It was a special day for the squirrels with records broken and a life saved at the Cambridge Half Marathon. They fielded their biggest ever squad with 52 runners racing and two long standing club records shattered: Astrid McKeown’s time of 1:31:24 took almost 7 minutes off the previous best veteran female 50 record; Andrew Leach’s 1:13:51 beat the previous best veteran male 60 time by more than 18 minutes. The first female squirrel over the line was Katie Harbon, 8th female in a field of 12,000 runners in an impressive 1:17:31. First male home for the club was Mike Roberts, 50th in a personal best time of 1:10:49. Experienced squirel Phil Hunt summed up the conditions, “Other than a quagmire on Midsummer Common at the start, the weather was perfect, cold and bright.” There were at least 9 female and 12 male personal best times with the biggest improvement from Nicola Withington taking a massive 27 minutes off her previous best time to finish in 1:56:58. Eight other females followed suit setting personal best times. Rhia Botha achieved her first sub 90 minute half marathon and a huge PB of 1:28:10 and said she was “surrounded by the most amazing team mates. Jane Clarke finished an impressive 5th in her age category and took over 5 minutes off her previous best time in 1:31:46. Claire Fisk was next in 1:38:41 and Katrina Slisane looked strong in 1:40:16. Emma Sandham and Alice Carty looked in great fitness for their spring marathons in 1:42:24 and 1:43:39 respectively. Natalie Phillips 1:47:22 and Jenna Manggos 2:01:18 who said “Fab run today at Cambs half with Richard Springall. Thanks to Rich for running it with me, shaving nearly 8 mins off last year's time.” Among the men setting personal best times were a closely packed group led in by Tom Barclay in 1:13:59, Ben Sewell 1:14:53, Matt Sayers 1:14:54 and Shahab Ahmad 1:15:44 who said “50+ second PB, but really wanted to give a massive shout out to the NHHR crew - on course support, fellow runners in the race and during training but mainly the coaches for their unwavering support and commitment. Karen's enthusiastic support during training and David Annetts in particular for his commitment on and off the Brandles Loop!” Elliot Jackson bettered his time by almost 10 minutes in 1:18:44, while Ian Datlen was delighted to improve by 2 minutes in 1:21:45 and followed by bests from Ollie Parsons in 1:22:27 and Shaun Allin in 1:25:00. Mike Phillips took 7 minutes off his previous best in 1:28:23. Next PB was Mike Over who was delighted with 1:31:03 and Lee Varley in 1:32:34. The club’s Helen Nuttall was a true hero on the day by sacrificing her own race to provide essential CPR along with two other doctors to a fellow runner who had collapsed at the 12.6 mile mark. Thankfully they revived the young man and he was taken off in an ambulance and reports received he made a good recovery. Full results: Female: Katie Harbon 1:17:31 4th F25, Rhia Botha 1:28:10 PB, Astrid Mckeown 1:31:24 V50 club record and 3rd FV50, Jane Clarke 1:31:46 PB and 5th FV45, Natasha Pitman 1:38:15, Claire Fisk 1:38:41, Katrina Slisane 1:40:16 PB, Caroline Thrussell 1:40:54, 4th FV60, Emma Sandham 1:42:24 PB, Alice Carty 1:43:39 PB, Natalie Phillips 1:47:22 PB, Helen Cairns 1:48:46, Nicola Withington 1:56:58 PB, Helen Nuttall 1:57:39, Shauna Lawless 2:00:05, Jenna Manggos 2:01:18 PB, Emily Yossarian 2:14:26, Andreea Weisl-shaw 2:32:02, Tracey Mccreath 2:34:57, Clare Hooley 3:01:37, Farzana Bhatti 3:28:28, Male: Mike Roberts 1:10:49 PB, Andrew Leach 1:13:51 V60 club record and 1st V60, Thomas Barclay 1:13:59, Benjamin Hadman 1:14:04, Ben Sewell 1:14:53 PB, Matthew Sayers 1:14:54 PB, Shahab Ahmad 1:15:44 PB, Rob Jowett 1:18:15, Elliot Jackson 1:18:44, Michael Banister 1:21:10, Ian Datlen 1:21:45 PB, Oliver Parsons 1:22:27 PB, Vincent Wright 1:23:15, Shaun Allin 1:25:00 PB, Mike Phillips 1:28:23 PB, James Keogh 1:29:46, Michael Over 1:31:03, Ian Harvey 1:31:46, Lee Varley 1:32:34, James Dalton 1:37:21, John Auld 1:38:05, Ben Ryan 1:38:52 PB, Kris Whitmore 1:44:13, Matt Farr 1:49:35, David Weston 1:49:37, Phil Hunt 1:55:24, Richard Springall 2:01:19, Geoff Davis 2:15:32, Jeff Salter 2:18:23, Philip Stapleton 2:22:41,Andrew Porter 2:34:23
First Saturday of the Month The Common was the muddiest on record on Saturday morning and John Auld our mud loving men’s team captain and cross country rep said, “Perfect conditions and not sure I could design it any better. What a fun course to run in the puddles. And fantastic morning with the team.” John won the event and Becky Geekie was the first lady home. John Auld 22:18,Steve McKeown 23:42,Peter Clarke 23:50,James Dalton 24:10,Dave Braybrook 24:44,Richard Harbon 25:32,Becky Geekie 26:15,Joanne Hoare 27:00,Dervla Downing 27:23,Grace Cleary 27:38,Viv Lucas 28:28,Georgia Head 29:32,Caroline Thrussell 29:46,Katie Palmer 30:13,Andrew Robson 30:19,Helen Cromack 30:33,Helen Harbon 30:51,Anna Priestley 33:09,Helen Giffin 34:45,Philip Flack 37:07 Parkrun Roundup
