A varied week of action for Ryston members

A varied week of activity involved members of Ryston Runners AC in competition over practically every terrain imaginable, from a well-maintained all-weather track to the mud between tides on the Norfolk coast.The track experience was at Cambridge on Wednesday, where the more senior athletes in the club were taking part in the second fixture of the 2025 Eastern Masters Athletics League.The men’s team were placed third overall, with the majority of their maximum points coming from the field events, including wins for Rob Simmonds M35 javelin, Glen Paxman M35 pole vault, triple jump, and discus, and Richard Van Baaren M60 triple jump, while Matt Smith’s 200m win in the M35 200m was the only maximum score from the track.However, there were many solid performances from everyone. David Van den Bergh, Danny Smith, Ian Wells (PBs in discus and javelin), Tony Savage, Jit Patel, Paul Firmage, Liam Dawson, Jeff Reed, David Payne, and Chris Palmer secured them 75 match points, keeping them in third place overall after two fixtures.The women’s team were placed fourth in their match, just six points adrift of third, and remain in their place overall after two fixtures.Just two individual wins were recorded: the irrepressible Marlene Simmonds dominated the W70 discus competition, and LizBlakie took top spot in the B string of the 2000m walk, in which she enjoyed a rare reunion with teammate Cath Duhig, who was briefly visiting from Spain. Duhig, giving a good 10 years to others in the race, walked to fourth place in the A string. Elaine Knight, Helen Driver (PB TJ), Gaye Clarke, Zoe Flander, Linda Marshall, Claire Chamberlain, Pat Brightman, and team manager Helen Reed were everywhere. They were all over the venue competing, officiating, and supporting, in their inimitable style, before convening with the men’s team and supporting official David Lane.They enjoyed the customary post-match cake, made by Helen Reed and deputy team manager Ceri Howell.Saturday saw distance specialist Ben Elmer in action at the Challenge Running Backyard Ultra event based at High Lodge, Thetford, where Sarah Ellis was also competing. The event involved competitors running a lap of 4.167 miles every hour until unable to complete another lap within the time allowance.Elmer completed 18 laps before being sidelined, and Ellis was credited with 15. Non-Ryston member Ashley Gilbert, who lives in Litcham and runs Naked Fitness in Downham, finished ninth in the same event.The Humpty Dumpty 10k, hosted by Yarmouth and District AC, part of the Sportlink Grand Prix, attracted a dozen Ryston Runners.All athletes hoped this would not be the last time this event was held as it was described as very enjoyable, despite the hills and wind. These factors did not prevent Chris Chaplin from notching up yet another PB of 37:50 this time.In 15th place overall, Chris was the second Ryston finisher, the accolade for first finisher going to Cody Pearman, whose 37:38 saw him bag 12th place overall and 2nd M15.Jane Ashby won her age group, with a course F75 record time of 53:03, in 203rd overall out of 365 finishers.Gina Hurrell joined these two in taking home a category award, in her case third placed F60, 48:53, 145th overall. Gareth Hunt, who had made a late decision to enter this race, ran strongly in the conditions to clock 40:54/16thSM.Lynne Howlett, 221st with 55:22, was 4th F65.Colin Travi was placed 241st/20thM55 with 56:21, Claire Chamberlain 271st/24thSF with 59:13, Andrew Hooks 272nd/25thM55 with 59:29, Martin Blackburn 296th/12thM65 with 62:33, Liz Blakie 298th/8thF65 with 63:04, and Jonathan Gault 327th/29thM55 with 67:33.The annual Beat the Tide race at Hunstanton suffered a late start, meaning several participants revised their plans to try for a 10k target and settled for 5k instead. This did not mean they avoided getting wet and muddy feet.Andy Williamson was first back, completing his soggy 5k in 22:09.Following in his rapidly disappearing footsteps were others, including Matty Parker, Alicia Pentelow, Michael Mallett, and Helen and Jeff Reed.Justin Walker and Julie Williamson enjoyed the delights of the Swansea seafront, the route of the Swansea Half Marathon, in which Julie finished 28th F40 with a near PB of 1:38:04 while Justin, coming back from injury, was 72nd M50 with 1:43:28Julie’s daughter, Sophie, took part in the Family two-mile run.He completed 31 hours and just ran out of time in hour 32.