Your resident news anchor took a brief unplanned hiatus from putting pen to paper but we’re back with a bumper week of updates celebrating everything your team mates have been achieving up and down the country.

We kick off with a huge well done to Fiona Betts and Andrea Trickett who took the trip to Boston, Lincolnshire for the 26.2. The course can feel isolated at times as it weaves through the countryside and certainly doesn’t attract the same hype as the bigger marathons, but both ladies did us beyond proud. Fiz had a great run and finished in 3:45:39, meanwhile Andrea said she hit the wall early but didn’t let that stop her reaching the finish line in a superb 4:09:24.

Now for something a little different, as we take our reporting to the Paula Radcliffe Stadium. Mark Parker attended the Charnwood AC Open event, lining up for the 1500m, his debut track race. Seeded in the penultimate heat, he did a fabulous job as the solo Ivanhoe vest representing, winning his heat in a speedy 4:30.57!

A few days later he joined Emily Partridge for a relaxed 10K as part of their long run of the week at Thorpe Park 10K, a great event organised by the team at RunThrough, where your race bib then gives you entry to the theme park for the day!

That same weekend, we had a strong team in blue at the Shakespeare half marathon and full. Three ladies toed the line for the half marathon, and crossed the line in quick succession. Leading the group was Mindy Ashton in 1:54:46, followed by Tor Meadows in 1:55:32 and completing our trio was Laura Graves in 1:56:35.

Three runners took on double the distance, and home and dry in a phenomenal debut round 26.2 miles was the wonderful Lucy McDermott in 3:53:08, and placing 23rd female. Switching to run in Stratford after originally planning to run his spring marathon in Stirling was Rich Bebbington, and did a splendid job round the course in 4:17:31. Marathon man Ian Kirk completed our team and was first back in blue with a 3:41:41.

Written by Emily Partridge - last updated on 24/09/2022