WITH THE big day falling on a weekend this year, it meant the only action Quakers saw last week was in the park, though several of them took the opportunity to run twice in two days.

In the Christmas Eve parkruns, complete with several festively dressed runners, Michael Joyeux was first across the line at South Park in 16:15, followed by Rob Dent (19:20), Andrew Vernon (20:22), David Mclachlan (21:48), Louise Trainor (23:04), Peter Rowley (23:34), Rob Gillham (23:56), Shaune Eland (24:18), Danny Gordon (25:00), Gary Read (25:12), Steven Major (25:13), Rebecca Bowes (25:43), Dave Jones (25:46), Michael Oliver (26:15), Abigail Willson (26:32), Elizabeth Kennedy (26:41), Lewis Boshier (26:50), Michelle Boshier (26:52), Sarah Watson (26:52), Pamela Barrass (27:17), Sue Woodcock (27:26), Darren Alderson (27:27), Jamie Pratt (27:28), Lee Morris (28:22), Abbie Hull (28:36), Barbra Barker (29:06), Andy Whittam (29:17), Sally Singleton (29:26), Mark Trowles (29:28), Iain Clyde (29:33), Paul Ryan (30:02), Michelle Scruby (30:31), Lisa Johnstone (30:31), Gemma Marshall (30:47), Angela Clement (30:52), Fiona Dixon (30:59), Grainne Duffy (31:00), Michael King (31:22), Tracey Plaskitt (32:53), Matt Jackson (37:49), Rachel Ryan (38:45), Jan Waite (38:46), Linda Harrington (41:13), Neil Harrington (41:14) and Adrian Dent (41:29).

At Sedgefield, Phil Rutter finished in 23:28 along with Julie Whinn (27:04), Mark Colling (28:00), Wendy Colling (28:09), Mark Blewitt (28:23), Diane Adkins (29:24), Gill Colling (29:27), Claire Norman (30:51), Richard Payne (31:15), Emily Beaumont (34:13) and Karen Dove (34:33). At Albert Park, Stephen Moore did the run there in 23:06, while Mike Brown ran at Tees Barrage in 21:08. Diane Vaughan completed the run at Newcastle in 23:46, while Amy Woodcock finished the run in York in 30:36. Further afield, David Ledgerwood did the Tollcross Park run in Glasgow in 27:05, while Ed Griffiths headed down to Kent to do the Lullingstone run in 23:52.

Several runners also turned out for the extra runs taking place on a very mild Christmas Day. At South Park, Marc Ellis finished in 17:43, along with Dave Jones (18:33), Rob Dent (19:24), Gary Read (20:15), Andrew Vernon (20:27), Steve Snook (21:06), David Todd (21:51), Phil Rutter (21:57), Luke Minall (22:08), Dawn Richardson (22:28), Louise Trainor (22:28), Diane Vaughan (22:52), Phil Clarke (23:37), Peter Rowley (23:45), Iain Clyde (23:55), Nick Wadd (23:59), Shaune Eland (24:27), Richard Hughes (24:53), Rob Gillham (25:33), Darren Alderson (26:45), Jamie Pratt (26:52), Lewis Boshier (27:02), Michelle Boshier (27:05), Mark Blewitt (28:09), Mark Trowles (28:43), Diane Adkins (28:55), Sally Singleton (29:27), Olly Moore (30:09), Gemma Marshall (30:09), Michelle Scruby (30:21), Emily Beaumont (31:40), Michael King (31:41), Michelle Dale (31:48), Sarah Watson (33:17), Sharon Carr (33:18), Abigail Willson (33:21), Lena Rusa (34:52), Karen Dove (34:53), Adrian Dent (39:56), James Simpson (40:22) and Barbra Barker (40:34).

Elsewhere, Andrew Lambe did the run at Sedgefield in 24:43, while Stephen Moore ran at Albert Park in 23:12.

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 (photo by Karen Newton)