THERE WAS plenty for Quakers to choose from last week with both league and championship races on the calendar.

The latest 10K league race took place at Melmerby, near Ripon. Paul Dalton completed the run in 36:23, followed by Dave Jones (39:55), Dale Chapman (44:31), Rob Gillham (45:04), Rebecca Howard (45:23, PB), Lindsey Lester (48:06), Sam Joblin (49:12), Neil Harrington (52:00), Anna Hardy (53:29), Clare Stradling (54:16), Andrew Dixon (55:10), Alec Cinamon (58:25), Darryn Wood (1:06:11) and Alan Prest (1:06:45).

Further north, the latest club championship race was being held up at Fulwell Quarry, near Sunderland. First home over the 10K trail distance around the nature reserve there was Gary Read in 44:28 followed by Sandra Martin (54:00 and second in her age category), Lewis Boshier & Michelle Boshier (57:18), Rebecca Bowes (57:19) and Brian Martin (1:01:09, after some slight navigational issues en route!)

At the inaugural Northallerton 10K, Daniel Orton completed the undulating one lap route in 42:12 along with Phil Rutter (43:58), Paul Roberts (45:38), Michael Oliver (47:41), Robert Kirby (52:17), Darren Alderson (54:08), Gavin Armstrong (54:18), Wendy Noble (58:01), Gill Colling (58:14), Sally Singleton (59:22), Janet Waite (1:15:43) and Lisa Alderson (1:17:13).

Seven headed over to Wynyard for the Whitsun Woodland trail race, a 6.5 mile route around the woodland park. Michael Parry crossed the line in second place in 39:47, followed by Rob Dent (43:17), Steven Major (47:15), Stephen Moore (51:37), Hannah Robinson (1:05:08), Lisa Jenkins (1:08:29) and Gill Wallis (1:21:28).

Over on Merseyside, Jeff Marriott and Caroline Ridley-Marriott took part in the Liverpool half marathon event (the latter in her first run over the distance), finishing together in 2:40:49. The previous day had also seen Jeff run the 5K event in 25:07.

Up in Scotland, Annette Clarke and Dave Thompson were out on the hills again for the West Highland Way Challenge, a 95 mile route which took in over 15,000 feet of climb. Running through the night twice, due to the race starting at midnight, the pair finished together in 30 hours 34 minutes; with Annette not only finishing as first female, but actually the first woman to complete the race in the event’s three year history.

Out in the Lake District, Andrew Lambe tackled the Helvellyn And The Dodds fell race, finishing the 15 mile route, which took in over 4300 feet of climb in 4:03:16.

Midweek had seen the first of the two NYMAC Relays held at Stewart Park, Middlesbrough, where each team of four completed a one mile lap around the park. The quartet of Graham Park, Sue New, Ian Readman and Paul Dalton finished in 24:48, with Lewis Boshier, Marc Ellis, David Ledgerwood and Gary Read (25:51) and Michelle Boshier, Julie Whinn, Gemma Marshall and Rebecca Howard (30:05).

In the Saturday morning parkruns, Dave Jones finished at South Park in 19:05 followed by Ian Bond (21:13), Adrian Gooding (22:07), Rob Gillham (22:19), Peter Rowley (22:35), Colin Smith (24:53), Rebecca Bowes (26:47), Gary Read (26:58), Lisa Johnstone (28:16), Lee Morris (29:01), Lisa Jenkins (29:36), Nichola Jordan (31:06), Emma Joyeux (31:36), Michael King (33:05), Rachel Ryan (33:23), Kim Hall (34:32), Laura Adams (34:35), Jan Waite (34:37), Neil Harrington (36:13), Adrian Dent (36:23) and Linda Harrington (37:28).

At Albert Park, Michael Joyeux was first across the line in 16:00, with Paul Dalton (17:47), Mark Robinson (19:14) and Stephen Moore (22:30). Over at Sedgefield, Gill Wallis completed her 100th parkrun there in 34:48 along with Richard Payne (35:22) and Julie Remmer (41:17). At Tees Barrage, Tracey Plaskitt finished in 26:09 while Rebecca Howard did the run at York in 31:21. Down in Kent, Andrew Vernon and Sarah Watson did the run at Tonbridge in 22:13 and 24:13 respectively.

Quakers Running Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm at Abbey Road Playing Fields. For more information visit our website: www.quakersrunningclub.org.uk

Submitted by Rob Dent (photos by Karen Newton)