Report from North Herts Road Runners

North Herts Road Runners’ Rachel Gibbs won the final Midweek League race at St Albans last Thursday to scoop the overall ladies Division 1 title.  Despite the heat and hilly 7 mile course Rachel ran away from her closest challenger, Jo Kent of Barnet & District, at 5 miles and finished nearly 1 minute clear of the rest of the field.  With Astrid McKewon finishing 3^rd in 44.54, Melissa Winters 7^th 46.59, Paula Adams 9^th 47.16, Tash Pitman 16^th 49.05 and Claire Messenger 33^rd 53.04, the ladies team finished a magnificent 2^nd on the night and 3^rd overall just half a point behind Garden City Runners.  V35 Paula Adams has also enjoyed an excellent series of races to finish 3^rd overall in her age category.

 

With 12 men to score in the league and the championship and relegation battle to be decided on the night the men’s race was also a highly competitive affair with Luke Humphreys running exceptionally well to finish 3^rd in 38.38 just over a minute behind the race winner Kevin Skinner of Garden City Runners.  The rest of the team worked hard to pack well and with James Atkins 21^st 41.57, Mark Robertson 24^th 42.16, Steve McKeown 27^th 42.23, Pete Scrowther 31^st 42.35, Nick Beresford 32^nd 42.39, Pete Sibbett 41^st 43.15, James Walsh 54^th 44.55, Neil Tillott 55^th 45.02, Gary Cook 56^th 45.04, Oliver Saville 57^th 45.20 and Dave Frampton 66^th 46.39 the men’s team finished 3^rd to secure 3^rd overall.  The vets team of Scrowther, McKeown, Sibbett, Walsh, Frampton and Adrian Sherwood 69^th 46.52 fought an epic battle with Barnet and District for the overall vets league title but despite outstanding performances by all the NHRR vets finished 3^rd on the night, tied with Barnet on 19 league points and just lost out on the title finishing runners-up by 17 match points.  Individual successes include Pete Scrowther who finished 2^nd V40 in the league, Pete Sibbett 3^rd V40 and Stewart Bryant 3^rd V50.

 

With 22 ladies and 36 ladies running this was a great team performance from NHRR who were delighted to finish in their highest ever position in the league 14 points ahead of local rivals Fairlands Valley Spartans. Club chairperson Lindsay Cook enjoyed a great run and was loudly cheered in by club members as she is 6 months pregnant! The individual results were:

Chris Walby 46.53, John Franklin 47.14, Stewart Bryant 47.23, Martyn Annetts 48.07, Paul Kelley 48.36, Nick Malpeli 48.45, John Spinks 49.05, Richard Thackeray 49.31, Alan Jones 50.16, Steve Tracey 52.00, Jon Hunt 52.16, Chris Priestley 52.34, Mike Moralee 53.09, Sarah Whiterod 56.45, Deryk Myall 53.14, Suzy Trott 53.58, Jon Gilham 54.15, Chris Yuill 55.20, Jo Summers 55.23, Dave Ross 56.50, Karen Dodsworth 56.53, Emma Bradley 56.55, Mike Shepherd 57.31, Teresa Northey 58.52, Mike Pym 59.14, John McShane 59.32, Anna Priestley 59.54, Matthew Rix 60.42, Brian Bailey 61.07, Linda Aird 61.12, Anne Callis 62.12, Helen Cairns 62.15, Graham Thompson 67.52, Sally Harkins 71.36, Pat Norris 71.48Chris Sharp 72.32, Joy Stroud 73.46, Karen Musker 78.50 and Lindsay Cook 78.50.

 

Despite running the night before in the Midweek League Martyn Annetts completed the Cranfield 5 miles on Friday in 32.50 with Rachel Annetts recording 42.26.