Linda Franks Five-Mile Race, Sunday 21 January 2018
On a very cold January morning, with the hills around Cheltenham covered with snow and sleet driving in to low levels on a bitter wind, a good crop of Striders lined up to join the fray – along with 230 other runners – for the annual Almost Athletes’ Linda Franks Five-mile race, run around two laps of a course on the edge of Hatherley and the Reddings in west Cheltenham.
The first three club runners home have all been training together for the London marathon and those miles paid dividends. Jon Howes turned in a stellar performance, finishing in 16th place as the 3rd MV40 in 29:36. He was followed home by Mark Fuller in 19th place in 29:50, and Paul Northup in 29th in 29:53 as the 3rd MV50 finisher (breaking his own club record for the distance). All three bagged PBs, finishing in under 30 minutes.
Pictured: Jon Howes finishes in 16th place as the 3rd MV40 in a time of 29:36.
Next home, in identical times of 31:16 and 35th and 36th positions, were Andy Brookes and Chris Hale. Chris paced his fellow club member Andy to what was a much-faster-than-expected PB for him – and 6th MV50 finisher to boot.
Finishing in 41st place, Clark Lawson set a new PB time of 31:46, while Karlien Heyrman also ran a PB time of 32:01 to finish as only the 3rd senior lady in 45th position overall. Close behind was Javid Norat, 46th, in a time of 32:19.
Helen Knight, finished 3rd in her LV35 category, clocking a time of 32:45 in 54th place overall, with Patricia Sturgess as 5th in the LV35 category with a time of 33:21 in 63rd overall. Still getting back to from after injury, Joel Freeland tested himself with a respectable 68th place and a time of 33:56.
Next came a trio of runners, all of whom finished in great positions in their respective categories. Amelia Mullins was 2nd LV45 with a time of 34:53 (76th overall), Andrew Gage was 3rd MV55 in 35:21 (83rd overall), and Edward Collier was 3rd MV60 in 35:40 (89th overall).
Nicola Weager ran 37:02 to finish in 108th place, Kyle Sollars clocked 37:10 in 111th, Martin Bick was 13th MV50 in 37:36 (115th overall), Chris Thomas finished in 39:00 in 132nd place and Rebecca Reynolds was 4th LV45 in 40:30 (142nd place overall).
This coming weekend sees CLC Striders hosting their own race, The Staverton 10, run out of Gloucestershire Airport and around the streets of Churchdown.
Submitted on 22 January 2018
Paul Northup
07872 469005