Friday 5th June saw DRAC members take part in the Epic Aylsham 5k.
As always the route started in the town’s centre taking everyone out and around the town finishing back where they all started.
This is a popular event for club members, with 28 members taking part in the race.
The first male and female DRAC back were Wayne Ramsbottom with 20:29 and Kareana Symonds 21:03. Wayne finished 2nd in his age category and Kareana was also 2nd in hers and was 10th lady overall. Also along with them finishing in the top ten of their respective age groups were, Helen Holmes (5th), Ian Brown (5th), Hazel Cason (6th), Peter Swales (8th), Sue Swales (7th), Rachel Tarkenter (10th).
Some great running from Team DRAC on the night which saw some great course and 5k personal best times recorded.
The next and last race in the Series was on Friday evening 21st August and was the North Walsham 5k.
Sunday 7 June was Great Yarmouth and District AC’s Humpty Dumpty 10k race. As normal, it was held at Reedham, starting and finishing at the village hall and taking a circular route through the villages of Limpenhoe and Freethorpe. This was the Norfolk County Championship 10k road race as well as the 9th leg of the Sportlink grandprix series.
Dereham Runners AC had 11 members taking part in the event. A great set of results from the DRAC athletes, which saw all the ladies take home county medals. Helen Scothern won the Bronze medal with Amanda Baker , Louise Hudson, and Leanne Bagge with Silver medals along with County Champion Kareana Symonds with the Gold. Also, Leanne, Louise, Helen and Kareana became the Masters 10k County Team champions. DRAC also saw Michael Eglington the first club member back to the village hall finishing 8th in his age category, and Wayne Ramsbottom and Martin Scothern were both 9th in theirs with Jacquie Wood 4th. Also representing the club both crossing the line with sub 50 minute times were Marcus Wiseman and Jovin Mulloor.
Friday 12th June saw 11 Dereham Runners along with about 400 other runners head to Hethel near Wymondham to take part in Harling Athletics Clubs Lotus 5k.
This event had runners running around the fast ,flat but windy on the evening tarmac Lotus Test Track.
DRAC had 9 age group top ten finishers with Guzel Sari 7th and Nick Deere 9th in theirs with Maria Hull in 5th and in 6th was Sophie Cross in their group. Peter and Sue Swales both finished 7th with Emma Potter-Campbell coming 3rd and Jason Mattless 2nd in their categories with a 1st place for Jacquie Wood in hers.
A great run from Jason saw him cross the line as the first club member back with a time of 18:55 and for the ladies with a time of 24:37 was Emma.
Great running everyone.
Run Sandringham 10k - Friday 12th June
This weekend arrived with much excitement, as North Norfolk’s very own annual challenge of human endurance got underway. The Run Sandringham 24 weekend comprises a taster event in the form of a 10K race on Friday evening before the main course is served from midday on Saturday until midday on Sunday.
It’s worth painting the scene, as the event village is a joy to be in. Food vendors of considerable diversity, a well-stocked bar and entertainment on a stage all added to the atmosphere. Flags fluttered in the evening wind and a full race set-up awaited the steady stream of runners and support crews arriving by van, motorhome, caravan, car and bus.
A large tented village soon began to take shape, creating a territorial patchwork within the event perimeter as each club and team established its own race HQ.
Dereham Runners established themselves early. There were many experienced ultra-runners within the group, from whom others could take comfort and inspiration.
Those running the 10K lined up for the race start at 7pm. The course headed straight uphill towards the church, passed Sandringham House and followed a route comprising both road and trail sections. It’s a great course – certainly not one to be described as easy – but a rewarding one, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the mind engaged.
DRAC had 11 runners in the event, most of whom were captured in the team photograph. Apologies to those I missed.
Wayne Ramsbottom was the first DRAC male runner home and placed second in the M55–59 age category in a time of 44:47.
Helen Scothern was the first female DRAC runner home and placed first in the F55–59 age category.
