:06), and Linda Aird (27:29).
Mens’ team captain John Auld clearly really enjoyed the run, and the opportunity to socialise with fellow club mmebers over coffee and cake at the park café afterwards: “We definitely had a NHRR presence at the event, which is what run of the month is all about. I was super proud to be a squirrel and see the team running and socialising afterwards.”
The full NHRR parkrun events for this week, at Great Denham and beyond, are as follows: ROOSEVELT ISLAND DC John Russell 26:24; KETTERING Steve Williamson 25:29; PYMMES Darren Sunter 16:55; WEYMOUTH Natalie Lawrence 19:23; SITTINGBOURNE Ian Harvey 23:31; GUERNSEY Matthew Ronayne 19:25; ZANDVLEI Joseph Barker-Sherry 24:48; LETCHWORTH James Godfrey 24:44, Alan Hazlehurst 31:03, Philip Flack 32:12, Geoff Pettengell 33:59, Branka Moss 43:48; GREAT DENHAM: Andrew Leach 17:12, Vincent Wright 18:19, John Auld 18:59, Ian Datlen 19:21, David Edwards 19:56, Rhiannon Botha 20:12, Paula Holm 20:42, Natasha Pitman 20:54, Dave Braybrook 21:17, James Poulton 21:39, Lucy O’Connor 24:14, Katherine Gourd 24:40, Helen Cairns 25:20, Tim Banting 26:06, Richard Barker 26:20, Adrian Sherwood 26:58, Linda Aird 27:29, Helen Giffin 28:25, Georgia Barker 32:07, Brian Judkins 38:03; HENLOW BRIDGE LAKES Barbara Sayers 26:49; NORTH YORKSHIRE WATER Helen Cromack 31:49.

No relaxing for John Rayner on holiday as he entered the Apmeneia 5k on Thursday finishing 3rd overall.  John said ‘This was due to start at 7pm with the temperature around 30 degrees. The course started at a local football club, headed out into the countryside and then looped back through the village. 30% on road I had been promised a couple of little hills. The first 3km were beautiful, downhill and I was part of the lead group. Then as we got back to the village we met the first of many steep climbs. The lead group broke up but I was able to hold on to 3rd. After the race there was food and most importantly jelly. This was followed by the prize giving and the chance to stand on a podium. The whole race was free, including a t-shirt and medal.’
 
Sue Foot ran the Suffolk Running Academy Marathon on Saturday. This was a single loop around the beautiful Suffolk countryside with some long challenging hills especially in the heat. Sue said ‘There was only 13 of us and apart from the start I was on my own for the 26.4 miles. I finished fourth overall in 4.50 and was the first lady out six.’
 
North Herts very own First Saturday of the month 5km in Norton Common saw 61 finishers in the beautiful sunshine. 
Vince Wright won the race in 18:26 and was delighted that his marathon training is going so well. 2nd in the race and First Lady was Katie Harbon in 18:52. Completing the podium for the squirrels was Will Harrison finishing in 3rd with 19:50. There was a tremendous 3-way sprint finish for 3rd, 3 seconds between them, with Will, Steven Bennett and James Keogh. Next month’s event is on the 3rd September at 9am.
 
Although it was a few weeks ago now, we got confirmation on both the county and event results for the relay this week. The race was on July 21st.

Fantastic event, superb turn out and performance from #TeamNHRR.
Katie was the fastest woman's leg.

Teams medals given below.

Red, senior men, silver overall and county gold
Grey, vet men, gold in both
Ground, senior women, gold in both
Tree, vet women, silver in both
Flying, mixed vet gold
Siberian, mixed vet silver

Red: James Fox, Ben Hadman, Mike Roberts, Tom Webb
Grey: Stewart Overton, Ed Price, Mark Vaughan, Darren Sunter
Flying: Ian Datlen, Lucy O’Connor, Shahab Ahmad, Caroline Thrussell
Ground: Katie Harbon, Sophie Thrussell, Paula Holm, Anna Klucnika
Tree: Rhia Botha, Rachel Arnott, Tash Pitman, Tracey Pitcairn
Siberian: Michael Over, Anna Gibson, Peter Sibbett, Jillian Tooley-Boys

Four squirrels travelled to Sandy to compete in the Biggleswade AC track meet which incorporated the Herts County champs for 10,000m. Men’s Captain John Auld exclaimed “It was a great event, everyone was super friendly. I really enjoyed the evening and I know the others did too.” All four NHRR competitors won county medals. Stewart Overton (34:33) - 2nd in the race and First MV40 in the county champs, Auld (38:19) 4th and 1st MV35 in the county champs.
Ian Datlen (38:57) - 2nd M50 in the county champs and with his first ever track race achieved a 10k PB. Karen Townsend (39:58) 7th – 1st Lady in the county champs.




On Sunday, more than twenty NHRR members completed the Sheepy Shuffle, raising funds for the Mirkwood Rest Home for Retired Sheep. Richard Weber explained that it is “an excellent charity, providing a happy, respectful and dignified retirement for its lovely residents. The event that was mainly completed as a social run on the Letchworth Greenway was proceeded by a sheep themed picnic on Norton Common. Particpants chose between Half Marathon distance and 5K to complete the virtual event, with one dedicated squirrel Andreea Weeisl-Shaw ‘racing’ her distance in Lanzarote.

Squirrel, Matt Roberts, used the opportunity of holidaying with family to compete in the Randburg Harriers Vitality 10K in Johannesburg with a crack of dawn 07:30 start time. Roberts said that he was excited to be wearing his club vest in this race, just a couple of days after arriving in South Africa. Despite the challenge of both the elevation and having not yet acclimatised to the altitude, Roberts raced well and was delighted with a top 100 finish and 8th MV40 in a large field. He not only enjoyed the atmosphere and the experience, but mostly was so pleased to see and run with his brother-in-law, who he hadn’t seen for 4 years and had been planning to run with once COVID restrictions eased.

This Saturday sees the First Saturday of the Month at 9am on Norton Common http://www.nhrr.org.uk/fsotm---free-5km-race.html Also, spaces are selling fast for the club's flagship race, Standalone 10km on Sunday 25th September.  Go to http://www.nhrr.org.uk/standalone-10k.html to enter.
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Squirrels were out in force and using their holiday destinations as an opportunity to be Parkrun tourists.
LETCHWORTH –James DALTON 21:43, Dervla DOWNING 24:11, Andrew Grudzinski 26:40, Jegan SIMON 27:38, Paul BOWAL 28:13, Bob DAVIS 29:03, Philip FLACK 36:35. ST ALBANS – Mike BULLOCK 29:21, GUNNERSBURY – Scott REED 32:07 KETTERING – Steve WILLIAMSON 27:41 STEVENAGE – Mike PHILIPPS – 19:57, Elwyn HOWELL – 21:50, Natalie PHILIPPS – 27:52, Linda AIRD -28:15, Sue VAUGHAN -29:45, GUNPOWDER Darren MATUSSA – 21:48, WIMPOLE ESTATE – Joseph Sherry – 24:44, HUNTINGDON – James GODFREY 22:04, SEATON – Darren SUNTER – 33:40, WEYMOUTH – Natalie LAWRENCE – 18:39 ALBERTS FARM (South Africa) - Matt ROBERTS – 36:04, HOLKHAM – Tracey MCCREATH – 33:33, LANDS END – Jane CLARKE – 25:20, HENLOW BRIDGE LAKES – James POULTON 22:16, Dave BRAYBROOK – 22:23, Richard BARKER – 23:55, Lucy O’CONNOR – 24:50, Rachel ANNETTS – 28:38, Branka MOSS – 53:43.