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XX Another fast, flat course - The Ely New Years Eve 10K visit the web site - www.newyearseve10k.co.uk
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10k Handicap12th June 2008 |
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| What better way to pass a summer’s evening than to race against club-mates and friends on a fast 10k course in near perfect conditions? Add in the unique feature of a time handicap staggered start (so all runners should finish at the same time) and you have an extremely competitive event. | |
| To sharpen competition even
further the number of club members present (42) was the highest ever for
the Ely 10k Handicap. Put together all these factors and it is perhaps
clear how fully 70% of entrants managed to beat their handicap times.
The handicaps were not soft either – as witnessed by the number of
personal bests set and club 10k records that were broken. In fact at the
‘peak’ point the results recorders were almost overwhelmed by the
continual stream of runners sprinting for the finish. Dedicated and
efficient as ever they managed to cope, but it was tough! The total field was 53, made up of the 42 club members plus 11 invited guests. By tradition there are three prizes awarded for the Ely 10k Handicap, first Ely Runner, first guest runner, and a prize for the fastest runner on the night. First Ely Runner home this year was Stuart Mitchell, his first 10k and new club junior man’s record for 10k. Stuart has been an enthusiastic, popular, and dedicated member of Ely Runners for close on two years. He was accompanied on his run by cyclist and club member Julie Foreman – whose words of encouragement to beat his father (also running!) clearly worked wonders as Stuart came in over 3 minutes under his predicted time. Proud Dad Keith commented afterwards “We intend to give a briefing to the Prader Willi Society of this achievement and the positive way Stuart has been treated by the club. He continues to be an inspiration to those who have PWS children and offers something really positive to parents if you stick at it through thick & thin”. First guest runner home (and in fact first home overall for the second year in succession) was Terry Braverman, beating his handicap by six minutes. Fastest time of the night was Alex Tate – his time of 32:59 eclipsed Maurice Reed’s longstanding senior man’s club 10k record. Outside the prize winners there were a number of excellent performances from Ely Runners. Daisy Glover established a new Junior Female club 10k record of 39:58, beating her own Dad John in the run-in. Peter Gipp narrowly missed breaking John Turner’s longstanding MV45 club 10k record by 8 seconds. Congratulations too to the twenty Ely Runners who set PBs (previous PBs shown in brackets where available): Stephen Pettit 36:05 (beating previous time of 37:50) Steve Barker 38:54 (40:32) Graham Chapman 39:17 (39:22) Steve Tovey 39:24 (40:22) Daisy Glover 39:58 (1st 10k) Derek Cruickshank 41:33 (1st 10k for Ely Runners) Ian Blatchford 43:20 (43:36) Dean Sheppard 43:30 (49:00) Chris Bower 43:32 (45:11) Fraser Badcock 44:48 (46:50) Adrian Stokes 44:49 (46:02) Steve Collett 45:34 (1st 10k) John Glover 47:31 (1st 10k) Mel Fisher 48:22 48:36) Hayley Tooke 48:50 Mary Gates 49:01 (50:13) Lisa Redman 50:50 (51:18) Hannah Shiell 53:06 (56:00) Matt Holden 53:08 (1st 10k for Ely Runners) Stuart Mitchell 66:46 (1st 10k) After the race, Chairman Peter Gipp presented the awards at the Prince Albert pub in Ely. Special thanks are extended to Steve Tovey (handicap times), Rod Baron (entries, timekeeping and results), Eric Drury (course marking) and Charlie Barker (photography), plus the several other (unnamed) helpers and marshals. (Apologies, this is an incomplete list – hopefully other credits will be added as I find out!) |
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