Squirrels tackle races far and wide on Easter travels

Easter saw members of North Herts Road Runners fanning out across the country and tackling races wherever they were on their travels.
 
The Maidenhead Easter 10 provided a handy stop-off for Linda Aird on her return from a holiday in Bruges and was also an opportunity to revisit the scene of her best 10-mile time, which she set on the same course in 2011. ‘12 years and plenty of injuries down the line, but continuing my cautious return to racing, I wanted to test myself over a slightly longer distance’ said Aird, as she set herself a pre-race target of finishing in less than 1 hour 40.
 
She ‘headed off cautiously in favourable conditions’ and was pleased to find she could ‘increase the pace a little in the last couple of miles’. A fast finish saw her clock a very pleasing 1.32.39 - ’10 mins slower than my PB, but not the personal worst I was expecting’.
 
Anna Greetham reported that she had to ‘battle the elements’ as well as the course as she tackled the Easter 10k Coastal Road Race in Guernsey. After a ‘character-building’ race she was pleased to cross the line in 49.08 and celebrate with a jam doughnut  provided by her support crew in the form of her brother!
 
Elwyn Howell completed two races in Devon, celebrating his birthday with a 21.31 finish at the Teignmouth Parkrun on Easter Saturday and then clocking 45.43 at Yeovilton’s Easter Bunny 10k on Monday. Howell made it a particularly active holiday by also fitting in a 13-mile training run on Easter Sunday!
 
Ross Black was another Squirrel on tour, in his case tackling the ‘Kilomathon’ 13.1 km race in Edinburgh, which he finished  in 1.04.17
 
Closer to home, Sheila Leavy took the short trip down the A1 to Stevenage and was delighted to complete her first Parkrun since a major hip operation, completing the 5km course in 43:10. Adopting a fast-walk strategy, she said she ‘really enjoyed it and was able to keep up a steady pace’. Well done, Sheila!
 
The Squirrels recorded another Parkrun success by providing both male and female first finishers on the hilly Letchworth course, with Tom Webb and Katie Harbon clocking 18.02 and 19.07 respectively. Stewart Overton was first finisher at Henlow Bridge Lakes in 17.45.

Parkrun results
Letchworth
Tom Webb 18.02; Katie Harbon 19.07; James Dalton 22.07; Chloe Lucas 23.16; Jennie Fraser 26.55; Paul Bowal 26.55; Jo Harbon 29.58; Philip Flack 30.20; Geoff Pettengell 37.06
 
Bolberry Down
Jane Robson 29.23
 
Clacton Seafront
Julie Taylor 31.46
 
Didcot
Aimee Flack 33.29
 
Dunstable Downs
Philip Hawkes 31.39
 
Folkestone
Helen Cairns 24.50
 
Great Denham
Ian Datlen 19.19; Tracy Pitcairn 20.40; Dave Braybrook 21.45; Paula Holm 21.50; Matt Roberts 21.50; Pete Sibbett 23.26; Anna Gibson 27.16; Georgia Barker 29.33; Richard Barker 29.34
 
Groe
Lucy Hurley26.52
 
Gunpowder
Darren Matussa 19.52
 
Guernsey
Anna Greetham 26.32
 
Henlow Bridge Lakes
Stewart Overton 17.45; Mike Banister 22.00; Tim Banting 26.52; Ed Hartley 27.51
 ​

Highbury Fields
Kris Whitmore 18.46
 
Hogmore Inclosure
Brian Judkins 35.25
 
Longrun Meadow
Jim McConnel 20.01
 
Lowestoft
James Poulton 22.39
 
Mersea Island
Will Harrison 20.47; Laura Fairbanks 24.50
 
Monsal Trail
Nick Walker 27.00
 
Panshanger
Jon Hunt 23.55; Richard Harbon 24.18
 
Penrhyn
Matthew Ronayne 19.30
                               
Pocket Parkrun
Mike Bullock 01.08.43
 
Sheringham
Matt Ankers 27.53
 
Stevenage
Rhia Botha 21.00; James Godfrey 25.13; Frances Stanton 25.15; Sarah Mitcherson 27.03; Jane Clarke 27.53; Carina Quayle 32.13; Georgina Quayle 32.27; Sheila Leavy 43.10
 
Teignmouth
Elwyn Howell 21.31
 
Westmill
Joe Barker-Sherry 32.30