Fifteen members of Waveney Valley Athletic Club travelled to Beyton, near Bury St Edmunds on Sunday to compete in either the Tarpley 20 or 10 mile road races organised by Bury Pacers. Most club members tackled the longer distance, providing the opportunity to build race stamina and fitness for forthcoming spring marathons.
286 runners completed the 20 mile race with Lisa Knights first for the club, finishing 99th in a time of 2-40.05. Becky Langford was next in 150th in 2-52.44, around 40 minutes quicker than her time at last years race due to injuries from a fall off her bicycle. Wayne Freeman, trying to shrug off a calf injury before a marathon next month, was 155th in 2-53.05. Joe Mayne, Paul Peek and new member Lindsay Howlett chose to stay as a group to give each other encouragement and finished together with times of 3-02.34 for Joe and Paul and 3-02.35 for Lindsay. Lisa Joyce was 207th in 3-09.32, three and a half minutes quicker than her time last year. Patricia Tuttle and David Goosey also started and finished together, in 224th and 225th in 3-13.58 as did Jayne and Alan Richardson in 280th and 281st in 3-45.53. For some of the club members, it was their longest road race to date.
There were 305 runners in the 10 mile event with Waveney Valley’s four representatives all finishing in the top half of the field. Bill Kingaby, on his 64th birthday, finished 51st – 2nd in age category – in 1-12.17. Matt Baldry was 73rd in a personal best 1-17.50. David Mower was 112th in 1-22.53 and Paul Harrod 115th in 1-23.02.
Becky Langford, Wayne Freeman, Joe Mayne will be taking part in the Brighton Marathon on April 17 and David Mower in the Barcelona Marathon later this month. Tim Earl ventured to Woodford Green in Essex on Sunday to compete in the Roding Valley Half Marathon. From a field of 571 runners, he finished in 46th place in a time of 1-28.17.
On February 21, Rose Nicholson was placed 165th in a high calibre field of well over 2,000 in the Wokingham Half Marathon in Surrey. Her time was 1-21.47, her fastest for five years.