D&T father and daughter team brave the Beeches

The race took place in Burnham Beeches, near Farnham Common, one of the most spectacular natural woodlands in the country.

The course is an undulating off-road route of pathways and woodland. Robert and Brittany ran together completing in 57.13 and 57.14 respectively with Alan finishing in 1.04. 34

On a brisk autumnal Sunday morning, a few hardy Dacorum & Tring members set out to run the MudPack Challenge III for the Hospice of St Francis.

Starting in the grounds of Ashridge House, runners tackled hay bales, log jumps and skips full of muddy ice water before heading into the woods to meet massive puddles of mud and wriggle on their stomachs through ditches and dirt.

Climbing walls, tyre runs, foam slides and scaffolding tested the runners upper body strength as well as their stamina.

A team of seven D&T runners, aptly named ‘Purple Power’, took on the first wave of the event and two laps, totalling 10 miles in all. Kelly Du Buisson, Jessica Morrison, Rob Davies, Erica Klein, Louise Flower, Louise Tainsh and Danielle Kerr embraced the mud and water and threw themselves into each obstacle with relish. Paddy Ashton also took on the 10 miles.

New member Vikki Johnston, Kodie Mitchell, Kate Crossland and Ant Raine all ran the five mile loop all raising money for a great cause. D&T provided a host of volunteers including Kirsty Russell, Casper Du Buisson, Hannah Bennett, Meg Brooks, Steve Russell, Wendy Pearson, Rob Lewis, Claire Copperwhite and Michelle Ashwell.

Whilst many of Dacorum & Tring Road Runners were getting muddy at Ashridge, a small contingent headed to the stunning surroundings of Bisham Abbey for the Water of Life race.

The superb, scenic multi-terrain 10k route started and finished in the prestigious National Sports Centre, with the course following the Thames between Marlow and Henley. Jamie Marlow took the field by storm and was the overall first runner home in 36:02. Chris Marriott was close behind and finished as the sixth man home in 39:13. Robert Jackson worked hard to come in as the 17th male with 43:33 and Andy Guilder picked up a PB with 1:04:47 finishing 247th of the 320 runners.

The Great South Run held in Portsmouth saw several D&T members make the trip. The 10 mile course is described as fast and flat and takes the runners through Southsea and Portsmouth.

Kerry Ardley gained herself a new 10 mile PB by finishing in a fast time of 1:18:38. Anya Higgins also ran and finished in 1:40:35.

New club members Gemma Moseley and Mike Carpenter were running too with Gemma crossing the line in 1:37:35 and Mike producing a very impressive time of 1:03:49 to finish in 204th position out of a field of thousands.

Matt Hamilton found out this week that he has earned himself a place on the GB Team for the European Duathlon Championships in Seville, Spain next April.

Matt took part in the Bedford Autodrome Duathlon-2017 ETU Sprint Distance Duathlon Qualifier last weekend, tackling pouring rain and wind to finish ninth in his age group. Matt had to wait a week to be informed of his selection and will now be joining other club members Sam Fawcett and Vikki Johnston.​

parkrun news.

With open spaces looking resplendent in Autumnal colours, D&T members laced up their trainers to run local and further afield parkruns.

First home at Gadebridge parkrun for the club was young Thomas Durrant in a new course PB of 20.45 to place him as sixth overall. Next was Martin Kerr, also achieving a new course PB in 21.51, dipping under 22minutes for the first time, followed by Stephen Broom who bagged himself an overall PB by 15 secs to finish in 23.44. Celia Findlay was first lady in 23.29 followed by Robert Davies who was limbering up for the Mud Pack crossing the line in 24.03 to be first VM45-49. Richard Stevens finished in 24.29 with Wendy Durrant just behind in 24.31. Andy Mitchell completed in 24.54, Gwen Mostyn in 25.17, also earning herself a new PB. Mustafa Readdie took a morning off volunteering to run and finished in 25.24, a new course PB for him. Patrick Mostyn ran 26.25, Penny Wallduck and Jessica Morrison ran together, both crossing in 26.51, Rasmi Nanda in 27.31, Jim Mason in 29.03, Rebecca White in a new course PB of 29.19 and Kirsty Russell in 37.26. On hand to ensure proceedings ran smoothly were Hayley McNeill, JJ, Erica Klein, John Slack and Gary Sturdy.

Duncan Hamilton and Tim Coysh ran Cassiobury parkrun together crossing in 21.28 and 21.29 respectively. Phil Pugh finished in 22.19, Danny Wells in an overall PB of 23.37, Rachel Hamilton in 30.18 and Lorraine Ellis also achieving a new overall PB by a massive 1.18 to finish in 33. 50.

Jamie Saunders blasted round St Albans parkrun in 18.01 with Chris Marriot chasing him down to finish in 18.25 to take fifth and sixth overall finishers respectively.

First overall finisher at South Oxhey parkrun was Tim Churchill in 21.29 and Michelle Ashwell ran with her husband to finish in 28.26, second VM45-49. Rob Deane was there volunteering.

Michael Lamb made his debut at Bournemouth parkrun finishing in 22.00. Just down the road at Moors Valley parkrun Tony Reeve finished in 23.24. At Doncaster parkrun Daniel Griggs ran 21.07, just 5 seconds off his PB.