Despite the break for Christmas and New Year our members have remained active over the last two weeks. Twenty members started their Christmas Day with a parkrun, with the club represented at the Darlington South Park, Hackworth, Roundhay and Sedgefield events, and two members even managed to register personal bests (PBs) on Christmas morning. Jayne Rudd completed Sedgefield parkrun in a new best of 30:40, and Ian Stothard wasn’t too far behind, finishing in 33:45, which represented a new best for the event.
Twenty-five Members started 2022 with a parkrun, with members visiting Darlington South Park, Durham, Hackworth, and Sedgefield parkrun events on New Year’s Day.
Races also continued over the Christmas period, and several members travelled to north Yorkshire on Tuesday 28th December 2021, to take on the Jolly Holly Jog, a multi-terrain 10K race taking in part of the Studley Royal Park near Ripon. First home for the Club was John Firby in 40:44, and he was followed home by Paul Dalton, who crossed the line in 43:43. Stuart Joyce was next home in 48:35, with Richard Holland finishing in 51:14, and Simon Turner completing the race in 55:18. Alan Kellett was next home in 1:03:09, with wife Anne crossing the line in 1:09:25.
On Sunday 2nd January 2022, the club was represented at the Stuart Pailor Memorial (Old Monks) Trail Race, hosted by the Hartlepool Burn Road Harriers. Simon Turner was the first club member across the finish line, completing his race in 47:22. Craig Robinson was the next member home in 52:32. Trish Kay was the first female member of the club to finish, crossing the line in 58:30, only just ahead of Bev Phillippo, who finished in 58:38. Eve Doe was the final Aycliffe runner home, in a time of 1:03:36.
Sandrine Hewitt was the club’s sole representative at the Hamsterley Forest Winter Trail 10K on Sunday, which was hosted by Greener Miles Running. Sandrine completed the trails and tracks around the beautiful forest park in 1:18:18.
The Club was also represented at the North Tyneside Trail 12K (‘Run for Bob’) on Sunday, however the results had not been published at the time of going to press, and we will report on this race next week.
If you have any queries about the activities of Aycliffe Running Club, please visit our website www.ayclifferunningclub.org.uk, or contact the club’s Secretary, Donna, at ayclifferunningclub@gmail.com