There was a great turnout from Ayclifffe Running Club, on Wednesday April 23rd,  for the Neptune relays at Hardwick Park in Sedgefield. The race is a four stage relay with each stage approximately 1.7 miles. It was a great team event organised by Sedgefield Harriers and in total there were 120 entrants.
John Young and Chris Forster took part in the Fountains Abbey 10K on Sunday 27th April. The race was centred around the village of Grantley, near Ripon. It is run over a one lap course on public roads and across scenic moorland within Nidderdale and is advertised as a mixed terrain route which ‘may not be the fastest or the flattest’. There were 295 runners and John finished in 53.37 while Chris completed the course in 54.41.
Entries are now being taken for the annual Aycliffe 10K and Fun Run to be held on Sunday 15th June 2014. For details visit www.ayclifferunningclub.org.uk The usual road closures will be in operation for the 10K race and full details of this will be published soon.
There was another good turnout for the first of the summer Tees Trail series of 5k trail races.
The race starts on what is now part of the Castle Eden Walkway, which was once the Castle Eden Branch Railway. There were some notable performances. Karen Newbould ran her first race for quite some time and enjoyed it and both Kat Aspey and Ross Garland produced much improved times.
Martyn Knox had an outstanding run to finish 15th in the time of 19:27 and was first home for the club by a good margin.
Next home was Matthew Heron, 21st in 20:04, Nigel Holmes 41st in 21:13, Peter Smith, 55th in 21:45, John Burnside, 56th in 21:50, Kelly Smith, 75th in 23:05, Paul Stretton, 96th in 24:05, Jason Dixon, 98th in 24:11, Trevor Needham, 102nd in 24:18, Rob Nicholson, 116th in 24:51, Simon Robinson 153rd in 26:39, Kat Aspey, 155th in 26:47, Michelle Dixon, 163rd in 27:19, Ross Garland 185th in 28:47, Anne Kellett, 188th in 28:53, Julie Nisbet, 189th in 28:53, Diane Savage, 209th in 30:10, Karen Newbould, 212th in 30:38, Ray Todd, 213th in 30:48, and finally Beverley Phillippo 215th in 31:00.