HRRL Eastleigh 10K and Fleet Half Marathon

HRRL Eastleigh 10K

Renowned for its flat course and potential for a personal best, the Eastleigh 10k draws runners from a wide area. This year sixteen Farnham Runners supported the club’s team efforts in the Hampshire Road League and were rewarded with good times in ideal weather conditions.

Sarah Hill continued her dominance of the ladies individual table, now certain to win after completing the required number of seven of the twelve races. This time she was fourth lady but first out of all the Hampshire League runners. She has a perfect score of 100 in six of her seven races and her tally of 99.9 is unbeatable.

Her 35 minutes 40 seconds is her second best 10k time, her fastest being set at Yateley in 2000. It ranks her top of the British W40 table for the year so far.
She was supported by strong performances from Charlotte Hanson and Eloise Stradling who both produced personal best times, Hanson’s 41:11, a best by 1 minute and Stradling’s 43:39 by over 30 seconds. These three gave the local club’s A string ladies fifth place in Division One on the day, the same as their aggregate position, safe in a field of ten clubs.

The ladies B team are also mid table of B Division One leaping up three places to sixth of fourteen, though eighth on the day. Kayleigh Copeland improved by three minutes for 44:00, followed by Tina Harrison (pb 50:03) and Kay Copeland (51:01), with backup from Mary Denise Fitzgerald (51:09) and Cyra Parkes (58:41).

The men’s A kept alive their bid to top Division Two, staying ahead by five points. They were led by a proud Stuart Morel in 36:55 who took another 12 seconds from his best time and came 9th M45 in this very competitive race. James Clarke clocked a fine 37:36 with Mike Walberton taking 8th M50 slot with 39:42. Tim Cummins (41:42) was pleased to make the A squad that came 6th in Division Two on the day.

Terry Copeland (41:45), Paul Day (pb 44:57), Peter Chapman (45:59) and Darren Carins (46:10) gave the B team 14th in Division One, but they stay a safe 7th on aggregate.

Fleet Half Marathon

On the same day twenty five members chose the local Fleet Half marathon, expertly organised by Fleet and Crookham Athletics club for the 35th time. The fine weather added to the enjoyment of the race and most from the club were pleased with their times over this challenging distance. Two of the ladies were among the prize winners.

A happy Charles Ashby headed the Farnham contingent in 1:24:55, with Stuart Williamson not far behind in 1:25:19. A further five recorded under 1 hour 30: Stuart Taylor 1:26:38, Julian Mann 1:27:00, Charlie Hill-Venning 1:27:56, Stuart Haig 1:28:41, Mike Taylor 1:29:03. Sarah Marjoram led in the ladies (pb 1:38:43), with Emma Pearson 9th F40 in 1:38:51. Jane Georghiou took first W60 in 1:40:44, while newcomer Linda Tyler was second F55 in a new personal best of 1:41:32.

Other times: Jason East 1:30:30, John Hill-Venning 1:31:44, John Phillips 1:32:43, Paul Mackie and Tim Farrant 1:36:27, Keith Marshall 1:38:28, John Walker 1:39:47, Hallam Foster 1:40:19, Alistair Hardaway 1:41:29, Geoff Brown 1:44:08, Craig Tate-Grimes 1:59:54, Georgi Robinson-Welch pb by 7 minutes 2:16:45, Kathy Brown 2:22:51, Elaine Ashby 2:24:15.