Squirrels make a flying start in the cross country league

Flying squirrel Sarah Mitcherson

Jane Clarke

This Sunday saw the beginning of the cross-country league season.  The first race took place at Croyland Park, Wellingborough with 26 squirrels taking to the course.

Both men’s and women’s teams finished in 2nd, leaving the NHRR team top in the combined competition. It’s a fantastic start to the race series.

Jim, Mark, Adam, John, Ed, Matt, Ryan and Stewart scored for the men and Astrid, Jane, Paula and Sarah were the women’s scorers.

The full list of runners with their positions are as follows:

7, Jim McConnel
9, Mark Vaughan
12, Adam Bowler
15, John Auld
18, Ed Price
21, Matt Sayers
29, Ryan Smith
38, Steward Overton
42, Nick Malpeli
48, Steve Wells
53, James Keogh
56, Vince Wright
71, Adrian Sherwood
101, Astrid Mckeown
112, Jane Clarke
118, Steve Tracey
122, Steve Harris
142, Steve Williamson
157, Paula Adams
162, Lewis Green
163, Sarah Mitcherson
164, Kat Burr
265, Linda Aird
289, Hannah Keeble
317, Christine Sharp
329, Joy Shroud

With Less Mud but a longer distance Chelmsford Marathon saw four squirrels donning their vests.   Naomi Parkinson was the first to finish in a PB time of 4:18:46, Lucy Hurley in her marathon debut time of 4:27:28.  Adam Wilson also making his marathon debut finished in a time of 4:44:38, Alan Hazlehurst in 4:51:50 pretty impressive for someone still recovering from a chest infection!

Jennifer Naisbitt ran her first half marathon in Stevenage doing better than she expected, finishing in 2:13:02.

11 Squirrels settled for the 5k parkrun distance in Stevenage with the following results.
10th Rob MILBURN, 20:27, 20th Chris STOKES, 21:25, 55th (6th Female) Ellie SCOTT, 24:22, 88th Richard FOX, 25:48, 91st Paul BOWAL, 26:00, 94th Jon STOW, 26:05, 126th Verity HAGUE, 27:50, 144th Helen GIFFIN, 00:28:47, 171st Oliver GARBAS, 00:30:11, 202nd Chrissie DAVIS, 00:31:30, 232nd Patrick NORRIS, 00:32:54.

Parkrun Zary saw Chris Poole coming in 69th in a time of 28:58, Tring Parkrun had Stephen Lumis taking part coming in in 53rd with a time of 26:07 and in March Mark Cook was 7th in 21:01.