Waveney Valley AC are celebrating a successful start to competitive road running this autumn with the crowning of a county champion to add to numerous personal best times achieved by members. At the Framlingham 10k, which served as the county championships, Samantha Lines ran almost a minute faster than her previous best to record a time of 36:58. She was the first lady to finish and was duly crowned Suffolk champion. Coach, and Sam’s training partner, Matt Jeffries ran a season’s best 33:10 to finish second overall.

At the Wissey Half Marathon, Jim Burgess and Steve Carruthers achieved PB’s. From a field of 255 runners, Jim was placed 13th in 1.25:40 and Steve 18th in 1.26:54. Sarah Norman ran a PB by almost seven minutes at the Great North Run, finishing in a time of 1.45:32. Other GNR times:- Leon Neeve 1.36:00, Andy Ayers 1.40:35, Matt Baldry 1.43:24, Dylan Neeve 1.58:13, Sonny Neeve 1.58:13, Chris Pitman 2.11:38, Angela Mower 2.39:14, Donna Cuppleditch 2.51:44. At the Great East Run held at Ipswich, Stuart Spurgeon ran a personal best 1.38:23, with a PB also for Daren Coulter in 1.45:49. Other GER times:- Andy Ayers 1.45:49, Vladimir Laptikhovsky 2.02:28, Lisa Wilson 2.06:50, Michaela Gooch 2.17:58, Kirsty Howe 2.23:24, James Gooch 2.30:57.

The Jolly Jaguars 10k, held at the former RAF base at Coltishall, proved a happy event for Waveney’s athletes. From a field of 503 runners, new member Stuart Coe finished 14th in 38:49, with personal best runs from Mike Quantrill, 42nd in 40:55, Dave Catchpole 213th in 50:48, Demelza Hammond 279th in 54:27, Debbie Foster 348th in 58:32, Rachael Finch 363rd in 59:05 and Peter Lang 366th in 59:03. Phil Hazell finished well placed in the 70+ age category, and an overall 285th in 54:50.

Eight members competed in the Bure Valley 10m race. Zoe Chase and Chris Strange, in their debut 10m races, finished 53rd in 1.11:28 and 55th in 1.11:50 respectively. There were personal best times for Matt Baldry, 57th in 1.12:02, Lisa Knights 73rd in 1.14:38, Ian Hawkes 82nd in 1.16:14, Louise Harrod 171st in 1.26:44 and Angela Mower 286th in 1.50:11. David Mower was close to his best with 87th place in 1.16:28.

Four members, Becky Langford, David Mower, Danni Liffen and Bill Kingaby, took part in the annual Reebok Ragnar White Cliffs Experience, a coastal relay race covering approximately 177 miles from Sittingbourne in Kent to Brighton, East Sussex. Ten runners per team competed over the 30-leg race, with each competitor running three legs each. Waveney’s part team of four, plus local runner Carl Frisby, were joined by Google employees, mostly from Seattle, to make a full team named Googling Warriors. In wet, muddy conditions, with several steep gradients, the team, with very little sleep, were pleased with their finishing placing of 37th out of 114 teams, in just under 26 hours.

Other results:- Greater Cambridge 10k – Antony Croucher 41:27. Nottingham Half Marathon – Stuart Smith 2.04:51.

63 members of Waveney Valley AC competed in the Gt Yarmouth East Coast 10k, a record number of entries by the club for a race. Many were running for Waveney for the first time. Matt Jeffries followed his win from a week earlier at the Lowestoft Half Marathon, to triumph again, from a field of 816 runners, with a time of 33:04. New member Dean Bain was fifth in 35:51, Jim Burgess 12th – 1st vet 45+ – in 37:02 and Stuart Coe 28th in 38:59. Andy Ayers was 60th in a personal best 42:04 with Zoe Chase just behind in 62nd in 42:16. Zoe was awarded the trophy for first female vet 40+.The club also won trophies for 2nd men’s veteran team and second ladies open category.

