HRRL Lordshill 10k

Farnham Runners team before the 2021 Lordshill 10km

A sharp shower at the start line was unpleasant while it lasted but it soon stopped after runners were underway in the Lordshill 10km, the second event of the Hampshire Road League’s 2021-22 season.

Conditions were good for running, not too warm or windy, and twelve of the twenty-five Farnham Runners who took part gained personal best times. The course was fairly flat but with definitely more uphill in the last 5km. Runners could cheer each other as they passed on the out and back route which followed lanes and paths from Lordshill. Because of Covid-19 precautions at the start, the results used chip times, not gun times.

All Farnham Runners’ teams, men’s and ladies’ As, Bs and Cs did well. Four runners count for each team. From previous season’s good results in this competitive league, Farnham Runners men’s and ladies’ A teams are in the top divisions, their B teams are in the top B divisions, while their C teams are in the second B divisions.

Farnham’s first four men all gained personal bests, the first two with impressive times of under 35 minutes. James Clarke was delighted to finish 9th overall in 34 minutes 42 seconds. Only 5 seconds back was Nik Darlington in 34:47, 10th, just a week after coming third in the Farnham Pilgrim marathon.

The still improving M 60 Keith Marshall clocked a PB of 40:10 for second place in his category, while newcomer Ivan Chunnett’s new PB is 44:01. This A team placed 4th in the top division and they lie 3rd on aggregate out of 10 teams, an excellent start to the season.

Steve Bailey in 44:41 led a B team that placed 8th in B Division One and they now lie 5th. Richard Denby in 45:51 and James Goodwin in 47:21 both recorded PBs while Damian Probett in 48:01 completed the team.

Though there was an incomplete C team, the three runners still counted and came 7th out of 20 clubs in B Division Two. They were Peter Callow in 48.20, Geoff Brown in 50.48 and Craig Tate-Grimes in 51.53.

Vicky Godluck, Penny Schnabel, Jane Probett, Carolyn Wickham, Clair Bailey, Nicola O'Connor at the 2021 Lordshill 10k

Linda Tyler led in the ladies As in 47:27, 5th in the F55s. Gill Iffland paced well to move up through the field for a personal best of 50:53. Ahead of Kay Copeland on chip time, but not gun time was Vicky Goodluck in 52:29. a PB, with Kay in 52:33. This team came 7th in the top flight on the day and the team lies 4th of 10 teams after two races.

The close packing of the B team helped them to place 5th on the day in B Division One and they lie top on aggregate out of the 16 clubs in that division! A strong finish by Clair Bailey gave her a time of 52:42 (PB), followed by 2nd F65, Jane Georghiou in 53:07. Next came newcomers Bella Weetch in a PB 53:13 and Laura Quinn in 54:19, just day after a very long training run in preparation for the Manchester marathon.

For the C team came Marisa Luttrell in 55:08 (PB), Brigid Walters in 57:06, Penny Schnabel in a PB 58:26 and Jane Probett in 1:01:58. This team placed high in B Division Two – they lie 3rd of 15 clubs after placing 2nd on the day.

Nicola O’Connor in 1:03:24 and Carolyn Wickham 1:09 49 ran to support the club, though not making the teams this time.