 NHRR Runners Shine Bright in the Summer Heat North Herts Road Runners members produced a series of impressive performances despite challenging hot and humid conditions at events across the country this weekend. Among the standout results was Rhia Botha's success at the demanding Ultra 5K – 5 x 5K at Box End Park in Kempston, Bedford, where competitors run a 5K race on the hour, every hour, for five consecutive hours. Botha secured herfourth consecutive women's title and claimed her first overall podium finish, placing second overall. She praised her fellow NHRR runners, "Great NHRR performances all round." There was further success for the club, with Alice Carty finishing as third lady, Jane Clarke taking fourth lady, Mark Larwood-Knights placing fifth overall, fourth male and first in his age category, while Ben R finished 10th overall and second in his age group. Botha also paid tribute to the support she received from family, friends and coach Peter Sibbett. "I was blessed to have my best supporters there for the last two races and, of course, my wonderful coach, Peter Sibbett, who was there to cheer us on too." Dorney Lake birthday celebrations
Isaac Mateu celebrated his 40th birthday by taking on the Dorney Lake Half Marathon on Sunday. The flat four-lap course offered the potential for fast times, but soaring temperatures added a significant challenge. Mateu completed the race in an impressive1:32:02. "The scorching weather made it a real challenge," he said. Despite the conditions, Mateu was pleased with his race management. "I was happy to finish in 1:32:02 and, more importantly, I paced it much more sensibly than I did the previous week."
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 Midweek League #4: Trent Park Thursday 2nd July saw the final event in the 2026 Midweek League series at Trent Park, London, with North Herts needing to put in a sterling performance to avoid dropping into division 2 next year. However, we needn’t have worried. Coming 2nd on the day overall (with the Ladies 2nd and the Men 3rd) we managed to avoid relegation and finish 4th in the league with 27 points. The route was a challenging and undulating 10km through the lovely woodlands and trails of the North London Park (with 143m of elevation) and added to the 24c heat, this made for a tough but enjoyable finale to the series. Well done to North Herts for pulling out all the stops to hang onto our 1st division place. Also well done to the 22 runners who managed to compete in all 4 events, and to the 43 Ladies and 76 men who competed in at least one of the races. Well done us & roll on next year. Birmingham Black Country Half Marathon On Saturday, Isaac Mateu took part in the Birmingham Black Country Half Marathon, which is a point-to-point race along the canals and through industrial areas between Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Issac felt that he went out too fast and ended up paying for it later on, however, he still finished in an impressive 1:35:54, noting that it was slightly longer than a true half marathon at 21.7 km. Issac felt that it was a very different kind of race, but certainly an enjoyable one, and one well worth taking part in.
Hitchin Triathlon Sunday the 5th of July saw Sophie Thrussell & Steve Mckeown competing in the Hitchin Triathlon. Starting and finishing at Butts Close, Hitchin, the Sprint event commenced with a 400m swim in the Hitchin outdoor pool, followed by a 20km closed-road bike ride, before finishing with a flat fast 5km run back to Butts Close. Sophie Thrussell came 1st in her category & 18th overall in an absolutely outstanding 01:12:21, while Steve Mckeown stormed home in an amazing 01:03:35, coming 2nd in his category & 3rd overall, both seriously impressive achievements given the hot weather. First Saturday of the Month Saturday the 3rd of July saw our own FSOM monthly 5k event taking place at 9am on Norton Common. With lovely weather and dry conditions, some fantastic performances were on display – check the following link for results: FSOTM - Free 5km Race  Parkrun Roundup A special mention goes to Sam and Kris Whitmore, who travelled to Cologne on their annual European Parkrun beano. Despite some serious ‘carb loading’ the night before, they both competed in the Rheinpark event, which was described as ‘cosy’ as there were only 37 runners. Kris finished 2nd in 19:29, while Sam came in 5th with 21:45, both amazing times, especially so given the very hot weather.
