Ryston athletes dominate at home series

The second event in the Ryston Runners XCGP Series 2024/5 took place at Shouldham Warren on Sunday, with the senior competitors facing the first of two runouts over the long course (9k).As ever, as well as providing a full complement of marshalls, recorders, and refreshment tent operatives, the club’s members notched up several successes in their category races.In the men’s race overall, half of the top 10 finishers were from the home club, with Matthew Thrower finishing second and winning his M40 category.Rob Simmonds was third and first M35, Ben Keeley fourth/second M35, Danny Smith fifth and winner of the M40 age group, and Nic Bensley 10th, and first M50.Gavin Reynolds made it a Ryston one-two-three in the M35 category, and Gareth Hunt secured third place in the senior men’s race.Dawn Robinson was the second woman overall and first W35 while Susan Hipperson (W45), Lesley Robins (W50), Ruth Chadwick (W55), and Gina Hurrell (W60) kept up the winning streak in their respective categories, backed up by Jurgite Jovaisiene (W35), Lucy McDowie (W45) and Linda Marshall (W55) who took second places, and Charlotte Smith who was third SW.Another third place in the female races was secured by U17 Wiktoria Marcinek, while Dylan Whitehouse took the win in the equivalent male category. Freddie Hubbard was third U11 boy.Some of those junior athletes in action at the cross country had been competing in Norwich the previous weekend at the first event in the 2024 Norfolk Sportshall League. Freddie Hubbard and Joshua Downey were joined by Isaac Western, Jack Chadderton, and Dilon Britton in the U11B competition in which they secured an excellent first place.Freya Reynolds and Maya Maracinek combined to make up a U11G team which was placed eighth.Riley Price was the sole U13B but managed to secure seventh place for the club with his solo efforts, a feat matched by Dione Britton for the U13G. Team manager Darren Price lauded all these youngsters’ efforts and hopes their success and enjoyment might inspire more of their clubmates to join them at the next fixture.Meanwhile, across the county, at Aylsham, on Sunday, nine Ryston Runners members were attempting to Chase the Train at this popular annual event organised by North Norfolk Beach Runners.A train bearing all their bags leaves the station 10 minutes ahead of them and they chase it along about 14.4kms of the Bure Valley Railway route, hoping to be reunited with their possessions at the other end. Dan Yallop was the fastest of the Ryston crew, taking 55:22 to complete the chase for second overall and first M40 in his age category.Kevin Howlett, M65, clocked 71:39, while the equivalent position in the F65 category was achieved by Lynne Howlett in 82:35. Third place in that category fell to Heather Pocklington with 86:52, while just ahead of her Sarah Ellis also took a third in her age group, F45, in 86:28.69:52 was what it took Mark Fountain to place 12th M45 while a slightly quicker time of 69:44 saw Thomas Semmons finish 14th SM. Judith Berry was 4th F50 with 84:18, and Salina Cumbridge 10th in the same category with 1:43:05.Martin Elsegood had opted for a slightly shorter distance, taking part in the East Coast 10k at Great Yarmouth, where he recorded a PB time of 66:13 to be placed 38th M55 and 591st out of almost 700 finishers.The same distance was also tackled by Cath Duhig, but on a different coast, when she racewalked in the Pilar de la Horadada 10k in Spain, finishing 325 out of 350 and 5th F60 in 68:20. Pilar de la Horadada is in the Valencia region, but fortunately well clear of the devastating floods that have hit that area.Also having a close escape from the flooding was Ceri Howell, F65, who, the previous weekend, had run her best half marathon time since 2019, clocking 2:29:34 over the Valencia “Ciudad de Running” course.