Race Report 10 June 2018

Stotfold 5K, Jillian Boys with dog Poppy, Claire O'Sullivan, Sue Vaughan, Ian Sutcliffe, Andrew Porter and Helen Marson-Smith

Last week the big outing for NHRR was the Mid Week League race at Trent Park.  54 squirrels took part in the race with a good number of supporting cast.  The first Squirrel home was Mark Vaughan in 13th place in just 37:09 with Katie Harbon the first female home in 39:30 in an excellent 41st place overall.  After 3 races in the series the Men are in 3rd place in the League and the Ladies 2nd with the overall club position showing a strong 4th well clear of the 5th placed club.

Following the competitive Mid Week race there was a bit of a pace change on the Saturday with the annual ‘Bird Run’ which combines a bit of a run with a bird watch and breakfast.  Binoculars and ears at the ready being lead by an expert bird lover the group witnessed Whitethroat, Swallows, House Martins, Red Kite, Blackcap and glimpsed a typically elusive Reed Warbler. Plus they heard Great Spotted Woodpecker and Garden Warbler. They also saw a fine display of Marsh Orchids.

Running is not just a social event, its not just a way of keeping fit, this proves that it is a great way of getting out in the great outdoors and experiencing the world around you.  Summer club training runs often come with the added bonus of a spectacular Sunset.

More individual performances this week included Jo S taking part in the Farthingstone Foot Fest.  The race is a minimum (!!!) of 26 miles when advertised and ran to 27.3 this year taking an off road route, but it is was a sociable outing apart from the stinging nettles which were totally anti-social.

A last minute decision for Jilian Boys to run in the Stotfold 5K Challenge paid off as she came in the first lady to finish in 22 mins.  She was one of 6 Squirrels taking park with Ian Sutcliffe finishing in 26:13, Claire O coming in third lady in 24:12, Helen M-S finishing in 32mins and Andrew P in 28:15.  The main feature of the ran that they all remember is running through lots and lots of long grass.

Sue F ran the Redway festival of Running Maraton, having battled to be fit for the race after a lengthy layoff with a foot injury she felt a little underprepared but previous conditioning and great metal attitude kicked in and finished happy in just 4 hours 28 minutes.

Michelle was at the end of a fairly major flight plan to run the Green Half Marathon in Lefkada, part of the Greek Ionian Islands.  Finishing in under 2 hours 5 the run was around the bay as the sunset.  Running shoes are an essential part of a squirrels awaydays packing!!!!

Nicolo took part in the St Albans half Marathon, trying to keep up with the 1:40 pacers proved only just a little bit much with a finishing time of 1:41.  The highlight of the race though was a lady at mile 7 with a moral boosting sign saying 'You're running better than Thameslink'

Shani Fielding, Jo K, Halyley Crocks and Stuart Crocks took part in the Marston Mortain 5K which was a mostly flat but a little slippery underfoot.  Stuart managed a 5K PB in 21:22 and Shani a PB of 32:45.  Hayley was less happy with her time but it just proves even squirrels suffer when full of cold – but they are still running.

With the huge variety of one off races and after the mid week league there were only a few running at Park Runs this week. Darren Matussa ran in Roding Vally finishing 51st out of 151 in 24:03, In Bracknell Steven Lummis was 50th out of 349 runners in 24:39.  In Stevenage Nick Malpeli was in 4th place out of 330 runners  in 19:18, followed by Chris Stokes (20:15), Richard Harbon (21:24), Chris Poole (23:04) and Joseph Sherry coming in last of the Squirrels but only in 147th place in 27:45.  Jillian Boys ran the Wimpole estate in 23:24 finishing 69th out of 335 runninger.  Helen Giffin was another squirrel travelling with her running shoes as she took part in Keswick finishing in 30:30.  James Dalton was the only Squirrel running in the Letchworth event finishing 7th out of the 114 runners in 22:05.