Dunstable Downs: Meyrick Jenkins (36:10) Letchworth: Steve Brenton (25:50) Preston: Lindsay Cook (31:51) Stevenage: Chris Stokes (21:19), Jon Hunt (23:06), Barbara Sayers (29:18), Ellie Scott (29:18) Teignmouth Promenade: Elwyn Howell (22:27)
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Serpentine Last Friday of the Month Four squirrels headed down to Hyde Park in London to take part in the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month which attracted a competitive field on a beautiful spring day with the park starting to blossom. Andrew Leach was first squirrel home and first in his V60 age category in 16:55 and achieved the highest age graded percentage on the day of 94.4% and smashed the NHRR club record by over 2 minutes. He was followed by Shahab Ahmad in 17:59 who was using it as a training run for Cambridge next week, Darren Matussa in 19:16 and Tash Pitman in 20:51 also practicing her pacing! Tash commented " I really recommend this race - friendly atmosphere and if you're working in London it is a good lunch break and only a few pounds to enter!" Brighton Half Marathon Nick Malpeli headed down to the Brighton Half Marathon and finished in a time of 01:31:18. Nick commented ‘Slower than I'm used to racing, but the best I had after some months out. Luckily it finished before the rain came in’. Fellow squirrel Dervla Downing also ran, finishing in 01:45:18. London Winter 10k Finally, Dave Braybrook headed into London to take part in the Cancer research Winter 10k. Dave finished in 46:49. Also running was Jane Morgan and Julie Taylor who both finished in 01:07:06. Parkrun Round up
The weekend saw a number of North Herts Road Runners venture far and wide to compete in a range of different distance running events. A group of squirrels headed to North Wales to take on the ‘Winter Trail Gaeaf’. Over 600 runners completed the 7-mile route which trails through the world-renowned Coed y Brenin Forest Park in Eryri National Park. Using the best of the ancient woodlands challenging terrain, Andy Grudinski described the route as ‘trailing through stunning beauty with waterlogged and marshy singletracks’.
Further afield, Angeliki Stathopoulou and Julie Toland ran the Seville marathon. Angeliki described it as a beautiful race and a fantastic mediterranean hot day. The crowd support was unbelievable which was something needed as it felt like a tough run. They both managed to finish though without injuries and big smiles. Angeliki finished in a fab time of 4:25:35 and Julie in a personal best of 4:41:54. Park run round up
As ever, many of members of team NHRR laced their running shoes and took to the trails and roads this weekend, continuing to support and inspire each other on their running journeys. We all know that, whether it's a challenging race or a leisurely Parkrun, every step brings us closer together as a community. Stamford St Valentines 30k: A Heartfelt Adventure A group of intrepid squirrels embarked on a journey to Stamford to take part in the 30th anniversary of the St Valentines 30k race, and what an adventure it was! It was heart-warming to support this milestone event and witness the dedication of our fellow runners.
Parkrun Roundup: Conquering Challenges, One Parkrun at a Time In addition to the Stamford adventure, our squirrels have been busy conquering Parkruns across the country. From Arrow Valley to Wimpole Estate, our members have been lacing up their shoes and hitting the trails with gusto. Here are the squirrels who completed Parkruns this week:
Bravo to each and every one of them for their dedication and determination in tackling these Parkruns.
North Herts Road Runners have made history by becoming the first club to win the Three Counties Cross-country League in five consecutive seasons. They clinched the title in the final fixture of the winter season – a demanding 4.8-mile race at Dunstable Downs, doing just enough just enough on the day to clinch top spot in the 14-club league ahead of close rivals Rugby and Northampton AC. ‘The ladies retain their championship and are now 4 times consecutive winners. Bedford Harriers actually won this 5 times consecutive from 2010-2014. So we can try to equal this next year!‘ There were plenty of individual awards for NHRR:
NHRR finishers at Dunstable:
Parkrun Results Our friends at Letchworth Parkrun celebrated their 6th Birthday this Saturday which saw 114 runners flock to tackle the famously muddy course. Their efforts were rewarded with birthday cake, hot drinks and a fabulous party atmosphere. Finishers from the club were; Ian Datlen (22:13), Rhiannon Botha (24:00), Ian Harvey (25:15), Steve Brenton (25:40), Laura Fairbanks (27:07), Jennie Fraser (29:37), Viv Lucas (30:02), Jo Harbon (30:34), Alan Hazlehurst (30:55), Andrew Robson (32:13), Nick Walker (32:17), Philip Flack (34:54).