There were personal best 10k runs by Chris Strange 43:44, Sarah Norman 46:39, Danni Liffen 46:46, Robin Jones 46:57, Layla Bedford 52:56, Stuart Smith 54:02, Lisa Stewart 54:10, Paul Maccormick 55:16, Natalie Brown 55:40, Lisa Cone 55:48, Lauren Finch 57:50, Kim Stone 1.09:33, Kate Howlett 1.14:46 and Paul Hierons 1.18:43.

At last Sunday’s Holt 10k, the final event in this years Norfolk Grand Prix series, Zoe Chase led her clubmates home, finishing 96th in a time of 44:05. Thirteen club members took part, with pb’s by Paul Maccormick 53:49 and Jenny Green 1.06:07.

Chris Pimlott and Lisa Wilson competed in the Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon and both ran impressive personal best times on a very cold and wet day. An achilles heel problem in August had set Chris’ training back for a couple of weeks but he still managed to run 23 minutes faster than his only previous marathon – London 2011 – clocking 3.02:05. His time qualifies him for a ‘ Good for Age ‘ entry to the 2020 London Marathon. It was Lisa’s fourth marathon and she has improved her time at each. She finished in 4.27:13, more than eighteen minutes faster than her previous marathon, at Brighton in April.

Other results: Great Barrow Challenge 10k David Goosey 49:42 pb, Lisa Wilson 53:57 pb ( trophy winner 1st lady ). Saxmundham 5m Mike Quantrill 34:04, Daren Coulter 37:49, Alison Cooper 46:23, Tara Carroll 58:31, Rachael Finch 58:32, Peter Lang 1.02:34.

The 23rd staging of the Lowestoft Scores Race, which took place on Sunday, had a record number of entries as 306 runners, a huge increase on last years record of 255, tackled one of the region’s toughest events.

The race, organised by Waveney Valley Athletic Club, started in the High Street and followed a route along the north sea wall, Gunton Cliff and all of the town’s historic Scores before finishing at the Triangle Market, covering a distance of approximately 4.75 miles.

Michael Eccles, the winner from the last two years, was unable to compete this year through injury, and a new name was added to the roll of honour as Stephen Balfe of City of Norwich AC, crossed the finishing line first in a time of 28:12. Jo Andrews of Bungay Black Dog RC, the 2016 winner, was first lady in a time of 30:32. Host club Waveney Valley’s Zoe Chase, Harriet Lyman and Becky Langford were prize winners for first ladies team and Bill Kingaby was the award winner for first in the M65+ age category. 46 members of Waveney Valley competed in the senior race.

In the junior race, over 1.4 miles, the boys’ winner of the 9-12 age group was Waveney’s William Browne in 8:53, with his club mates Lewis Barnes (8:55) and Josh Smith (8:57) second and third respectively for a clean sweep of the prizes for Waveney. Billy Girling won the boys’ 13-15 age group in 8:04, with Waveney’s George Browne second in 8:07. The girls’ 9-12 winner was Tess Andrews, BBDRC in 9:11 and the girls’ 13-15 winner was Alice Daniels, CONAC
in 9:03. Additional combined age group results for Waveney were: 6 Thomas Spurgeon 8:52, 15 Vaughn Beckham 9:17, 17 James Burgess 9:26, 19 James McAllen 9:33, 20 Theo Chong 9:33, 29 Nathan Littlejohns 10:01, 32 Gabby Wright 10:15, 33 Agatha Gouldby 10:16, 35 Jude-Benson Smith 10:28, 38 Benjamin Littlejohns 10:46, 39 Reuben Colbridge 10:46, 40 Cruz Harewood 10:53, 41 Henry Reynolds 10:57, 42 Ana Colbridge 10:57, 44 Charlie Mudd 11:29, 49 Ruby Benson-Smith 12:48, 51 Wilf Gouldby 13:04, 54 Callum Dootson 13:55.

At the prize presentation, race organiser Tim Earl thanked Birds Eye for its generous sponsorship plus Lowestoft Vision and Sportlink for their support. Thanks were also given to Christchurch for race facilities, plus all of the marshals, first aiders, traffic management officers and helpers who ensured the event was a success.

Waveney Valley AC’s over 60’s team have been presented with their winning trophies from the Ekiden Relay event after a delay of a few weeks. The event took place last month but a mix-up with the results meant the team could not receive their trophies on the day of the event. The team retained their top place after being victorious last year also.

Lisa Wilson took part in the Bath Two Tunnels Half Marathon on a course that took in the Limpley Stoke Valley and Bath City Centre. She completed the race in a time of 2-24:12

Entries are still being accepted for the Lowestoft Scores Race which takes place on September 9th. The senior course takes in 254 steps of the towns iconic Scores, covering a distance of approximately 4.75 miles. The juniors race over a distance of 1.4 miles.

Club members that have achieved late summer personal best times in the 5k parkrun events include: Denise Bjorck 34:00, Mary Jones 33:05, Carol Ryland 30:19, Rachel Collins 28:18, Seth Frankland 26:38, Daryl McKeown 24:23, Vaughn Beckham 23:37, Danni Liffen 23:26, Lily Collins 23:17, Jessica Hall 22:55, Chris Strange 20:19, George Browne 19:04, Steve Carruthers 18:43, Jay Lingwood 18:04, Jenny Green 33:50, Michelle Caldwell 32:33, Natalie Brown 26:28, Jo Fisher 26:15, Paul Maccormick 24:28, Nigel Lyman 22:54, James McAllen 22:28, Theo Chong 21: 29, Sue Cole 37:18, Emma Platt 33:44, Jo Garbutt 30:57, Claire Randall 27:37, Thomas Spurgeon 20:39, Sarah Norman 23:16, Stephanie Oldman 32:19, Gail Barnard 28:24, Debbie Foster 28:05, Dean Bain 16:55, Laila Spurgeon 33:44.

The busy programme of road races this summer has kept athletes from Waveney Valley AC in regular competition. Leading the way in popularity in recent weeks was the Run Norwich 10k, which had more than 6,000 entries. Just under 60 of those competing on a very hot day were Waveney Valley members. The top ten finishers for Waveney were Chris Meadows in a personal best 37:59, Steve Carruthers 39:22, Andy Ayers 42:41, Mike Quantrill 43:14, Ricci Wilson 43:16, Colin Galer 43:58, Michael Hollidge 44:02, Matt Baldry 44:25, Bob Milner 46:45 and Ian Hawkes 47:12. Sarah Norman was delighted with her personal best time, by over two minutes, of 48:11.

The Scottow Coltishall 5k proved to be a happy event for Waveney as five of the seven club members recorded PB’s. The ever-improving Mike Quantrill recorded another Diamond age-graded performance with his PB 19:51, finishing 45th from a field of 511 runners. Dan Critoph was 135th in 22:38 PB with Mark Smith 183rd in 24:10, Paul Maccormick 184th in 24:15 PB, Lauren Finch 297th in 27:27, Rachael Finch 301st in 27:34 PB and Kirsty Howe 326th in 27:58 PB.

A new race, the Wortwell Friday 5m Sizzler, organised by Bungay Black Dog RC, attracted an entry of over 200 with 35 of those being Waveney Valley AC members. Waveney’s Matt Jeffries won the race in a time of 26:27 and there were age category wins for Jim Burgess, M45-49 in 29:22 and Phil Hazell M70+ in 45:02. Club members achieving PB’s were Tim Moore 30:58, Andy Ayers 33:01, Stephanie Pimlott 40:21, Lisa Stewart 43:45, Gavin Hamilton 44:54, Alison Cooper 45:42, Rachel Maydom 54:06 and Paul Hierons 1:00.32.

Samantha Lines is fast becoming one of the region’s big names in road running and her superb run at the Great Yarmouth Half Marathon produced a personal best time of 1:22.43. She finished 8th overall (2nd lady) out of 381 finishers, with her pace maker, club coach Matt Jeffries, recording the same time in 9th place. Mark Thompson was 27th in 1:28.14, Bob Milner 87th in 1:38.33, Jason Browne 95th in 1:39.05 PB, Mark Smith 225th in 1:56.58, Kirsty Howe 334th in 2:22.49 PB and Donna Milner 372nd in 2:39.22

Other results: Ipswich Twilight 10k Jayne Richardson 1:00.30, Alan Richardson 1:01,51. Dereham 5k Demelza Hammond 27:48 PB.