 Dalton celebrates 250 Parkruns North Herts Road Runners Chairperson James Dalton celebrated running his 250th Parkrun at one of his most favoured venues – Letchworth’s own demanding Parkrun course. James said he was delighted to be accompanied by a ‘special guest - my son Anthony, who was running his first ever Parkrun.’ The duo completed the in 26:06. James added ‘It will likely be 2032 before I get to the next 500 milestone, so I'll celebrate this achievement for now. Watch out in the coming months when I will celebrate 250 Parkruns on the Letchworth course.’ Congratulations to James and well done to Anthony! Three Peaks conquered Richard Thackery enjoyed ‘a great day out in the Yorkshire Dales’ as he tackled the Upper Wharfedale Three Peaks Challenge – a 27km route taking in Birk Fell, Buckden Pike and Great Whernside. Thackeray completed the course, which included 1100m of ascent, in 4hrs 37 mins. Brewer aptly rewarded David Brewer tackled his namesake race – the 3 Brewers 10k between Hatfield and St Albans - and was rewarded for an impressive sixth-place finish with a bottle of beer - naturally enough. His finishing time was 45:41.   Clophill Lakes with coffee and cake Ten Squirrels enjoyed a 4-mile social run around the Greensand Trust’s Clophill Lakes nature reserve. The reserve’s Greenway-style paths made for easy running and the group also got some gentle hill-work in, climbing to the ruins of Old St Mary’s Church and getting a commanding view of the reserve from the mounds that form the site of the former Cainhoe Castle. All involved enjoyed post-run coffee and cake at the reserve’s café. Many thanks to Richard Barker and Dave Braybrook for organising! Parkrun roundup
Sunny St Albans delivers Lollies and PBs! Two squirrels headed to St Albans for the Half Marathon (Ice Lolly Run) in what was described as ideal running conditions. Both Isaac Mateu and David Brewer achieved personal bests on the undulating course. Mateu was pleased with his PB of 1:31:16 and was closely followed by club mate Brewer in 1:32:19. They described the event as well organised with supportive crowds.
Second Midweek League For the full results go toDiv1Race2.xlsx https://share.google/UrwuuHLsgpCwArP0p A fantastic turnout of 72 Squirrels took to the start line for the second Midweek League race, hosted by Royston Runners. The torrential rain relented just before the start and remained dry throughout this scenic, undulating course with a brutal uphill finish. Everyone put in a strong and determined effort, and while we narrowly slipped down the leaderboard there were plenty of impressive performances and great team spirit on display. With the next Midweek League event being our own fixture, there’s a brilliant opportunity ahead to build on this momentum. Let’s get everyone involved, bring our energy, and see if we can climb back up the leaderboard on home ground!  Squirrels celebrate First Saturday of the Month17th anniversary Saturday was the 17th anniversary of our very first First Saturday of the Month (FSOM). Despite the drizzle 77 runners were undeterred and turned out to run 5k around our lovely Norton Common. For results see (nhrr.org.uk/fsotm---free-5km-race.html)  Hitchin Hard Half Marathon and Tough 10 Miler True to its name, this is a distinctly “hard” event featuring a number of demanding hills and rolling climbs. This is not a course for setting PBs but rather a scenic test of endurance. Starting at Hitchin Priory the route takes runners out through the picturesque North Hertfordshire countryside. The day also hosts the Tough 10 Miler and Fierce 5 miler. Six plucky squirrels conquered the Hard Half and one the 10 Miler. Rhia Botha was third lady home in 1:33:14 and second FV30; Rachel Arnott was fourth lady and won her FV40 age category in 1:42:14. Isaac Matteu Solar who crossed the finish line in 1:32:54 described Heartbreak Hill as a “thing of nightmares”. Daniele Socci finished in 1:37:57, James Warner Smith in 1:43:21 and Chris Stokes 1:44:12. In the Tough 10 Miler James Dalton claimed victory in the MV50 age category in a time of 1:19:05. The Flaming 10K (Histon) This race comes with a recommendation from Greg Rose who ran the Flaming 10k in 54:00. Described as a” modest sized event but with a great atmosphere, lots of support from local residents and well marshalled”. The course is a mix of tracks and residential roads, pleasant but narrow and a bit bumpy underfoot in places. Parkrun Round Up