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.
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. The Park Run round up for Saturday 20 January is as follows:
Forty six North Herts Road Runners stormed to victory in the team competition on Sunday in the fourth race of the five series Three Counties Cross Country League. This race was hosted by Stopsley Striders on a notoriously hilly course in the beautiful countryside to the north of Luton and included a section of the historic Icknield Way. However the course is not without its challenges with the final hill one of the most feared ascents in the league, and coming at the end of the race, some runners commented "felt like cement had been poured into my legs, just couldn't pick them up"! The team needed a great performance to give them a chance of winning the league title for a fourth consecutive year at the final race in Dunstable next month and they did not disappoint. Both women's and men's teams displayed strong racing, with the women's team finishing first, well ahead of second placed Bedford Harriers. The men's team were just pipped to second place by Rugby and Northampton Athletic Club. In the women's event Katie Harbon crossed the line with a clear lead and this has guaranteed she will be crowned League Champion for a second year. Rhia Botha had her best cross country race to date and finished fourth overall, first female 35-39 and also looks set to win her age group in the league. Other notable age group performances came from: Caroline Thrussell first female 60-64; Hannah Ridley second female 25-29 and Astrid McKeown second female 50-54. In the men's event Tom Webb was third overall and first in his 35-39 age group. Other great age group performances from: Andrew Leach first 55-59; Rob Jowett second 30-34 and Pete Sibbett second 60-64.
Parkrun roundup 28 Squirrels in action at 7 different parkruns:
The Hertfordshire County Cross Country Championship took place at Verulanium Park, St Albans on Sunday. The recent weather meant that the course was changed to avoid damage to sensitive parts of the park. The new course was described as “tough with very few flat sections and over 750 ft of elevation - it was either up or down and all on either tough grass or pure mud. The whole course was very strength sapping. The temperature was cold with a bit of wind - but at least it wasn’t raining!” Lindsay Cook was the only female squirrel competing. The men had a scoring team of 6 and a total of 7 participants. Tom Webb was 5th overall. The rest of the scoring team was Nathan, Matt, Shahab, Mike and Ian finishing 28th, 39th, 50th, 59th and 68th respectively. Lindsay and Barbara Sayers were on the course providing well needed cheers. Runners praised the organisers commenting “It was a really good event and credit to the organisers for persisting to keep the event on in challenging circumstances after concerns from the land owners.” First Saturday of the Month An intrepid 53 runners had great fun in the mud and puddles at the First Saturday of the Month on Letchworth’s Norton Common. First male home for the club was mud-loving Captain John Auld with Squirrel Alice Carty as first lady. Welwyn Half Rachel Arnott was the only squirrel competing in the Welwyn Garden City Half Marathon. She completed the course in a superb 1:32:45 and was rewarded with 2nd Lady. Rachel described the race as “geat winter weather conditions made up for the muddy parts of the course on the Cole Green Way!” Parkrun The recent relentless rains caused flooding resulting in cancellations at many of the country’s Parkrun courses but some squirrels still managed to complete their weekly 5k Parkrun!
The North Herts Road Runners rounded off a fantastic year of running with an impressive set of performances at the Buntingford 10 mile race on Saturday. The sold-out race, which was organised by local club Royston Runners, was the final event in the 2023 racing calendar. This year’s race played host to both the British Masters Athletics Federation Championship and the Hertfordshire Masters County Championship, which meant that some of the best age group athletes in the country and county were in action. 37 squirrels made the short journey across the A507 to take on the infamously hilly course in this competitive field, with many using the race to keep them on the straight and narrow over the festive season! The squirrels certainly ended the year on a high, with both the Women’s and Men’s teams winning the Hertfordshire County Veterans competition. The biggest individual medal haul of the day went to Paula Holm, who came second in the British FV40 age category and first in the Herts County FV35, in a personal best time of 1:10:49. Other Herts County medallists were Tracy Pitcairn who finished third FV35 in a personal best time of 1:13:53 and Caroline Thrussell who was first FV55 in an impressive 1:18:06. Matt Sayers smashed the hour barrier in 58:38 to finish third MV40. The winning women’s vets team comprised Tash Pitman, Rachel Arnott and Astrid McKeown, with Astrid shattering the 11-year-old club record best time in the FV50 category (which was also set at Buntingford) by over 4 minutes. The winning men’s team were Matt Sayers, Nathan Pask, Stewart Overton and Rob Harris. Rhia Botha would have led the women’s vets team home, but her number was a transfer from an injured runner and unfortunately the organisers were unaware she was eligible for the county champs. Ladies’ team captain Tash Pitman said “I was amazed to see at least 6 personal best times in Christmas week on a hilly course, so kudos to our amazing coaches and the discipline of our runners!” Men’s captain John Auld also praised the runners, adding “Well done team! Great turn out and performance… great way to end the year!” The full results from the North Herts Road Runners at the Buntingford 10 are listed below:
Parkrun roundup Well done for getting out there over the festive period
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