The other DRAC results were:
Martin Scothern - 46.55 placed 1st in age cat M60 - 65
Stuart Rose – 48:39
Laura Black – 51:50
Richard Wales – 54:24
Matthew Gilding – 59:11
Andy Rowles – 59:32
Graham Hardingham – 59:23
Naomi Newman – 1:00:52
Susan Bayliss – 1:35:55
Run Sandringham 24 Ultra Challenge - Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th June
With the taster session out of the way, it was time for the main event - The 24 Hour Ultra session. You could sense the rise in expectation within the DRAC team camp. It was Saturday, and the bar had been raised.
Preparations were made and mental strength was harnessed for what everyone understood would be a true test of endurance. This is very much an individual challenge, with each runner pursuing their own personal goal. There were no team battles, only personal ones.
In fact, the event never felt like a race in the purest sense, but rather a collective struggle, marked by compassion and respect for every competitor. There was a genuine willingness to encourage others, even among people who had yet to be formally introduced. It created a special atmosphere.
Tactics varied across the DRAC team, each one focused on achieving a desired outcome, and it was fascinating to hear how every team member approached the challenge. Rise to the challenge they did. Each and every one earned their medal – a medal I suspect they will cherish for many years to come.
This is an event measured by laps completed rather than time. After 24 hours of giving their all, the numbers themselves are not especially important other than to those people , who owned them. Few will remember the numbers in years to come, but they will remember the experience and what it taught them about themselves.
It was a pleasure to observe and support the team and, together with others, I found myself saying, “I want to do this next year.” It’s something else.
Full Results:
Female:
P13 Lucy Callaby - 14 laps 22:54:47
P34 Helen Holmes - 12 laps 23:23:27
P63 Kareana Symonds - 10 laps 22:11:49
P95 Natisha Ramsbottom - 8 laps 21:43:35
P116 Rachel Tarkenter - 7 laps 22:33:13
P134 Mandie Thorpe - 6 laps 21:43:35
P177 Rachael Hood - 1 lap 03:54:15
Family member:
P90 Memphis Symonds - 8 laps 19:39:31
Male:
P47 Wayne Ramsbottom - 15 laps 21:43:32
P98 Matt Gilding - 13 laps 24:07:53
P118 Jonathan Burton - 12 laps 22:54:47
P190 Jack Gilding - 8 laps 09:38:25
P198 Philip Websdale - 8 laps 21:43:35
Three Dereham Runners headed to the coast on 14 June to take on the Lowestoft 10km. The course offered a fast, flat route with a variety of terrain to keep things interesting. Runners started with a lap around the cricket pitch before heading onto gravel tracks behind the promenade, navigating the odd pothole along the way, and then out onto the concrete seafront. A turnaround point led into a couple of kilometres along the promenade before looping back to do it all again. The coastal breeze certainly made its presence felt, adding an extra challenge, but our three amigos took it all in their stride and enjoyed a fantastic morning of racing by the sea. Well done to all three runners Neil Rivers, Mark Herwin and Claire Herwin.
On Wednesday 24 June two DRAC members ran in the 2nd race of the Bungay Blackdogs Summer 10k series. It was a very hot evening for everyone taking part, running the local country lanes on the course which started and finished at the Bungay Blackdogs training ground. Nick Deere finished with a time of 44:26 and running a time of 47:04 was Paul Walpole. The 3rd and final race in the Series will be on the 15th July.
On the same Wednesday evening Peter and Sue Swales headed over to Peterborough to compete in the Peterborough 5k Series. This was the 2nd leg and hosted by the Bushfield Joggers, and was held at Ferry Meadows in the Nene park. Sue finished her race with a time of 32:06 and Peter ran a time of 23:19.
On Saturday 27 June two Dereham Runners AC members joined friends over on the continent to take part in the Mont Blanc 10k. This event saw Michael Eglington and Jack Gilding running alpine trails and mountain passes from Chamonix in the French Alps. A combination of the hard going course and hot temperatures made it hard going for all the runners on the mountain course .Michael finished with a time of 57:17 finishing 10th in his age group and Jack crossed the line in 58:40.