A bit too much wind and rain (and possibly calories) over the Xmas period doesn’t seem to have put members off racing.
Jon Randall teamed up with Stephen and Verna Burgess at the Serpentine 5k on the 27th, Jon reports:
“Did the Brooks Serpentine 5k (Hyde Park) today and finished in 19:02 and #26 out of 137. It was very wet and windy! I backed off and ran a bit slower than usual today but actually ended up getting a faster time overall. Will definitely start my races off a bit slower now and pick up speed to see if that continues to work for me. Shame to miss out on a sub-19 by a few seconds but happy with the time. Great to be there with Verna and Stephen. Verna, I really like the photo we managed to get of Stephen cheering you on as you came into the finish line.”
Verna heads for the finish with Stephen’s support
“Great photos Jon – it proves how grim the day was I finished in 22.04 and Stephen in 18.18. It was an interesting race – I have had frozen feet and hands but never a frozen right arm before – it must have been how the wind was blowing. All OK now – holding a beer nicely.” –Verna Burgess
Jon, Stephen and Verna
Catherine Hansford wasn’t going to join the softies keeping their feet dry at the Round the Lakes 10k, she tells:
“Did the Round The Lakes 10k at Poole Park this morning. Despite being somewhat hungover and still not 100% I managed a 54:47 (according to my NEW garmin). Part of the course was flooded and as it was three laps we had to run through freezing cold water four times. Some people cheated and went across the field which I thought was very unsporting but it was all good fun! I am so glad to have warm dry feet!”
Various parkrun courses got washed out with Milton Keynes cancelled while Oxford and Abingdon had route changes, didn’t stop Simon Dally getting an excellent time though:
“Finished 3rd in the Abingdon parkrun today. I thought I might win it until about the 4k point, but couldn’t match my two younger rivals for speed towards the end. Did it in 18:46, not bad as it was the alternate route to the normal one (due to flooding), which I believe is two or three hundred metres longer. Got fastest age graded time as well, which is a first for me!”
If any vegans runners want the motivation of a team commitment to get their training off to a good start in the new year do join our Vegan Runners team for Jantastic
