No half measures as Squirrels clock new 13.1-mile bests

Matt Sayers finishes St Neots Half

There was a clutch of new personal bests for North Herts Road Runners on one of the most popular weekends of the year for half-marathon running. 

Mark Edmondson-Jones was delighted to clock 1.25.31 at the Hertfordshire Half-marathon – a new event starting and finishing at Knebworth House. He also took the honours as first finisher in the 50-plus age group. 

Further up the A1 Matt Sayers also recorded a new best of 1.19.13 in finishing 15th at the St Neots Half-marathon, with Ed Price (6th in 1.16.18) the only Squirrel ahead of him. Club Chairperson Astrid McKeown was first lady home for North Herts in 1.29.09 on the 13.1-mile course. 
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Other NHRR finishers in the weekend’s half-marathons:  at St Neots: Vince Wright, 1.23.36; Darren Matussa, 1.23.53; Sarah Mitcherson, 1.41.56; Claire O’Sullivan, 1.50.19; in the Herts Half-marathon: Steve Foster, 1.38.30; James Drew, 1.41.05; Lucy O’Connor, 1.56.06; Ben Ryan, 1.56.11; Linda Aird, 1.56.41; Katrina Dixon, 2.04.48; Micelle Grudzinski, 2.05.14; Alison Blunt, 2.05.15; Miranda Morgan, 2.10.43; Lindsay Cook, 2.31.19; Vanessa Rolfe, 2.33.17; Mark Pinney, 2.33.52; Linsey Ashley, 2.38.49, Jennie Andrews, 2.38.49. 

Linsey and Jennie's success was all the more notable as both are both recent ‘graduates’ from the NHRR beginners group and completed their first ever 5k only 10 weeks ago. 

 Hayley Cocks completed her first ever Parkrun at Stevenage in 38.53. 
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 ​Long-distance experts Jo Summers and Sue Foot both tackled the picturesque Shillington Shuffle off-road marathon on tracks and farmland starting and finishing at Barton-le-Clay in 4 hours 44 and 5.40 respectively. 

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