THE festive period was a busy time for Harlow Running Club members who took the opportunity to participate in numerous local, national and international events.

Brenda Clayton kicked off the post Christmas running events at the Cambridge parkrun on the 26th of December. Brenda completed the 5k course in 29.51 coming an outstanding 1st in her age category.

December 31st saw 3 HRC runners take on slippery conditions on the Flitch Way New Year’s Eve Marathon, running the 26.2 miles from Braintree to Bishops Stortford and back along the Flitch. Kerry Mavris finished her debut Marathon in 88th position with an excellent time of 4.20.27, Janice Page and Debbie Smith finished the marathon together in 4.30.20 in 103rd and 104th positions respectively.

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Kerry Mavris, Debbie Smith and Janice Page at just over half way on the Flitch

On New Years Eve Paul Schroder and Wendy Spring ran the San Silvestre Vallecana 10k in Madrid with 28,813 fellow runners. Paul finished the race in 4148th position in a time of 48.21 and Wendy finished in 7277th position in a time of 52.07.

December 31st also saw 5 HRC members join 566 runners at the Ely New Year’s Eve 10k with excellent performances and a fantastic PB by 1.41 for Catherine Ridge (135th in 45.11). Daniel Jephcott finished in 63rd in 41.34 followed home by Jamie Jephcott (98th in 43.04), Jon Steadman (124th in 44.36), and an excellent run for Michelle Jephcott (561st in 1.17.23)

January 1st was a day of multiple Park Runs whereby events were timed to allow Park Runners to participate in two 5k events. Will Wall finished the Hampstead Heath Park Run in 10th position and then completed the Ally Pally Park Run in 14th place.

Martyn Coulter (7th in 21:58), Robin Lozeau (19th in 23:51), Pasquale Pellechia (28th in 26:09), Alan Wellbelove (29th in 26:13) and Brenda Clayton (44th in 31.27) participated in the Hatfield Forest Park Run early on New Years Day. Martyn, Robin, Alan and Brenda then made their way to Chelmsford to complete their 2nd park run of the day with Martyn posting an excellent PB by 1.17.

Louise Kedge joined 188 fellow park runners at the Panshanger parkrun on the 1st January finishing 104th in a time of 27.30.

Andy Kinney, the Globetrotting Marathon machine, took life a little easier for a couple of days competing in the Lamberhurst 10k on January 1st finishing 123rd in a time of 1.02.33. Not too easy though as he laced up his trainers the following day to run the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 10k in Stratford completing the course in an excellent 58:13.

January 2nd saw a return to the regular series of Park Runs

At the Gunpowder parkrun Daniel Jephcott finished in an excellent 2nd place in 19:30 followed closely by Dad Jamie in 3rd place in 19:47. Julia Gardiner finished 12th in 21:45, Paul Schroder 28th in 23:39 and Wendy Spring finished 37th in 24:47

At the very muddy Hatfield Forest parkrun Jason Haigh defeated the conditions to finish 8th in 21:08 and David Page came in 36th in a time of 25:58

Harlow parkrun saw Jared Bethell finishing 4th in 21:43, Martyn Coulter 9th in 23:07, Spencer Brooks 15th in 24:53, Paul Dixon 19th in 25:19, Saira Muschamp finished 28th in 26:14, Debbie Barry 29th in 26:17, Alan Wellbelove 30th in 26:18, Pushpa Mistry 65th in 34:16 and Kerry Mavris ran with her daughter to finish 96th in 42:08

At the Thurrock parkrun, Orsett Heath Austin Nyamande finished in 18th position in a time of 33:04.

There was a fantastic turnout for the 3rd Race in this winters Cross Country league hosted by Saffron Striders at Newport on January 3rd. 51 runners braved the wet and muddy conditions to record an excellent set of individual and team results. The ladies team came second to continue their fine run of form and the mens team recorded a creditable 4th place against stiff opposition. Overall the HRC team are 3rd place in the league with 2 races left in the series.

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HRC Mens Team Captain Andy Terrell enjoys the conditions at Newport

Individual results for Team HRC were:

Ladies Team: Julia Gardiner (9th in 34.27), Sharon Wright (12th in 36.03), Catherine Ridge (14th in 36.48), Anna Baker (16th in 36.58), Carrine Jay (17th in 37.24), Vicky Steadman (21st in 37.58), Caroline Bailes (25th in 38.30), Sandi Rust (27th in 39.02), Debbie Barry (41st in 41.01), Wendy Spring (42nd in 41.02), Karen Moir (46th in 41.55), Louise Kedge (52nd in 42.47), Janice Page (53rd in 43.02), Kerry Mavris (56th in 43.13), Debbie Smith (59th in 43.34), Louise Cootes (64th in 44.52), Holly Nairn (76th in 50.00), Brenda Clayton (77th in 50.23), Paulene Galoppi (80th in 52.04), Joy Hale (81st in 52.07)

Mens Team: Jared Bethell (7th in 27.31), Richard Hynes (14th in 29.13), Alex Smith (20th in 30.12), Len Saterlay (28th in 31.37), Jamie Jephcott (30th in 31.39), Adrian Fell (32nd in 31.45), Jason Haigh (33rd in 31.51), Alan Broughton (45th in 32.50), Andy Terrell (47th in 33.15), Will Wall (49th in 33.39), Brendon Maclean (53rd in 34.28), Nick D’Alton (54th in 34.32), Mark Hayward (61st in 34.55), Gary Godfrey (62nd in 34.59), Martyn Coulter (63rd in 35.26), Andy Bradley (64th in 35.29), Justin Patten (67th in 35.45), Andrew Ramage (72nd in 36.01), Graham Saville (78th in 36.44), Sean Flynn (80th in 36.49), Paul Schroder (82nd in 36.53), John Bull (89th in 37.16), Pasquale Pellecchia (90th in 37.23), Martin McColgan (92nd in 37.32), Roy Steven (95th in 37.46), Robin Lozeau (102nd in 39.17), Alan Cootes (108th in 39.51), Richard Smith (109th in 40.04), Alan Wellbelove (113th in 41.41), Ron Newton (121st in 43.57), Michael Gornall (127th in 52.06)