In the midst of a late May heatwave, dozens of brave souls from NHRR ventured forth this week to compete in a variety of races, both in the UK and on the other side of the world. As always, the relentless dedication of our intrepid runners in tough conditions resulted in some very fine performances indeed. Midweek League #1: St. Albans Kicking off the week’s events on Wednesday the 20th was the first race in the 2026 midweek league calendar, in St. Albans. There were over 70 North Herts Road Runners taking part, as well as some super supporters lining the 10k route, which takes in the Alban Way (a disused Railway line) from St. Albans towards Hatfield and back. With a long slow uphill climb on the return leg, the 2nd half of the race was especially challenging in the hot weather. After the first race, our overall position was 5th, with our overall vets ranking 3rd. Well done North Herts, next stop Royston. London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge (100km) On Saturday the 23rd May, Hannah Keeble completed an astonishing Capital to Coast 100km ultra challenge, starting in Richmond on Thames, winding through the North & South Downs and down to Brighton. Hannah finished in 19hrs and 27 minutes, which was an unbelievable achievement in the punishing weather. The Fox 62k Proving that the squirrel is tougher than the fox, on Saturday the 23rd, Tim Levitt ran the Fox 62k, which is a Runthrough Trails event around the Foxway, in Surrey. Despite the brutal 32-degree average temperature, Tim crossed the line in a seriously impressive 08:23:10. Cape Town Marathon With Table Mountain as a stunning backdrop, Natasha Pitman and Caroline Thrussell competed in the Sanlam Capetown marathon on Sunday the 24th. For Caroline, it was the age group world championships, and she finished in an outstanding 03:42:23, which was another club record. She also scored a 33rd in her age group, and 2nd for the UK, which is seriously impressive given that she had no expectations and simply went out there to enjoy herself. Tash meanwhile, finished in an amazing 03:43:09 and remarked that it was a beautiful undulating course, which she just ran to feel. Afterwards, Caroline, Georgia and Tash celebrated with Castle Lagers all round. Run the Wade Described as a feel-good run for everyone, the Run the Wade race took place on Sunday the 24th. With a choice of either 5k or 10k, the route took in Biggleswade Town centre as well as a series of riverside paths and trails. Hannah Ridley was the first lady home in the 5k in an amazing 20:49, whilst Lucy O’Connor came 1st in her FV65 age category in 27:42. For the men, Ian Datlen finished the 10k in an impressive 42:19 and was first in his MV50 age category. Having the fire brigade waiting at the end with sprinklers was absolute bliss in the scorching weather, and the event was described as well organised, with a great vibe. Full results below:
Parkrun Roundup
 Squirrels storm to victory at Gosling relays Five North Herts Roads Runners teams topped their respective categories at Gosling track 4x400m relays last Wednesday evening, with all athletes delighted with a rare dry break in the weather on a day of torrential hail and rain. Hannah Ridley, Tracy Pitcairn, Rhia Botha and Katie Harbon, ‘Team Kardasheruns’ were crowned Senior Female winners, while Craig Cartier, Alberto Angurel, Ian Datlen and Kris Whitmore, Team Chafing the Dream were crowned Senior Male winners. Both Hannah and Craig were fastest female and male athletes on the night in a blistering 59 and 66 seconds respectively. The female vets was won by ‘Sassy Striders’ Nikki Wright, Hannah Gardner, Vicki Markham and Clare Power closely followed by ‘The Dashing Dames’ formed of Caroline Thrussel, Natalie Phillips, Lucy O’Connor and Lindsay Cook. The men’s vets victors were ‘Quads of Fury’, Darren Matussa, Mike Over, Stuart Cocks and Ben Ryan. The Vet Mixed Team, ‘Sweat and Swagger’ formed of Richard Harbon, John Auld, Mel Flynn and Joanne Hoare also won their category. Women’s captain Rhia Botha said, ‘Tonight was just for fun, but NHRR still cleaned up thanking coaches Karen Dodsworth and Pete Sibbett for supporting on the evening.  Squirrel sprints to second at Naked 5k
