More Marathon Achievements

Helen Govey completed Boston Marathon

For me as a fellow club member Helen Govey running in her first ever marathon in (Boston Yorks) in 4hours 28min 20secs is a real inspiration.  She joined the club less than 3 years ago on a couch to 5K course and has never looked back and she is literally about half the woman she used to be in size but not in stature!!

She is now a very special and active member of the club who never fails to have an encouraging word for me (and everyone of the runners starting from where she did) before she disappears into the distance showing a clean pair of heels.  Boston was selected for its flat course for her first attempt because (with apologies to Coach Karen) she is not keen on hills and she nailed it, she might have been overtaken by Bananaman at mile 3 but she is very proud to say she got him back at mile 6! Vanessa Rolfe was also running finishing in 5:39:47.

Running in his first marathon and his first big race under the NHRR banner Lee Hayes in Brighton, clocking in at 3:33. Behind him Pat Norris was battling in his 20th Marathon not long after recovering from a Kidney stone and hitting the wall at mile 20 he kept to it and finished in 6:38.  Dan Mallett 4:40 and Carina Quayle 5:21 also took part.

Jo S was off road with a map and directions for her 27 miles in Northampton doing the valley and Views finishing in 5:21 having experienced some fabulous views and a few battles with the Valleys.  She has done the event before but without the mud that this year was so bad it had spectators handing on to a live electric fence for stability!!!
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With preparation for the London Marathon this next weekend in full swing there were a more limited number of people out on ParkRun duty.  Finsbury Park saw David Weston finish in 53:49. Stevenage had Sarah Millhouse (25:35), Richard Fox (27:34) and Brian Judkins (33.40).  Letchworth had a 5 Squirrels taking part.  Richard Harbon (22:43) was first squirrel home in 8th place. James Dalton (24:24), Lewis Green (26:15), Phil Hung (26:54) and Luck Callan (28:37) following him in.  Oliver Brady was further afield in Willoughby and finishing in just 19:33.  Darren Matussa posted the Squirrels fastest Park run time this week of just 18:36 coming in fourth in Denham, being followed home by Stephen Lummis (22:42) and Chris Poole (22:56).

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