Harlow Running and Tri Club member Laura Prime completed the Saharan Challenge over the weekend. This involves covering the marathon distance over each of two days. The UNESCO World Heritage Draa Valley in Morocco provides a dramatic backdrop for the double marathon distance challenge, across baked rocky trails, through red clay Berber villages, and palmeries, down to the sandy dunes of the mighty Sahara. Laura completed the first marathon in 4hrs 40min 34sec. The second marathon was covered in 6hrs 12min 12sec and Laura was the first Female to finish and second finisher overall.

Meanwhile, several members completed the 10 mile Great South Run at Portsmouth on Sunday morning. Martin Westley led the way in 183rd place out of 12,979 finishers in a superb 1hr 02min 23sec. He was followed home by Robert Foxley, in his debut at the distance, in 719th place in 1.11.00, Tracy Stratford 2799th in 1.24.25, Michelle Sheridan 3786th in 1.28.36(Debut), Dan Winter 4341st in 1.30.39, Tracy Greenall 4742nd in 1.32.10, Selina Morgan 7497th in 1.42.28 and Michael Gleeson 8604th in 1.47.12.

At the 10 mile Great Eastern Run at Peterborough James Dowsett finished in 856th place out of 2304 finishers in 1.49.54, in his debut at the distance.

At the Yorkshire Marathon, held at York, Neil Goodgame finished in 565th place out of 3525 finishers in 3.27.04, in his marathon debut, and Michael Houlihan was 1507th in 4.02.09.

Also in Yorkshire, at the Yorkshire Coast 10k at Scarborough Chris Arnell finished in 209th place out of 1529 finishers in 46.34 and Kate Porter was 639th in a PB time of 53.23.  

At the Chelmsford Half Marathon Dawn Elford finished in 462nd place out of 472 finishers in 2.58.44, in her debut at the distance.

At the Cambridge Town and Gown 10K Jacobus van der Poel finished in 1037th place out of 1848 finishers in 56.55, Louise Shury was 1295th in 1.01.07(PB) and Yasmin Gregory 1785th in 1.26.29.

In the first round of the Essex XC League, held at One-Tree-Hill, Stanford le Hope, Mark Unwin was 177th out of 209 finishers in 42.41.

Several triathletes were in action at the Herts Aquathlon (400m pool Swim, 5k run) at Hatfield. Ben Usher finished in 9th place out 46 finishers in 29.00, Jon Waight 17th and 2nd Vet 55 in 30.50, Terri Wiley 22nd and 3rd Female Vet 35 in 32.27, Keith Streeter 25th and 3rd Vet 50 in 33.06, Paige Bircham 26th in 33.23, Gail Nicholls 28th and 1st Female Vet 55 in 33.46, Darren Tiley 30th in 34.00 and Donna Milton 42nd and 3rd Female Vet 45 in 39.55.  

There was a parkrun PB from Chris Mella a Harlow parkrun, finishing in 18th place out of 185 finishers in 21.38.

Last week at the Olympic Park 5k Ben Usher finished in 8th place out of 110 finishers in 20.00 and Terri Wiley was 9th and 2nd Female in a PB time of 20.03.