PBs, Superb Marathons and new club records!

Matt Sayers and Ed Price at Rotterdam Marathon

Plenty of Marathons this weekend. After a long winter of training in all sorts of weathers, the first big date of the major spring marathon efforts from club members.

Four Squirrels travelled to Rotterdam for the flat course. The group had been training together with three London Marathoners and were all in great shape. Expecting some great times the quartet did not let NHRR down. First home was Adam Bowller, setting a new club MV35 record of 2:38:07. Not too far behind was Matt Sayers, with a great finish, dipping under the minute mark in a new PB of 2:46:48. Stewart Overton narrowly missed getting under 3 hours and finished with 3:00:24. Stewart said afterwards that he was “Happy with a PB and honestly couldn't have given any more”. The last 2km he was “zig zagging and dizzy”. Also suffering the dreaded wall was Ed Price who finished with a new PB of 3:05:54. 

Two squirrels ran the Greater Manchester marathon where the weather on Sunday was perfect marathon weather - no rain, no wind to speak of, if anything quite chilly at the start. Nick Malpeli set a new club MV50 record with 2:44:24. His target was to go sub 2:45 and managed the pace with relative ease for 20 miles, but then it became tough. Nick said “The last 6, naturally, became harder and harder, but I didn't slow down too much achieving the 2:45 with over 30s to spare”. Chris Poole finished just under 4 hours with 3:59:40.

Jo Summers completed her 200th marathon in Rome, finishing in 3:57:41 and Niccolo Bassani, ran 3:34:33 in his home city of Milan. 

78 runners turned out for NHRR very own First Saturday of the Month 5km around Norton Common Letchworth. Paul Jackson was the first squirrel home and the race winner finishing in 18:39. Other squirrels running were James Keogh 6th (20:34), Richard Harbon 10th (22:21), Marcus Farnfield 15th (23:11), Andrew Cooper 28th (24:53), Andrew Robson 29th (25:36), Caroline Thrussel 33rd (26:12), Adam Wilson 35th (26:30), Andrew Porter 49th (28:56), Carina Quayle 61st (31:16), Helen Cromack 63rd (31:38), Helen Marson-Smith 74th (34:21), Hayley Cocks 76th (38:33) PB. Completing 1 lap was Jo Kenlin and Jo Sopaia. Hayley Cocks was pleased to take 3 mins off her previous PB.

The Summer series of The First Saturday of the month 10km around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park started in this week. John Auld finished 4th  with a new PB of 35:37 and won two tickets to the Orbital. John went there looking for a PB to complete a 5km, 10km and Half Marathon PBs set in the training up to the London Marathon in a fortnight.

A scurry of squirrels turned out for the Sandy 10 mile race where NHRR had some fantastic results with ideal cool, still and damp conditions. The course is a tale of two halves, with some quite challenging uphills in the first couple of miles, and then fairly gently undulations until you turn back to the start and come down the hills from the way out. Helen Cairns 1:12:55 was first squirrel home and also was the second FV35.  Sarah Mitcherson wasn't too far behind finishing in 1:14:08 and Caroline Thrussell (1:19:33). Lucy O'Connor was the next Squirrel and set a new FV55 club record of 1:19:44. Further finishers were Dervla Downing (1:22:13), Linda Aird (1:22:48). Ian Sutcliffe was next, setting a new MV70 club record of 1:30:29. Completing the NHRR finishers were Brian Judkins (1:47:11) and Vanessa Rolfe (1:49:48). Linda said afterwards “I thoroughly enjoyed the downhill miles and the momentum enabled me to carry on pushing to the finish to achieve my best 10 mile time since I set my PB at the distance in 2011 - and I was only 11 seconds slower than that PB, so well chuffed with that!”

Darren Matussa raced in the 1500m race 5/9 at the Watford Open Meeting on Wednesday evening. Darren finished 3rd with a time of 4:49.71. 

Decathlon Sports organised a 5k in Stevenage. The route took you up from Asda car park towards Fairlands Valley Park (under multiple underpasses on the way) then a loop around the park and back down to Asda car park. The course was a little long, coming in at about 5.3km. Stuart cocks came in first for NHRR and in the top 15 at 23.45 actual time for 5k 22.40 giving him another 5k PB! Ellie Scott and Naomi Parkinson ran together and finished 1st and 2nd lady in just under 25 mins. Abbi Cocks came in at 29.30. Hayley Cocks came in 38.44 but 5k time was 36.42. Shani Fielding also got a PB this weekend time was 35.03 and the 5k time was 33.06 taking 2 minutes 58 seconds off. Jo Kenlin did it in 39.55 with 5k time was actually 38.15 also giving her a new PB with 2 minutes 12 seconds off her 5k time. Hayley said afterwards, “training really does pay off we are all buzzing”

Competing at Parkrun this week were Oliver Brady (19:41 at St Peters). Jo Sherry (26:08 at Albert, Melbourne), Chris Poole (28:18 at Markeaton) and Pat Norris (32:47 at  Stevenage).