#clickyourclock on your weekend result
The weather wasn't great at many of the races this weekend but with three days worth of races to pick from there were plenty of opportunites. Did you race? If so, make sure you #clickyourclock!
The biggest races were:
Liverpool Spring 10K - 3,396 finishers
Great East Anglia 10K - 1,882 finishers
Sunderland 10K - 1,631 finishers
Cardiff Bay 5 - 1,469 finishers
North Lincolnshire Half Marathon - 1,495 finishers
Bushy parkrun - 1,107 finishers
The biggest race of the weekend, the Liverpool Spring 10k took place in conditions more like winter than spring but with plenty of bands and entertainment along the route energy levels and determination were high. Many ran for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, which was the official charity.
Despite it being the wettest race in its 10 year history, runners and spectators still turned out in their droves to take part in or support the Bespak Grand East Anglia Run.
The wet weather didn’t seem to dampen the spirits and whilst the course record remains intact, runners were still reporting personal bests.
Alive Leisure Race Director Roger Partridge said: “Everyone has been brilliant today. The weather was appalling but the marshals, the runners and the spectators just took it all in their stride and helped us to create yet another fantastic event. We had a great atmosphere, more runners than we’ve ever had and some great performances. And to be honest we must have set a course record for the number of umbrellas held by spectators.”
Winner of the men’s race was Alastair Watson (handicap -4.2) from Notts AC with a time of 30 mins and 53 secs. It was the first time he had taken part in the Bespak GEAR. Speaking after the race he said how impressed he was with marshalling and the support from the crowd. “Coming back into the town centre, you just hit a wall of noise, it was really good,” he said. “The course is flat, yet interesting and I’m really pleased because I have achieved my season’s best. Definitely hope to be back next year to defend my title.”
First place in the women’s race went to Elizabeth Janes (handicap 1.3) of Herts Phoenix AC with a time of 35 mins and 19 secs. Elizabeth knocked 0.2 off her handicap score with this run. Another first-timer for the Bespak GEAR, she thanked the crowd for the amazing support and said it was a lovely event which she thorough enjoyed. “I’d love come to back, as long as the weather is better,” she said.
Matt Pyatt (handicap -1.3) of Ryston Runners won the Duncan Gooderson trophy for the second year running. The trophy is awarded to the best performance from a runner living within the borough of King's Lynn & West Norfolk. His placing of ninth with a time of 33 mins 56 secs was an excellent performance.
Bespak MD Keyvan Djamarani said: “We are so, so proud to be associated with this event. It just gets better and better every year. We always have a field of runners from the company and whilst we won the corporate award last year, this year we came third, so we’ll be training much harder for next year. It’s an event we very much want to continue being associated with.”
Race organisers would like to thank everyone who took part along with all the volunteers and helpers who helped make the 10th anniversary Bespak Grand East Anglia Run such a huge success.
Ex-Olympian, Paul Evans, who has been involved with the event since the start said: “This is definitely a community event. So many people get involved and there is no doubt that it has encouraged regular running in this area. In Norfolk alone, 2,000 people take part in a 5k Park Run on a Saturday morning, which is quite astounding, and it’s because of events like this. Long may it continue”
Both the Sunderland City Half Marathon and the Sunderland City 10k took place in the pouring rain but, again, spirits refused to be dampened as the races started and finished in the Stadium of Light and hardy spectators cheered the runners along the routes aided by "Cheer Stations" along the way.
Did you race at the weekend? Find your result and #clickyourclock before 12 o' clock today to be in with a chance of winning an FT4 Polar heart rate monitor. The current leader is Duncan Mollison (handicap 3.1) who ran the Shinfield 10k in 37:25, knocking 0.7 from his handicap score, that is a 21.10% improvement!
Did you improve your % score by more than this? If so, be sure to #clickyourclock before 12 o' clock tomorrow when the competition finishes for this week!