NHRR make history with fifth 3CXC title

North Herts Road Runners have made history by becoming the first club to win the Three Counties Cross-country League in five consecutive seasons.

​They clinched the title in the final fixture of the winter season – a demanding 4.8-mile race  at Dunstable Downs, doing just enough just enough on the day to clinch top spot in the 14-club league ahead of close rivals Rugby and Northampton AC.

​NHRR Joint-Chair and Ladies’ Captain Tash Pitman said ‘Team NRRR won the league! Well done everyone on a superb team effort over the five races with awesome support. Thank you all for making it happen, and especially our awesome coaching team!’
 
She singled out NHRR Cross-country Rep John Auld ‘for doing a brilliant job organising the League and all the encouragement to run!’
 
43 Squirrels completed the hilly course on Sunday and 88 took part in at least one race across the season. John Auld said ‘Well done everyone today. On the day we finished Team 1st, Men 2nd, Women 1st. This meant that we also finished the whole league in the same positions. Team 1st, Men 2nd, Women 1st.’
 
‘We are the first team in league history to win 5 consecutive team championships. We have won the combined team in 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23 and 2023-24. There was obviously 2 years missing for COVID. 

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‘The ladies retain their championship and are now 4 times consecutive winners. Bedford Harriers actually won this 5 times consecutive from 2010-2014. So we can try to equal this next year!‘

​There were plenty of individual awards for NHRR:

• Katie Harbon won the women’s open – winning every one of the five races.
• Hannah Ridley won the 25-29 category.
• Rob Jowett won the 30-34 category.
• Rhia Botha won the 35-39 category.
• Tash Pitman won the 45-49 category.
• Caroline Thrussell won the 60-64 category.
• Matt Sayers 2nd in the 45-49 category.
• Astrid Mckeown 2nd in the 50-54 category.
• Vince Wright 3rd in the 45-49 category.
• Peter Sibbett 3rd in the 60-64 category.
• Linda Aird 3rd in the 65-69 category.

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​NHRR finishers at Dunstable:

5             Sam Coxon
13           Nathan Pask
14           Rob Jowett
17           Vince Wright
19           Katie Harbon
23           Matt Sayers
29           Shahab Ahmad
36           Ed Price
41           Ian Datlen
61           Oliver Parsons
65           Rhia Botha
69           Adrian Sherwood
70           Cameron Geekie
73           James Walsh
​74           Mike Over

​78           Craig Cartier
82           Astrid Mckeown
86           Natasha Pitman
95           Hannah Ridley
96           Michael Philips
131        John Auld
138        Jack Smissaert
163        Peter Sibbett
167        Caroline Thrussell
169        Paula Adams
170        Natalie Philips
188        Laura Fairbanks
197        Richard Harbon
208        Becky Geekie
​229        Georgia Head

235        Anna Gibson
257        Jane Molloy
267        Paul Bowall
272        Helen Ankers
278        Jo Harbon
279        Jillian Tooley-Boys
280        Hannah Keeble
287        Linda Aird
298        Lindsay Cook
301        Helen Cromack
312        Andrew  Robson
334        Miranda Morgan
351        Brian Judkins

Regent’s Park 10k
Jeff Salter ran his first 10k of the year in 58:26 at the Regents Park 10k, organised by Mornington Chasers. Delighted with his time, Jeff said ‘I haven’t broken the hour mark for over a year after lots of injuries and am certain that my training on a Tuesday night has helped.’

First Saturday of the Month
There was a strong turnout for February’s First Saturday of the Month 5k on Norton Common, with even a local football team taking part en masse.
 
Local runner George Lucas was first of the 65 runners across the line in 20:44, with Ben Sewell first home for NHRR in 21:58 and Paula Holm the leading female Squirrel in 23:19.
 
Other NHRR finishers (timing information incomplete):

​Katie Harbon           23:20
Ian Datlen                  23:21
Daniel Mallett         25:01
Rhia Botha                25:09
Astrid McKeown   25:10
John Auld                   25:10
Richard Harbon      25:13
Tash Pitman              25:14
Natalie Phillips        25:32
Laura Fairbanks      25:34
​     

James Dalton       
Kat Gourde     
Viv Lucas
Matt Ankers      
​Bibi Delacey-Mould              
Natalie Fiddy         
Grace Cleary        
Jennie Fraser        
Alan Hazelhurst​

​Alice Bates         
Andy Grudzinski
Geoff Davis          
Ian Sutcliffe    
Dawn Power       
Amanda Greig         
Lucia Perez Alonso                  
Philip Flack