Webb leads North Herts to victory at Fred Hughes 10-mile road race

Sixteen determined North Herts Road Runners headed south down the A1 in blustery conditions on Sunday morning, to kick off the 2024 road race calendar. St Albans Striders host the sell-out annual Fred Hughes 10-mile event and top athletes from surrounding counties and London travel to race around the quiet hilly country lanes bordering St Albans.

North Herts Road Runners Men’s team started the year in sparkling form with Tom Webb setting an incredible personal best time of 53 minutes and 9 seconds to finish fifth overall and lead the Squirrels team to top spot. He was followed closely by team mates Mike Roberts in 13th (after a 7 mile warm up as part of his London Marathon preparation), Matt Sayers in 27th and Shahab Ahmad in 29th.

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Men:
Tom Webb Cat Position: 5, Gender Position: 5
Mike Roberts Cat Position: 12, Gender Position: 13
Matthew Sayers Cat Position: 9, Gender Position: 27
Shahab Ahmad Cat Position: 10, Gender Position: 28
Nathan Pask Cat Position: 13, Gender Position: 35
David Weston Cat Position: 92, Gender Position: 234
James Godfrey Cat Position: 94, Gender Position: 278
Matt Ankers Cat Position: 105, Gender Position: 324 (PB)
Kris Whitmore Cat Position: 147, Gender Position: 410

Women:
Natasha Pitman Cat Position: 4, Gender Position: 9
Laura Fairbanks Cat Position: 18, Gender Position: 64 (PB)
Caroline Thrussell Cat Position: 9, Gender Position: 83
Dervla Downing Cat Position: 28, Gender Position: 87
Natalie Phillips Cat Position: 24, Gender Position: 99
Frances Stanton Cat Position: 48, Gender Position: 204
Bev Rimmer Cat Position: 61, Gender Position: 330

Further afield in Norfolk, Jennie Fraser ran her first 50 miles event, the Peddars Way Ultra on a picture- perfect crisp, bitingly cold winter’s day.  A low-key trail event, Jennie found herself running alongside wild ponies, through nature reserves, with Finnish Lapphunds and Siberian Huskies until night dropped and she then had the pleasure of Lapwings and Tawny Owls until arriving at the seaside village of Holme-Next-The-Sea.  Of her first 50 miler, Jennie said it was only made possible due to the logistics and checkpoint support from fellow Squirrels Paul Bowal and Michelle and Andy Grudzinkski.

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The Park Run round up for Saturday 20 January is as follows:

​Luton Wardown: Chris Stokes (20:53)

Riverfront: Nick Walker  (29:52)

Arrow Valley: Rhiannon Brooks (25:27)

Gatehead: Jane Clarke (24:43)

Stevenage: Katie Harbon (20:33), Barbara Sayers: (24:54), James Poulton (26:01), Helen Giffin (30:53), Amanda Greig (31:06), Georgia Barker (31:30), Richard Barker (31:30)

Gunpowder: Darren Matussa (21:10)
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Panshanger: Kris Whitmore (19:29)

​Letchworth: William Harrison (21:36), Ian Datlen (22:36), Ben Sewell (23:25), James Dalton (23:59), Dann Mallett (24:46), Jon Hunt (24:55), Ian Harvey (25:55), Steve Brenton (25:56), Alan Hazlehurst (31:36), Philip Flack (33:48)

Teignmouth Promenade: Elwyn Howell (22:32), Dani Lister (29:44)

Dunstable Downs: James Godfrey (26:17), Frances Stanton (28:07)

Henlow Bridge Lakes: Dave Braybrook (25:45)

Quakers Walk: Richard Harbon (21:46), Jo Harbon (28:15)