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Friday 5 Series

For 6 weeks from 31 May, the popular Friday 5 races are held by different clubs across Essex and Suffolk on a Friday evening.  With a 5 mile course for the seniors and shorter races for the Juniors and points awarded across the whole series to individuals and teams.


To kick the series off, 9 Hares donned their red tops in Sudbury and the topic of conversation before the race was the weather and the hills! Instead of a balmy summer evening, Mother Nature gave us overcast skies and cooler temperatures, which in retrospect were better for the run. The hills, well they just had to be run up! Samantha Theobald stormed over the line and was a fantastic seventh female overall. A good start to the ladies team coming in seventh place in a very crowded field. Well done to Kevin Carpenter, Stuart Hunt, Joel Bamsey, Nathalie Hooper, Nikki Vince, Joanne Sargent, Julia Bilotta and Rebecca Martin.



Eight of our lovely juniors took on the 2km run. Hugo Gunning came 1st in the MU9 category and Morgan Davies and Elsie Price came seventh in the Female Team. Also a massive well done to Finley Gunning, Joel Farmer, Lydia Farmer, Rosalie Van Aswegen and Annelise Bell.


Race number 2 took us to Framlingham. With the venue being further afield, we had fewer Hares running, but those that did gave it their all. Stuart Price in a field of over 300 raced across the finish in 10th place with an amazing time of 28:55! Notching up a few more points for the Club and themselves were Nathalie, Stuart Hunt, Belinda Godbold and Fiona Holland.


For the juniors there were two distances. Rosalie and Annalise ran the 1km for school years 4 and below. Finley and Morgan completed the 2km for school years 5 to 10. They all ran superbly in a well attended junior  section.



Onto the third race which took place in Kirton. Even though this is meant to be a road race, it has quite a mixed terrain. Starting and finishing on grass and about a kilometer of a gravel/dirt farm track thrown in for good measure. This didn’t deter Stuart Price who once again crossed the line in 10th place. Not far behind Kevin Carpenter came in with a respectable 39th place out of a field of 450. Stuart Hunt made up the men’s team. The ladies team consisting of Nathalie, Belinda, Fiona and Jo gave them a placing of 15th out of 38.

With three juniors running, Hugo and Finley Gunning and Annelise Bell,  Hugo finished second in the MU9 group.


It seems that every year the race at Bury, which starts in Nowton Park and is the fourth race, is a hot one and once again this year didn’t disappoint. With our great team of Hares, the ladies team finished in 6th place out of 37. Claire Jacobs cruised around the undulating course and finished first lady and 8th overall. We could all be thankful that it was a downhill finish!



The juniors had a lap around the park with Reuben Jacobs, Rosalie, Hugo and Annelise all running the MU9 category.  Morgan Davies and Finley Gunning ran superbly in the U11 and U13 group.


Stowmarket, the penultimate race! Starting in the lovely Haughley Park and then onto the surrounding roads. With the first 3 miles being mostly downhill, most runners try and gain time on these miles, as the last 2 go up and up, right to the finish. Our core team ran fantastically. Samantha Theobald had a cracking run, finishing 6th female overall. Well done to Rebecca who crossed the line while nursing an injury along the way.


We had our juniors Annelise and Hugo running in the MU9 category with Hugo coming 3rd.

To finish off the 6 weeks, the last race was held in Great Bentley. Known for being a flat and fast course it was well attended and the pouring rain did not deter the runners. Our team of Hares gave it their all. Claire Jacobs put in an outstanding performance and finished 1st lady with a fabulous time of 28:21. Not far behind Kevin Carpenter crossed the line with a time of 30:23.



Of course, without Joel, Nathalie, Fiona, Jo and Julia and all the runners from the other races, we would not have accomplished our team 10th place position out of 62 for all the races! The ladies team did us proud coming in 6th out of 47.


Trophies were awarded to Nathalie, who came 3rd overall in her age category and Belinda and Fiona came 2nd and 3rd in theirs. And for the men, Kevin Carpenter picked up 3rd in his age category.


Our wonderful juniors James Hoy, Rosalie and Annelise put in fantastic performances in the Y4 and under race, with James winning a trophy for 3rd place. Congratulations to Hugo for coming in 3rd overall for all races.


An outstanding achievement for our small club of which we are very proud.


 

 

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