RUNNING
Parkrun 5K
BRJ’ers returned to Brighton & Hove, Bushy (Course PB for Belinda Parker), Downham Market Academy, Hunstanton Promenade (Course PB for Nick Harris), March (Debut 5K Frostbite for Junior Isaac Friswell), Rushcliffe, Snowden Field (1st place for Mark Sampson), Storeys Field. At Hastings High School, Douglas Rowan secured a 57 Sec Club PB which was his 2nd of 2024.
Megan Wilson in Australia made a BRJ Debut at Brisbane’s Zillmore Parkrun.
Huntingdon Parkrun finally re-started with the Trolls course being used. Susana Gaga-Cortes secured a new 5K PB by a 2 Min 43 Sec margin. Juliet Aungier completed Parkrun #125.
Thorney 10K
A significant presence of 13 BRJ’ers were among the 351 finishers. The Fenland winds were again in evidence making 1 of the 2 legs of this out & back course somewhat challenging. Amie Taylor-Hall best overcome the conditions to be our sole PB’er by a 3 Min 49 Sec margin compared to the 2023’s Ely New Years Eve 10K. Francsca Lasman secured a silver podium position in her Age Category. The full suite of BRJ results were:
| Race: Thorney 10K Date: 24/03/24 Nos of Finishers: 351 | ||||
| Position | Name | Time | Age-Grade % | Notes |
| 153 | Richard Orrell | 00:50:15 | N/A | |
| 175 | Heledd Marshall-Roberts | 00:51:49 | N/A | |
| 176 | Sarah Watts | 00:51:58 | N/A | |
| 180 | Ruth Foster | 00:52:18 | N/A | |
| 188 | Anthony Foster | 00:53:09 | N/A | |
| 191 | Francesca Lasman | 00:53:15 | N/A | 2nd FV65+ |
| 192 | Claire Ashton | 00:53:17 | N/A | |
| 244 | Phil Pearsons | 00:58:31 | N/A | |
| 255 | Clive Best | 00:59:11 | N/A | |
| 296 | Juliet Aungier | 01:04:34 | N/A | |
| 320 | Amie Taylor-Hall | 01:08:34 | N/A | PB |
| 322 | Sarah Taylor-Hall | 01:08:34 | N/A | |
| 334 | Melanie Gearing | 01:09:07 | N/A | |
Hampton Court Palace 1/2 Marathon
The day after competing in the Bushy Parkrun, 4 BRJ’ers were among 4,585 earning the traditional “blingy” finishers medal. Their results were:
NAME TIME POSITION
Belinda Parker 2:23:57 3,915
Kate Ruddock 2:27:19 4,052
Sue Yendley 2:28:49 4,117
Claire Few 2:23:57 4,190
Oakley 20M
Windiy conditions coupled with a very undulating curse meet the 433 finishers, that included 7 BRJ’ers. A very strong performance saw Jonathan Harding lead home our squad & in turn earning a new Club 20M PB by a 4 Min 37 Sec improvement over the time he set in 2023’s Essex 20. He is now the 9th fastest BRJ Man over the distance. Felicity Billie was again our leading lady securing the bronze medal in her age category. Jon Daulton was our other PB’er with a very significant improvement of 9 Mins 52 Secs since last years Oakley. This was his 3rd PB of 2024. Alice Woodcock, probably more widely known as Alice Synge, made her final run in a BRJ Vest following a move out of the Huntingdon area.
The next 2 “Nominated” events in the Senior Running Championships are the Cambourne 10K on April 14th & the Eye 10K on 12th May..The results for the BRJ participants, including their Age Graded Scores counting towards the Senior Running Champs are:
| Race: Oakley 20M Date: 24/03/24 Nos of Finishers: 433 | ||||
| Position | Name | Time | Age-Grade % | Notes |
| 30 | Jonathan Harding | 02:17:08 | 72.30% | PB |
| 61 | Paul Mitton | 02:26:51 | 70.96% | |
| 93 | Felicity Baillie | 02:36:13 | 65.80% | 3rd FV35-39 |
| 122 | Jon Daulton | 02:43:21 | 56.74% | PB |
| 124 | Alice Woodcock | 02:43:09 | 67.48% | |
| 225 | Melanie Wiffin | 03:04:00 | 58.20% | |
| 354 | Paul Treadwell | 03:31:29 | 53.63% | |
4 BRJ’ers ventured to Milton Keynes to participate in 2 wind affected race events.
10M – 2 BRJ’ers were among the 334 finishers. Amanda Roland-Convey finished in 54th position in a time of 1:25:02 missing out by just 1 place on a Age Category podium position. Annette Newton was 89th in 1:30:33 & 2nd in the FV65 Category.
20M – Both BRJ’ers were using the race as preparation for full Marathons. There were 575 finishers. David Newton, in training for Chicago & New York, completed his 2nd 20 Miler in consecutive weekends in 229th position in a time of 3:11:04 & took the Gold Medal in his Age Category.
Dan Ainscow, running London in April along with wife Jane, finished 502nd in 4:06:32.
Cambridge Boundary Marathon
A late result from 10th March means Tom Brand rather than John Clark’s run at Rome on the 17th was the first BRJ’er to complete a full Marathon in 2024. Tom’s participation in this local race was in preparation for a 50 Mile Ultra later in the year. Of the 196 finishers, Tom completed the course in position 181 in 5:16:03. His score counting towards the Senior Running Champs is 46.65%.
2023 Senior Running Championships – Results
The winners of the 2023 Senior Running Championships were announced at the AGM.
POSITION NAME POINTS (TOTAL OF BEST 3 RACE SCORES)
MAN
1. Mark Sampson 244.31
2. David Newton 229.63
3. Paul Mitton 225.41
WOMAN
1. Annette Newton 265.62
2. Alison Orrell 222.83
3. Felicity Baillie 210.80
AGE GROUP POSITIONS
The Age Group winners in the Senior Running Championships were:
AGE GROUP MAN WOMAN
20-34 Mark Sampson Rachael Dent
35-39 Felicity Baillie
40-44 Neil Whitaker
45-49 Jonathan Harding Kerry Surkitt
50-54 Paul Mitton
55-59 Richard Orrell Alison Orrell
60-64 Mike Gullis
65+ David Newton Annette Newton
2023 Senior Most Running PBs – Results
The 2023 Most Running PB’s competition winners were:
PLACE NAME NUMBER OF PB’S
MEN
1. Mark Sampson 12
2. Andrew Stevenson 8
3. Ian Percy 7
WOMEN
1. Rachael Dent 11
2. Mica Covell 9
3. Chloe Wilson 6
MULTI-SPORTS
Hillingdon Spring Family Triathlons
The Reeve brothers took part in their respective Age Group races. Jack, was one of the 12 participants in the Tristar 2 event finishing the race in a time of 00:27:40 in 12th position.
In the Super Sprint, Henry finished in 16th position out of 25 in 00:39:28.
Ely Duathlon
In very windy conditions, Stuart Hathaway was among the 62 successful finishers. Stuart was in 11th position in a time of 1:34:25 & 3rd in his Age Group. His splits were:
Run 1 (5K) – 00:21:31
T1 – 00:00:57
Bike (20K)- 00:48:41
T2 – 00:00:56
Run 2 (5K) – 00:22:16