Clare Teesdale travelled the short distance north to represent Boston Community Runners at the Humber Bridge Half Marathon. The course started on the north bank and wended its way onto the bridge by mile 3. The course was very hilly as once over the bridge a circuit of Barton upon Humber included at mile 9 the well known 'Cardiac Hill'. This is a mile climb which has a false horizon giving runners the impression they are reaching the top when the have a little further to go! Heading back over the bridge, once the runners are halfway over the downhill begins and this continues to the finish line. Clare had a super run in very warm conditions and was thrilled to finish in under two and a half hours, crossing the finish line in 2.27.11.
Thrill seeking members took themselves off to the National Water Sports Centre at Nottingham to take part in another extreme challenge event. The Xrunner Water Wipeout. Water Wipeout is the ultimate obstacle race and muddy fun run. This awesome challenge included Wild River Rapids, Water Slides, Fire Starter, Cresta Run, Free Fall, Tunnels, Hurdles, Giant Walls, Cargo Nets, Spider’s Webs, Balance Beams, Mud, Water and the Assault Course! In all over 60 obstacles to negotiate in the 10k course. The early wave saw Paul Maddison and Tanya Knight with Matt and Claire Tunnard. The later wave saw Kerry McCrainor and Fiona Clarke taking part with a team of work colleagues. All came back with big smiles and had the most amazing fun. All said they'd do it again!
Jackie Hallett was in Norfolk over the weekend. On Saturday she took part in the Holkham 10k, an event she competed in last year. Knowing how she did last year, Jackie set herself a target of bettering last years time and ran very well to get a new course PB by knocking nearly four minutes off when she crossed the finish line in 1.03.37, a time she was very happy with and set herself up for the next day, Sunday, where she was taking part in another race, the Fen Gallop 10k. This was a more tricky multi-terrain course. Woodlands with hidden tree roots made the runners pick their feet up a bit more, wheatfields and farm tracks with deep ruts offered a further challenge but Jackie said it was a lovely route and one she would like to do again. She was even more pleased crossing the finish line in 1.04.55 on a trickier course. The reward at the end was a lovely wooden medal which made a nice change from the metal once that are normally given out at events.
The annual running of the 6 mile road race, part of the attractions at the Spilsby Show saw 107 runners taking part in a run that is about 4 miles on road and 2 miles along farm tracks. A hilly route that took the runners out to Toynton All Saints and down towards Halton Holegate before heading back to the showground in the middle of the town along a steady uphill climb for about a mile. The weather was good for the run with cloud cover offering some respite from the heat of the sun. Four Boston runners took part with Steven Roberts running strongly, crossing the line in 44.22 in 16th place and Andy Butler having a storming run finishing a minute behind in 45.22 giving him a top twenty finish with 19th place. Matt Tunnard came in next in 54.13 and Tim Burrell had a great debut finishing in 1.10.00. Taking part in the event gave the runners access to the show itself so all in all it was a great day out for the Boston runners and their families.
The Thurlby 10k road race is another challenging event. The route heads around the local villages of Thurlby, starting with a long climb up Swallow Hill out of the main village and then returning into Thurlby via Obthorpe Lane after passing through the villages of Manthorpe, Wilsthorpe and Obthorpe itself. This is a tough 10K for this area, its not a flat course by a long way, but it was a very scenic route. Christopher Chevis and Carole Page were representing the Boston Community Runners and both enjoyed the challenge of the hills that we don't see much of here in Boston. Christopher crossed the finish line in 63.42 with Carole not too far behind coming home in 70.36. Both were pleased with their times and another challenge completed.
Sunday saw the fourth running of the Orsted Great Grimsby 10k. The race is building in popularity with over 3000 runners again making the start line. The race starts in two waves to allow the runners to spread out. A predicted time of fifty five minutes and under were in wave one with over fifty five minutes in wave two. Boston Community Runners were there in double figures again this year with 10 runners taking on the race.
There was a slight breeze but it was once again a very hot run with plenty of water stations and a most welcome hosepipe at one stage!
