Running round-up: Including seven new PBs for Dacorum & Tring AC athletes

A team of 10 runners from Dacorum & Tring AC posted superb results at the Welwyn Garden City 10k, with four top-10 finishes and seven new PBs.
A team of 10 runners from Dacorum & Tring AC posted superb results at the Welwyn Garden City 10kA team of 10 runners from Dacorum & Tring AC posted superb results at the Welwyn Garden City 10k
A team of 10 runners from Dacorum & Tring AC posted superb results at the Welwyn Garden City 10k

The team was led home by Chris Marriott, who has only been running seriously for nine months, yet was fast enough to finish as seventh senior man and ninth overall out of 321 runners, with a time of 38.57 minutes.

Russell Morris was next for the club, finishing in a steady 41.49 (24th overall and sixth VM40) as he prepares for the spring marathon season.

He was followed by Samantha Fawcett, whose new PB of 42.50 was good enough for fourth senior lady; Kelly Du Buisson was next in 43.13, (fifth senior lady), while Becky Fawcett crossed the line in 45.50, to finish as 10th senior lady.

A group of 105 runners turned out for Tring parkrun on Valentine's DayA group of 105 runners turned out for Tring parkrun on Valentine's Day
A group of 105 runners turned out for Tring parkrun on Valentine's Day

Samantha Sullivan finished as third V35 woman in a new PB of 46.21 – breaking her own club record for the distance – while her sister Alison Richardson posted a new PB of 50.27.

Caspar Du Buisson cruised along to finish in 53.45, followed by Kirsty Russell, who also smashed her PB to finish in 55.45.

The PB of the day certainly belonged to Rob Wright, however, who knocked a massive 18 minutes off the PB he set in October to finish in 56.46.

To top things off, Sam Fawcett, Du Buisson, Becky Fawcett and Sullivan, were fast enough to win the trophy for top ladies’ team on the day.

The club was also out in force at various parkruns across the county. Thomas Ashton, 11, finished a speedy fifth overall in a time of 22.08 at the hilly South Oxhey parkrun, while little brother Henry ran his first-ever parkrun, pipping his mum Charlotte and aunt Alexis Bunce to the post with his time of 33.10.

Chris Kitchener ran an easy 21.01 over at the St Albans parkrun, followed by teammates Jessica Tanner, Kirsty Russell, Peter Bailey and Meg Brooks, while Rob Salt posted a strong new PB of 24.48 at the challenging Tring parkrun.

Rob’s son Matthew ran a quick 18.26 to finish sixth at the Southsea parkrun.

> Gade Valley Harriers

It was a relatively quiet week for the Gade Valley Harriers as they continue to prepare for their 17-mile marathon training run which takes place this weekend.

Runners will set off at 9.30am on Sunday and head out along the Grand Union Canal towpath, before going towards Potten End, round the beautiful Ashridge Estate, and heading back to Potten End.

The Harriers welcome all runners, regardless of whether they belong to a running club. If you would like to join the run, please arrive in time to register, pay the £5 entry and change.

The start and finish is at Boxmoor Cricket Club, and more information can be found at www.gadevalleyharriers.co.uk

Meanwhile, despite their preparations, the Harriers had entrants at five different parkruns on Saturday.

Four Harriers flew the GVH colours at Tring parkrun, where Tom North was first home in a time 21:56 minutes in fifth position overall.

North was followed by Andy Norton in 23:12, James Thomson in 26:43 and Leslie Jugoo 39:19.

Black Park parkrun saw Harriers duo Guy Wollett and Vince Ellerby representing the club, with Wollett finishing fifth overall in a time of 18:53 and Ellerby hot on his heels in ninth place in 19:40.

Johnny Broom travelled to Milton Keynes parkrun, where he put in a solid time of 21:14, while Mark Crabtree competed at the Panshanger run and finished in second place out of 175 runners in 17:50.

Anthony James competed at St Albans parkrun, where he clocked a time of 20:11 to come home in 25th place out of 302 runners.

> Tring parkrun

There was an atmospheric mist at Tring parkrun this week as 105 runners chose to start their Valentine’s Day with their first love.

The runners were treated to a few brief rays of sunshine, though not quite enough to dry up all the mud – making it another slippery and adventure filled parkrun.

By chance, exactly 1,000 different parkrunners of all ages and abilities have now run in the 18 Tring parkruns since the inaugural race at the beginning of November last year.

Aged from six to almost 80, the times have ranged from 17:38 minutes to just under an hour, with the average time being a few seconds under 30 minutes. Runners have varied from Tring first-timers through to an Olympic athlete.

Impressively, this week, 21 people recorded new personal bests despite the conditions. Paul Myatt clocked a 53-second improvement, meaning he has now had six PBs in as many weeks.

Andy Evans improved by 39 seconds, and Helen Tullie by 32 seconds.

Michael Kazer was the fastest finisher in 19:58, followed by David Maisey of Vale of Aylesbury AC and Dominic Evans of Tring RC.

Mary Ward of Tring RC was the first lady home in a time of 24:13, followed by Tring parkrun regulars Lynda Hembury and Liz Cundale.

Dominic Evans led the way for the junior boys, followed by Harry Stewart and six-year-old Samuel Gillespie.

Ella Highton was the fastest junior girl, followed by Crystal Jugoo and Emily Knight.

Parkrun tourist Paul Fielding also joined the race, tail running on his debut run at Tring.

Paul holds the UK record for running at the highest number of different parkrun locations – his list now standing at 221 venues.

By choosing to be tailrunner, Paul was also the 1,000th runner to cross the line since Tring parkrun started.

Registration for Tring parkrun is free at www.parkrun.org.uk/tring

> Tring RC

Plenty of water, hills and mud were on hand to provide a stern challenge for Tring Running Club at the Hardwick X-stream race.

There were no wins for the club on the day, but some good performances nonetheless.

Results: 4 - Ross Langley, 36.47; 17 - Greg O’Callaghan, 40.34; 21 - Steve Long, 41.09; 23 -Michael Burgess, 41.42; 25 - Dominic Evans, 41.58; 30 - Alan Whelan, 42.36; 53 - Becky Raftery, 45.41; 55 - Paul Bayley, 45.44; 69 - Simon Jessop, 47.55; 76 - Harry Whelan, 48.32; 95 - Hillary Warrell, 50.28; 105 - Tom Hallett, 51.26; 138 - Helen Page, 54.27; 153 - Peter McDaid, 55.36; 164 - Celine Wilcock, 57.05; 166 - Brian Evans, 57.44; 172 - Andy Evans, 58.49; 179 - Blazej Ziembaczewski, 1.00.16; 185 - Anne Kippax, 1.02.01; 193 - Cathy Court, 1.02.48; 195 - Rachel Scahill, 1.03.16; 224 - Judi Hopcroft, 1.11.47.

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