A dozen North Norfolk Beach Runners were among 634 who ran the New Year’s Day Wymondham 10k, organised by Wymondham Athletic Club. First home among them, 8th overall and 3rd in the M 40-44 category was Neil Adams in 35.56, followed closely by Chris Merrylees (M Senior) in 11th overall with a time of 36,34. Meanwhile Tony Whitmond, new kid on the block in the M 50 to 54, was third in category and 35th overall with a time of 40.03.

First lady Beach Runner home was Charlotte Neale (F Senior) 37th overall and 2nd in category with a time of 40 11, followed by Rebecca Maun (F 45-49) 120th overall and 3rd in category with a time of 45.39.

Meanwhile, soon-to-be-Super Seventy Saw Weller (M 65+) cruised home in 163rd overall but a stonking 1st in category with a time of 47.14, a clear two minutes ahead of the M 65+.

Fifteen North Norfolk Beach Runners were among 775 who ran the Snetterton Half Marathon on the Snetterton race circuit at the weekend.
In dry conditions, all started on supersoft compound trainers and stuck with them throughout, the first Beach Runner home being Nicholas Dash in 1.40.39 for 82nd place in the M-Senior and 174th overall. First lady Beach Runner was Anita Bullen in 1.49.28 for 18th in the F 40 to 49 and 309th place overall.

Meanwhile, with a similarly nominal motor racing connotation, the Leathes Prior grand prix series – 10 races through the season of which runners have to run at least seven to qualify – culminated in the awards evening on Friday night.

Pictured are Beach Runner winners,
Back row, l-r: Phil Hurr, 1st 60-64; Jim Hayes Gold medal, postal marathon 65+, Chris Parker, 2nd Senior; Neil Adams, 2nd M40-45;
Front row, left – Brenda Kinch, silver medal, postal marathon F 65+; right – Charlotte Neale, 1st F Senior and overall postal marathon County Champion; centre – Sal Ryder, special memento prize for completing all ten grand prix races, one of only three runners to do so.
The receptacles they are clutching are trophies and devoid of alcohol.

Two North Norfolk Beach Runners went long at the weekend, competing in the King’s Forest 50k ultra, organised by Positive Steps over a four-lap off-road course near Bury St Edmunds. Out of 125 finishers in this uncategorised race, Ivan Allen was first Beach Runner home in 83rd place with a time of 5.46.51, while Tony Money took 94th place in 6.00.23.

Meanwhile, two Beach Runners had gone even longer in running the Autumn 100, a 100 mile ultra in the Thames Valley. Out of 242 starters and 178 finishers, Maria Greaves was 89th overall and 13th female in 23.46.30, while Vinnie Purdy claimed a fairly astonishing 22nd place with a time of 19.41.36, but then, as he said, he’d trained for it, running 50-100 miles a week for 18 weeks. You get out what you put in.

This year’s Bakers and Larners Holt 10k organised by North Norfolk Beach Runners on Sunday 29th October attracted a full complement of 450 entries. The race, run in blustery and occasionally showery conditions, was won by Scott Walford (M45-49) of Bure Valley Harriers in a time of 34.34, with Christopher Hollinshead (M50-54) of Cannock and Stafford second in 35.25. Third was Beach Runner Neil Adams (M40-44) in 35.29. Charlotte Neale (FO) was the first female lady Beach Runner home and second female overall in 40.36.
Although about 100 NNBR members were involved in organising the race, 22 members ran in this, the last of the year’s Leathes Prior Grand Prix series. John Gay was second in the M55-59 with a time of 41.00, while Phil Hurr and Gary Linder were first and second in the M60-64 with times of 42.10 and 44.54 respectively. Sam Weller (M65-68 but soon to be a Super Seventy) was second in category in 45.03.
And talking about NNBR Super Seventies, club president Noel Spruce was 4th in the M70+ in 56.25 while septuagenarian Brenda Kinch was first home in the F65+ category in 1.02.35.
Meanwhile, on the previous weekend, two Beach Runners ran the Autumn 100, a 100 mile ultra in the Thames Valley. Out of 242 starters and 178 finishers, Vinnie Purdy finished in 22nd place with a time of 19.41.36 while Maria Greaves was 89th and 13th female in 23.46.30.

A magnificent seven North Norfolk Beach Runner veterans were among the 701 who ran the East Coast 10k at Yarmouth on Sunday, including three of the Super Seventies squad who, trained on sea air, all acquitted themselves well. Club president Noel Spruce (72) clocked 56.21 for 11th place in the M65 category and 376th overall; Mike Marshall (76) 1.02.01 for 18th in category and 500th overall; and Brenda Kinch (72) 1.06.32 for 14th in the F60 and 544th overall.

Well in front of them but younger were Neil Adams, (M vet 40) in 35.58 for 2nd in category and a stonking 4th overall; Sal Ryder (F50), in 54.18 for 9th in category and 326th overall; Phil Hurr, (M60), in 43.17 for 1st in category and 76th overall, and soon-to-be-Super Seventy Sam Weller,(M65) in 46.37 for 3rd in category and 143rd.

Further inland, in fact a lot further inland, was the Hungarian Girl Lash – the 11 lady Beach Runners who went to Budapest variously for the 10k,30k and full marathon races of the Budapest Marathon weekend. First lady Beach Runner among more than 4000 in the 10k was Annette Boreham in 1.01.18 for 1999th place and 1000th female , while the two Beach Runners among 1164 in the 30k were Fiona Morrison (64) in 3.35.41 for 387th female and 870th overall, and Shelley Burton in 3.46.29 for 432nd female and 1047th. In the marathon, Emily Haughan ran 3.51.29 for 197th female and 1474th out of 5413, and Sarah Mapes, 4.26.56 for 690th and 3380th.