Squirrels Dodge Bulls and Conquer Hills to Start the Summer Season

Linsey Ashley and Jennie Andrews

​58 Squirrels began North Herts Road Runners campaign in Division One of the Midweek League by battling rush hour traffic, steep hills and escaped bulls to compete in the picturesque Epping Forest in the first of four races of the Summer season. Some standout individual performances and superb team efforts meant that NHRR finished in second position overall. The men's team was led by Jim McConnell who finished in 2nd position and Katie Harbon was first female squirrel home, also in 2nd position. Darren Matussa commented that it was a "Fantastic evening. The team spirit was great!"

Sarah Mitcherson ran in Hitchin's inaugural 10km race and finished with a podium placing as 3rd lady (43:29) she described her experience as "a well organised, great 10km race around my home town". She was closely followed by Helen Cairns 1st FV35 (44:29). Other squirrels racing were Sonja Grbavac (52:13) and perfectly paced for a sub hour were Linsey Ashley and Jennie Andrews (58:58), Helen Ferguson (59:14) and finishing with a PB of 1:19 was Jo Kenlin.

There were perfect running conditions in Letchworth for NHRR's annual Greenway Challenge on Sunday, with record entrants and finishers, PBs a plenty and 31 squirrels representing the club. Jim McConnell was first in for the club in 75:58 and the first lady was NHRR’s Katie Harbon in 88:53. The Challenge also saw several squirrels complete their debut half-marathon, with Cara Sutton, Dervla Downing, Gladys Cheng and Geoff Murray-Rochard all joining the 13.1-mile club.

Jillian Boys travelled into Bedfordshire for the 36th annual Stevington 12km race "unexpectedly warm and there was literally not one flat part to the course!" Despite these challenges she was rewarded with 8th lady in a fantastic 59:18.

NHRR's youngest squirrel travelled to Lllanelli in South Wales to complete her first Youth Super Series Triathlon. 15 year old Eva McCabe endured a chilly 400m sea swim, followed by a 12km cycle and finished with a 2.5km coastal run.