Kris Whitmore returned to the Brockenhurst Naked 5k for a second consecutive year, once again taking on the woodland course wearing only his running essentials, his watch, and trainers! Despite forecasts of thunderstorms earlier in the week, conditions on the day proved ideal, with cool temperatures providing comfortable racing conditions. Whitmore improved on his performance from the previous year, finishing in an impressive second place with a time of 19 minutes and 20 seconds.   Greenway Challenge runners raise £2,800 for charity 30 athletes from North Herts Road Runners tackled one of the Club’s own events – the Greenway Challenge – and helped to raise £2,800 for charity in the process. The half-marathon run, which follows the Greenway on a 13-mile route around Letchworth Garden City, attracted a strong field of 206 runners and also raised funds for the Squirrels’ charity of the year – GRIT (Growing Resilience in Teens). NHRR’s own Alberto Angurel Andres took first place in an excellent 1:27:41, with clubmate James Denselow just seconds behind in third (1:27:56). Tracy Pitcairn and Rhia Botha were the first female NHRR finishers as they crossed the line together in 1:43:40. Participants tucked into an amazing array of home-baked cakes and treats at the finish at Standalone Farm, with all refreshments provided by the Club’s volunteers,
Other NHRR finishers at the Greenway Challenge were Isaac Mateu Soler (1:32:24), David Brewer (1:35:32), Chris Stokes (1:35:39), Ben Howe (1:36:30), Baljeet Sandher (1:38:04), James Dalton (1:38:31), Daniele Socci (1:38:59), Tom Bennet Makin (1:41:39), Arron Evans (1:42:34), Rachel Arnott (1:43:41), Jon Hunt (1:45:56), Simon Clapham (1:46:19), Daniel Wrigley (1:48:52), Dervla Downing (1:50:19), Trevor Mason (1:53:55), David Weston (1:56:54), Matt Ankers (1:57:26), Lisa Cuthbert (2:01:55), Stuart Cocks (2:02:44), Joanne Hoare (2:03:30), Laura Fairbanks (2:03:45), Timothy Levitt (2:08:05), Helen Harbon-Ankers (2:10:33), Lucy Hurley (2:14:44), Greg Bowie (2:16:01), Vanessa Rolfe (3:01:19)  NHRR duo run for England at Bideford 10k Shahab Ahmad and Andrew Leach both raced for England at the Bideford 10k – the international representative race for the England Masters programme this year. Both had won the right to wear England vests with their performances in qualifying races earlier in the season. It was a national Masters debut for Ahmad, who ‘broke some hearts and took some places with a sprint finish’ as he finished tenth overall in an impressive time of 33:21. He was third in his 45-plus age category. Leach took second place in his V60 age group and 36th in the race overall as he crossed the line in 34:33. Parkrun roundup
It was a busy and successful weekend of racing for the Squirrels, with strong turnouts and impressive performances at both the Hitchin 10k and the Milton Keynes Half Marathon. Hitchin 10K A fantastic 31 Squirrels lined up at the Hitchin 10k on Sunday morning, greeted by much sunnier conditions than forecast. The event saw a sea of club vests and a great atmosphere throughout, with runners supporting each other from start to finish. Leading the way for the men was Darren Sunter, first Squirrel home in an excellent 37:02. Kris Whitmore followed as second Squirrel, not only clocking a superb 38:50 but also taking victory in the V50 age category. The men’s team of Darren Sunter, Kris Whitmore, David Brewer and Daniele Socci combined strongly to secure second place in the county team championships — a brilliant achievement for the club. There were also some notable individual performances. David Brewer ran an impressive 41:03 to secure a new personal best, while Daniele Socci was delighted to return to form with a 10k PB of 42:41 — his fastest time at the distance in over a decade. Daniel Wrigley also celebrated a personal best of 45:40, overcoming early shoe trouble to deliver a strong run. Greg Rose enjoyed his debut outing in a Squirrels vest, finishing in 53:07 to comfortably beat his sub-55 target, and spoke of the boost from seeing so many teammates out on the course. In the women’s race, Lucy O’Connor produced a fantastic run to take 2nd place in the F60 category in 54:04. Reflecting on the race, she praised the course and the crowd support, noting the welcome timing of the sunshine holding off until later in the race. The race wasn’t without its lighter moments either, with Kris Whitmore successfully catching a beer thrown to him in the final kilometre — a skill as impressive as the running itself! Milton Keynes Half Marathon Meanwhile, at the Milton Keynes Half Marathon, Isaac Mateu Soler delivered a determined performance, finishing in 1:32:48. Despite tired legs from a busy weekend, he pushed through to edge his personal best by 10 seconds, showing great resilience and setting himself up for further progress in the months ahead. Overall, it was a weekend full of personal bests, team success, and strong club spirit — a great reflection of the Squirrels’ continued momentum this season. Parkrun Roundup
