Well done to Andy Cook, Helen Cook and Gareth Tucker for completing your 100th ParkRun this weekend, and to Bill Hawes who broke his own Gadebridge Park ParkRun MV50 club record at the same event.
Also to Teresa Reason who was first female at the South Downs Midnight Marathon last night.
ParkRuns are timed 5km events which take place every Saturday in parks across the UK and around the world. Husband and wife Andy and Helen Cook, and fellow Gade Valley Harrier Gareth Tucker, were embarking on their 100th such event at the Gadebridge Park ParkRun this weekend, and they were joined by a whole host of club mates who were keen to show their support and join in the celebration of the century milestone.
Such was the strength in numbers that six of the first ten finishers were club athletes with Philip Robbins leading the team and finishing in second place overall, in a speedy time of 19:14. Bill Hawes was next to cross the line, and he broke his own club Male Vet 50+ record by completing the course in 19:45, one position ahead of Michael Linden (19:56). Ross Deacon (20:15) picked up a seventh placed finish, with Dylan Wendleken (9th 20:30) and Nicholas Crowther (10th 20:58) completing the top ten.
Vince Ellerby (21:59) sneaked across the line inside 22 minutes, ahead of Antony Beamish (22:17).
Andy Cook was the first of the club’s newest members of the centurion club to complete the hilly two lap course, being cheered across the line by his speedier teammates in a time of 22:53.
Tracey Cotton (23:38) was first Harrier lady to complete the course and second overall, exactly a minute before Stephen Newing (24:38). Andrew Watt (25:14) and Rob Potton (25:27) finished ahead of Kim Morgan who was ninth placed female overall, and second Harrier lady.
Gareth Tucker marked his 100th ParkRun with a time of 25:49, with Isabel Wilson (26:25) sandwiching the third new-centurion Helen Cook who clocked a time of 27:22.
Jaqui Sampson (27:39) and Russell Bailey (29:41) finished ahead of Andrew Wells (32:06) who was running with his son Sam. Charlie Costin (35:20) and new club members Nikki Tucker (35:54) and Caron Williams (45:37) wrapped up the team’s performance ensuring that over ten percent of the 197 participants on the day were from the Boxmoor based running club.
Later on Saturday Teresa Reason took part in the South Downs Midnight Marathon which started at 9:00pm, meaning that participants were guaranteed to be still running under a full moon as the clock struck midnight. After starting within the Queen Elizabeth Country Park in Petersfield, Hampshire, the runners then embarked on the wet, slippy, hilly trails of the South Downs Way. Reason continued her fine form of recent months by winning the ladies race and finishing in thirteenth place overall in a time of 4:15:30.
Just a few hours later Sunday’s racing was underway and a trio of Harriers were in action at locations around the country. Phil Mercer completed the Kimbolton Half Marathon in Cambridgeshire in 1:33:33, Julian Smith collected a personal best at the Bath Two Tunnels 10k with a superb time of 37:58 and David Goodman recorded a time of 41:00 at the Regents Park 10k in London.
