Sunday 15th March 2020
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Race Report 13/10/20
Published 14 October, 2020At this time of year, the Club would normally be having two hard sessions a week in Thirsk School gym or sports hall, but sadly these days, such things are not possible and outside sessions have to suffice. This is fine on a dry evening, but less attractive if it’s cold and wet! Nevertheless, members get together in a socially distanced way within the rules at Sowerby Gateway, where there is masses of room for core exercises, (if you can face the wet grass,) and running on the superb, illuminated, track with a head torch, and a hard session is possible. Longer distances are run at other times, with people training for, say, a virtual York Marathon or even just a 10k run. Park runs are badly missed, and though there was a possibility some might start up again by the end of this month, that now seems to have been ruled out.
The club’s Virtual Championship has been a huge success with a massive take up of members, many more so than would have entered the equivalent local race which would require paid pre entry several weeks in advance. With the virtual runs, you simply turn up and do it, record your own time and send it in. What could be easier?
Visitor of all ages over 11 and abilities are welcome to come and give us a try. Just turn up on a Wed or Mon at 7 pm at Sowerby Gateway and make yourself known. Details of all activities can, of course, be found on the club website.
Race Report 06 October
Published 14 October, 2020Along with a reputed 45000, Lorraine Hiles, Clare Tempest and Phillip Craig completed a Virtual London Marathon in their own area, and whilst the girls chose to run a repetitive course on roads, Phillip did an off road course. The advantage of lapped on road course was that it had a regular water and feed station, supported by members and family, and including volunteers from Herriot Hospice Homecare, in aid of which Lorraine and Clare were running. ( Donations are welcome on the just giving page). After a day of non-stop rain on Saturday, the day dawned bright and sunny on Sunday, for which the runners were thankful, though there was plenty of evidence of water on the road in places. Lorraine had hoped to finish in under 4 hours, which she did, taking 3.36.32, and Clare was just over, in 4.02.48. Phillip, on his harder, off road course in preparation for a 55 mile race for which he is in training, took 7.01.03. Congratulations to all – their tee shirts and medals should arrive in due course!
Meanwhile, over the same course, and thus able to take advantage of the water stations, other members of the club completed the Virtual Redcar Half Marathon, though not all ran on the Sunday, and on other days, may have had to cope with wind or heavy rain. Stephan Tomaszewski was fastest, in 1.30.06, Paul Peacock 1.34.25, Rob Burn 1.37.12, Esther Harrison, 1st lady again, 1.39.00, Trudy Morrice 1.41.26, Jody Sygrove 1.43.11, Alan Simpson 1.43.20, Gary Wilkinson 1.44.43, Adrian Saunders 1.48.06, Lorraine Hiles 1.50.14, Pedro Carrasco 1.51.52, Clare Tempest 2.53.02, Geoff Bullock 1.55.29, Kirsty Naylor 1.55.55, just pipping Marc Davies 2.59.59, Duncan Fothergill 1,59.59, Rosie Gatenby 2.02.56, Martyn Coy 2.03.57, Steve Billings 2.08.08, Andy and Alison Butcher running together, 2.10.22, Trish Radford 2.11.31, Ken Evitt 2.12.35, Steph Hawkins 2.14.58, Christine Burn 2.39.50, Bev Davies 2.44.01 and Sharon Keegan 2.52,34. For Christine and Bev, it was their first half marathon. Very well done to everyone.
Race Report 29/09/20
Published 2 October, 2020The latest virtual race in the club championship was the Tholthorpe 10k taking place on the superb track in Sowerby, where you could, if you were able, do your fastest time. It probably didn’t suit the ardent off road runners, but for road runners, it was bliss – provided you managed to count the 10 laps! The wild wind over the weekend was the biggest adversary and you were fortunate indeed if you could find a calmer slot. 63 members and guests undertook the challenge and once again, Tom Levi was the fastest of them, in 34.15. Josh Fothergill was next, 37.31 with the ever improving Matt Jones 3rd in 37.31. You know Stephan Tomaszewski is always going to be well up on a good surface, and he was 4th in 37.44, with Joe Lofthouse 5th in 40.32, evergreen Rob Burn 6th in 41.46, David Fawkes 7th in 42.23, Jody Sygrove, another who is going really well, 8th in 43.52, Rob Lickley 9th in 43.58 and Alan Simpson 10th in 44.27.