North Herts Road Runners sent an amazing contingent of 21 members to tackle the London Marathon and were rewarded with some superb performances while also raising valuable funds for club charity GRIT. Caroline Thrussell sliced two minutes off her own age-group club record, crossing the line on The Mall in an impressive 3:46:03 to set a new mark for the 60-plus category. Five Squirrels recorded times well under 3 hours, led home by Mike Roberts in a blistering 2:29:22, followed by Ben Hadman (2:33:49), Sam Coxon (2:37:38), Abdullah Muhammad Athar (2:39:53) and Ben Sewell (2:40:57) True GRIT from Squirrels Ian Datlen said he was ‘bruised, battered but very happy’ after completing the race in an excellent 3:00:46 despite being tripped at 21 miles – a time only slightly slower than his sub-3 clocking in the Manchester Marathon last year. Danny Alden (3:57:56) and Richard Weber (4:27:15) raised nearly £1,000 between them for the Club’s charity GRIT (Growing Resilience in Teens), after receiving their places through the North Herts club’s own ballot. For Danny it was ‘third time lucky on my sub-4 hour attempt. I wasn’t sure how today was going to go but honestly it was amazing. My splits were consistent the whole way and it was so lovely to hear some Squirrels cheering around the course. I can’t begin to show my gratitude to the club and for having the opportunity to run London again through the ballot place’. Meanwhile Richard said ‘It was really tough. I just didn't have it in my legs today and hit the famous wall at 15 mile. It was painful and difficult, but I'm really grateful to North Herts Road Runners for allowing me the chance to run it’. You can do it! Angharad Lamon comfortably beat her personal 4-hour target and said ‘After a seven-year break from social running, having two children, completing a marathon felt like an impossible task. However, after taking part in the Standalone race and joining NHRR in November, that ambition became a reality. I completed the London Marathon in 3:47:34. Thank you to everyone at North Herts who has made me believe I can do it!’ Georgia Barker made her marathon debut with 6:30:42 and Sue Foot, running in the 70-plus age category, crossed the line in a remarkable 4:46:03. Rachel Arnott finished in 3:26:05, just a fortnight after clocking 3:31 in Brighton. Other NHRR finishers at the London Marathon were Conor O’Hara Barrett (3:04:09), Oliver Babik (3.34.19), Paula Holm (3.39.19), Chris Stokes (3:54:56), Alice Carty (3.57.41), Nick Walker (4:35:18), Elsie Vivian (5:54:02) and Lindsay Cook (5:59:15). Stokes said a disrupted training schedule ‘made this an uncomfortable victory, but proud to get the time. Kept on plugging away, thanks for all those who shouted encouragement and abuse in equal measure!’ Shakespeare Marathon Matt Sayers travelled to Stratford-on-Avon for the Shakespeare Marathon and was ‘happy with the time and pacing’ as he ‘added to his extensive catalogue of fast times with a 2:44:00 finish. ‘Even better’, he said, his ‘family got to see me’. Yet more marathons Ben Howe and Steve Brenton completed the Flawed Hero Marathon in Letchworth Garden City, starting at midnight and requiring 15 laps around the town centre. Ben’s time was 3:27 and Steve reported he ‘would be quite happy to never run up Station Road again!’. Finally, new NHRR Chairperson James Dalton completed a Virtual London Marathon with a speedwalk around the Greenway and HOOP in 6:48:15. Couch to 5K Group achieve their goal Saturday’s Parkrun at Henlow Bridge Lakes marked the conclusion of our latest Couch to 5K course. Eleven ladies completed their graduation run in style, enjoying almost perfect running conditions on a sunny morning. Clubmates turned out in force to cheer them on, creating a fantastic atmosphere and helping Henlow Bridge Lakes record its biggest ever turnout — an impressive 304 participants! NHRR Joint Head Coach Dave Braybrook said it was ‘a brilliant morning of community spirit, celebration, and achievement’. Many congratulations to all our brilliant new 5K runners!
Parkrun roundup
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