Successful Sunday for Ryston members

A large posse of Ryston Runners members enjoyed a successful Sunday.More than half of those tackling the Wymondham 20-mile race won an award.John Hopgood, the first Hare home, in 2:04:45, bagged himself third place in the M40 category/15th overall, just pipping clubmate Matthew Thrower into 16th/4th in category by a second – 2:04:46.Equalling Hopgood’s achievement in their respective categories were Warren Armstrong M50 (36th/2:12:10), Dawn Robinson SF (83rd/2:23:42) and Stewart Robins M55 (114th/2:30:06).Going one better to finish second in their categories were Amy Southam SF (65th/2:18:16 – club SF record), Lesley Robins F50 (111th/2:29:57), Becky Taylor F45 (118th/2:31:20), and Eamonn McCusker M70 (314th/2:58:42). Southam, Robinson and Robins combined to take first place in the women’s team competition and third was the team of Taylor, Kirsty Butters and Julie Williamson.Ryston men finished third in their category – Hopgood, Thrower and Dan Yallop. Also among the 500-plus finishers, and all across the line in under three hours were: Yallop 23rd SM/34th/2:11:43, Rob Skillings 6th M40/44th/2:14:22, Simon Levy 9th M40/63rd/2:18:01, Chris Chaplin 42nd SM/95th/2:26:56, Darren Easter 13th M50/99th/2:28:10, Phil Thompson 17thM50 /117th/2:31:19, Steve Bennington 4th M55/121st/2:31:56, Kirsty Butters 5th F40/144th/2:35:50, Julie Williamson 6th F40/150th/2:36:53, Graeme Leeson 34th M50/199th/2:44:08, Ian Wiggins 30th M45/313rd/2:58:40, and Tiegan Moore 34th SF/316th/2:59:03.Lucy McDowie consolidated her marathon preparations with a run of 3:15:36, 384th overall and 14th F45. Anna Smith was 18th in the same category in 406th overall in 3:19:37 and Sarah Ellis 19th/416th in 3:22:28. The Ryston crew was completed with the arrival of Judith Berry, 11th F50/425th/ 3:24:43, and Molly Hopgood 73rd SF/493rd/3:46:13.Those opting for a shorter distance race on Sunday at The Keith Hall Memorial Thorney 10K “enjoyed” the usual windy conditions associated with that location. That did not prevent at least three of them from recording PB times.Dylan Whitehouse’s new personal best time of 36:03 saw him finish 11th overall and third senior male (although he is still, technically, a ‘junior’ athlete in road running terms). Not to be outdone by her son, Claire Whitehouse broke the hour for the first time, notching up a significant PB of 56:43 for 227th place/13th F40. Christopher Cann, was 100th of the 350 finishers, achieving a PB and first Bronze Club standard time of the year, 10th SM in 44:48.Nic Bensley M50/16th overall/37:14, and Gina Hurrell F60/151st/50:03 came second in their respective categories, while Pauline Sparrow took third in the W65-plus age group in 194th, 53:27. Cody Pearman, also still technically a junior, was 11th SM in 32nd overall with 39:14, just ahead of the only other Ryston athlete to break 40 minutes, Gavin Reynolds, 14th SM in 37th place and 39:28. There was a close finish between Gareth Hunt 62nd/23rd/SM/42:07, and Michael Howlett 64th/25thSM/42:09.Jake Whitehouse was 93rd/14thM40 in 44:26 before another close Ryston finish saw Christopher Cann slip in just ahead of Craig Harris 101st/10thM50/44:49.The rest of the Ryston representation were: Shaun Hamer 15th M40/109th/45:07, Stuart Martin 12th M45/135th/48:30, Kevin Howlett 4th M65/140th/48:45, Kate Penn 5th F35/157th/50:32, Lisa Harris 5th F50/160th/50:36, James Trim 52nd SM/163rd/50:51, and Claire Chamberlain 12th F35/275th/61:55.