For the ladies, there was once again only one winner, Esther Harrison, who took 41.43, 7th finisher overall. It’s astonishing to see how well Liv Mulligan is going – she was isolating for months and just seems to have slotted back into her previous good form. She was 2nd lady in 43.28, and Trudy Morrice, another who seems to improve with every outing came 3rd in 44.11. 4th was Lorraine Hiles, always competitive, in 45.26, with Kirsty Naylor 5th in 46.54, Louise Mayfield 6th in 47.31, Rosie Gatenby 7th in 48.09, Clare Tempest 8th in 48.27, Helen Ashworth 9th in 50.45 and Sarah Scott 10th in 53.54.
Lorraine and Clare are aiming to do the virtual London Marathon next weekend and are happy to receive sponsorship in aid of Herriot Hospice.
Thanks must again go to Rob Burn, the mastermind behind this popular Virtual Championship. His efforts and ingenuity in arranging routes which are both varied and, mostly, manageable, has surely been rewarded by the number of members taking part each time. If the same were to be required next year, which seems more and more likely, I’m sure no-one would mind a repeat of this year’s programme!
Race Report 22 September
Published 23 September, 2020Three times a year the club holds a Handicap, this year virtual, of course. Members are handicapped in times based on monthly time trials, which have been calculated by Duncan Fothergill, and their finishing times take this handicap into account. David Baker, coming back from injury, was the winner of the Summer shield this year, completing the 2 miles in 14.05 minutes on the night, self timed, of course. The ever improving Bev Davies, who also has had a tough few months with injury, took 20.32, a PB, with Wendy Bennett 3rd taking 22.50. Several members did PBs and Season’s Bests, which running on the lovely new track at Sowerby Gateway gives opportunities for. In normal times, the running would be followed by a communal supper, sociables and presentations, but this year, members had to just go home and get their usual supper! No doubt the victory was just as sweet for David.
Anyone thinking of joining this friendly but competitive club should look at the club’s website for information, and they would be warmly welcomed to the socially distanced sessions held twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Race Report 15 September
Published 15 September, 2020The virtual Championship continued this week with the Darlington 10k, starting at Lidl and out and back to Sandhutton. 58 members and friends took part, the fastest finisher again being Tom Levi, back in form after a nasty fall at a previous event. He took 37.41 minutes, well ahead of Matt Jones, 2nd in 40.23 and he just pipped Stephan Tomaszewski, 3rd in 40.24. Josh Fothergill came 4th in 42.33, Rob Burn 5th in 43.18, Jody Sygrove 6th in 44.59, Pedro Carrasco 7th in 46.56, Rob Lickley 8th in 47.09, Paul Chapman 9th in 47.09 and David Fawkes 10th in 47.16. The club’s ladies are becoming very competitive, with Esther Harrison again fastest, 1st lady and 6th overall in 43.00, with Sarah Yeomans performing well, 2nd lady and 8th overall in 43.58, and how wonderful to see Olivia Mulligan in action again after a long covid lay-off. She was 3rd lady, 10th overall, in 46.02. Trudy Morrice continues to perform well and she came 4th in 46.53 with Louise Mayfield 5th in 50.13, Rosie Gatenby 6th in 50.47, Kirst Naylor 7th in 51.10, Hilary Coventry 8th in 51.48, Helen Ashworth 9th in 52.15 and Clare Tempest 10th in 52.42.
Special mention must be made of Clare who also put in a time of 1.50 for the virtual Great North Run. Others participating were Pete Jackson in 1.45.50, Alison Butcher, who, along with husband Andy, took 2.13.34, Tim Waistell took 2.03.56 and Paul Chapman, pushing his friend Ewan Harrison in a wheelchair and taking 2.19, with Siobhan Woodland recording 3.09.52.
Paul and Ewan also did a marathon distance in 5.01.
