Waveney Valley Athletic Club member Mark Smith has reached the halfway point of his challenge to complete ten marathons this year in aid of Prostate Cancer UK and recorded an excellent personal best, just one week after completing his fourth marathon this year. Number five was the Liverpool Rock ‘n’ Roll event and he crossed the finish line in a time of 3.44:47.
Also taking part in the race was Lisa Wilson, competing in her first marathon. Lisa, who joined the club around two years ago, has been an inspiration to those taking up running for the first time. She has progressed from the beginners sessions to now completing a full marathon in a time of 5.20:45.
Another club member who took up running less than two years ago and has shown great improvement is Matt Baldry. At the Vitality London 10k he recorded 42:47, a personal best by more than a minute. His time was almost 14 minutes faster than his first 10k in 2015 and was his fifth pb in a row, all at different distances.
Demelza Hammond travelled to Scotland to compete in the Edinburgh Half Marathon and finished in a time of 2.10:21 and club chairman Alan Fairs finished 67th from a field of 182 competitors at the Maverick Surrey 10m race. The event was mainly off-road and he recorded a time of 1.40:48.
At the third and final race in the Great Yarmouth 5 mile promenade series, Waveney Valley had 31 members competing, their highest for the series. Eight members recorded personal bests – Jon Comyn 32:21, Billy Underdown 33:35, Mike Quantrill 34:22, Wayne Freeman 34:30, Daniel Critoph 38:27, Emily Skelly 43:42, Grainne Purvis 45:18 and Emma Branch 46:26. Harriet Lyman again won the Junior Ladies first place trophy in a time of 33:22.
Full Results:- 45 Chris Pimlott 30;42, 85 Jon Comyn 32:21, 99 Tim Earl 33:03, 105 Harriet Lyman 33:22, 112 Billy Underdown 33:35, 127 Mike Quantrill 34:22, 130 Wayne Freeman 34:30, 173 Bill Kingaby 35:47, 203 Bob Milner 36:57, 218 Susannah Close 37:28, 220 Alan Fairs 37:51, 233 Daniel Critoph 38:27, 244 Steve Gibbs 38:43, 247 Alan Richardson 39:09, 268 Simon Stevens 39:35, 293 Jon Andrews 40:44, 297 Joe Mayne 40:46, 336 Jay Butcher 42:53, 354 Emily Skelly 43:42, 367 Vicky Wood 44:48, 375 Grainne Purvis 45:18, 378 Jayne Richardson 45:42, 389 Lyn Ottawah 45:54, 396 Emma Branch 46:26, 402 Amy Bourton 46:41, 413 Tina Winney 47:48, 414 Paul Peek 48:09, 415 Sarah Phillips 48:11, 432 Sarah Etherton-Nicoll 50:30, 440 Angelene Ayers 51:12, 441 Kirsty Howe 51:26, 451 Donna Milner 53:38.
5k parkrun personal bests for May:- Dylan Neeve 17:55, Billy Underdown 20:39, Daren Coulter 23:11, Emma Branch 28:36, Mandy Roberts 30:56, Teresa Kelly 37:15, Louise Harrod 25:40. