HRRL Brading 10K, Comrades Marathon (South Africa), Montana 10K (USA) and Bognor Prom 10K

HRRL Brading 10K

Farnham Runners sailing to the 2006 HRRL Brading 1o race

Farnham Runners travel in style to the Brading 10K on the Isle of Wight

Farnham Runners have travelled “overseas” to compete recently, some of them taking up an opportunity to sail to the venue of the last of the season’s Hampshire Road League races organised by Ryde Harriers on the Isle of Wight.

A hot day and a hilly course put paid to fast times for most. Charles Ashby and Dan Smith headed in their team that came 12th of 37 with times of 40.05 (12th M40) and 40.34 respectively. Steve Murphy started at a sensible pace to overtake all the way round and complete the team score (42.04, 15th M40) Other men’s times: Terry Steadman 43.14 (12th M50), Andy Tweed 45.22 (22nd M40), Don Melvin 48.40, (22nd M50), Bhopinder Mahal 49.47, Steve Payne 52.16 (38th M40).

In the ladies section Jane Georghiou was pleased with tenth place (42.46, 2nd W45). Nathalie Garrison (56.21, 10th W45) and Gill Kenny (59.07, 13th W45) well deserved their team places while Michele Dixon (61.28, 15th W45) also made the effort to support the team that took 12th slot of 17 teams.

HRRL final tables

Farnham Runners men stay in Division One for next season’s Hampshire Road Race League, while the ladies just miss promotion from Division Two.

Tying with Denmead Striders men on league points, the Farnham club had a lower race positions score and so finished in 7th place of the ten teams in the division. Their B team was 12th of 20 teams in the B division.

The ladies placed 3rd in Division Two at Brading and maintained their third place for the final tally.

Captains Dan Smith and Jane Georghiou featured highly in the individual tables, Dan taking 12th slot and Jane 5th in the ladies section.

“Comrades Marathon” in South Africa

Further a field John Applebee took an amazing 21 minutes from his first attempt last year in the 56-mile “Comrades Marathon” in South Africa. After months of rigorous training he completed the distance in 11 hours 18 minutes, even though this year the course was in the uphill direction. His goal is to raise as much money as possible for Leukaemia Research.

Montana 10K

Malcolm Fitzsimmons also represented Farnham Runners abroad in a 10km race in Montana, U.S.A. where he finished in 44 minutes despite running at an altitude of 5000 feet over a hilly course.

Bognor 10K

Nearer to home Stuart Morgan came 21st of 1262 finishers and 6th M40 in the Bognor 10 km against driving rain and strong wind for much of the way (37.32). He was followed by Tim Cummins (44.37), Lindsay Bamford 47.34, 20th lady and 11th W35), Sarah Buckle (53.46) and Chris Lyne (57.34).