The Boston runners all had a great run, despite the temperatures, with everyone pleased with their times. Beckie Dawson was the first club runner home in a new PB time of 41.47 giving her 2nd Vet 45 place and 10th lady overall. Katie Cooper was next back in 53.24 and looked strong coming into the finish in the beautiful Peoples Park with Kimberley Pittam less than a minute back in 54.03 a time she was very pleased with considering the heat. Neil Goodwin was the next club runner to cross the line in 54.38 just ahead of running buddy Dianne Houghton who finished in 54.49, six minutes quicker than last year. Paul Maddison and Georgina Lingard were next to come into view with Paul finishing in 1.03.11 and Georgina bagging a new PB time of 1.03.53 knocking 4 minutes off her previous best. Jessica Bland had another solid performance at this distance and clocked 1.07.50 taking 30 seconds off last years time. Carole Page knocked 2 minutes off last years time as well when a strong finish saw her home in 1.09.19. Final club runner back and just behind Carole was Jo Heron who had a solid run and finished in 1.13.18.
The Gnome Roam was a six hour timed challenge event held in Northampton. Athletes could complete as many loops as they wished within the time limit. From 3 miles to a half marathon, a marathon, an ultra and beyond the challenge was on! The course was a mix of paths and grassy trails along the River Nene and around several flood reservoirs, so there was plenty of wildlife and views to be seen for the competitors. It was pretty flat, only about 40' of climb per lap. Sarah-Jayne Eggleton took on the challenge for Boston Community Runners with family members taking part too making it a grand day out. The weather was a mixture of dry, wet and windy making for cold conditions when the wind and rain combined, especially after the heat of the previous few days. Sarah-Jayne set off with a target in mind and along with the amazing food and drink station which the runners passed every time they completed one of the 5.17mile laps fuelled her up to cover a full marathon distance of 26.2 miles in 5hrs 35mins. A fantastic achievement on a mixture of terrains and SJ was thrilled with the result and took home a goody bag and medal for her hard work.
Heckington 10. The record temperatures not two days before seemed a distant past as an overcast sky greeted athletes from around the country to Saturday mornings ten mile road race, one of Heckington Shows main attractions. The race had been bought forward to 9.30am to escape the hotter part of the day but when the rain started falling ten minutes before the start everyone knew the sun was not going to be an issue this year. The heavens opened and decided today was a day of heavy rain.
Boston Community Runners took the black and yellow stripes the short distance to take part with a fantastic turnout of 22 runners taking part. Starting right on schedule the race set off in the main ring doing two full laps before heading out into the village on a two lap course taking in Heckington Fen as well. The wind and rain was relentless and it was a head wind that the runners met twice as they headed out into Heckington Fen making everyone dig deep to power through before returning to the showground finishing on the track opposite the grandstand. All the Boston runners had strong runs and were pleased with the times recorded. Rob Cross was the first club runner back in 1.06.56 giving him a top 30 position. Kelvin Clements was next home crossing the line in 1.10.43 just ahead of John Burton who knocked just over a minute off last years time in 1.12.47 with Steven Roberts just behind in 1.13.49. Andy Butler continues to improve and recorded a fabulous finish time of 1.17.58. After a small wait another flurry of Black and Yellow crossed the finish line. Andy Leates crossed in 1.31.25 just ahead of Beckie Dawson and Kimberley Pittam running together and finishing in 1.33.46. Katie Cooper was just behind 1.34.20 and Jayne Clements smashing her target time by 6 minutes coming home in 1.34.35. Less than a minute later Jayne Wallis finished in 1.35.25. Dianne Houghton produced another of her sprint finishes overtaking several runners to finish in 1.36.03 and Neil Goodwin dug deep for a strong run in, crossing the line in 1.37.18. Tony Tomlin was next home in 1.38.20 with Emma Cook finishing with a smile in 1.39.48. Lesley Buswell was the next runner back finishing in 1.40.31 followed by Clare Teesdale in 1.42.19 and Debbie Petley was thrilled to finish in 1.45.13 in her first race at this distance. Jackie Hallett knocked 6 minutes off last years time coming home in 1.48.15 with Tim Burrell getting a sub 2hr finishing in 1.57.26. Samantha Cross was having her first long run since April and finished in 2.00.27 with running buddy Fran Mills finishing alongside in 2.00.28 ensuring they finished together.
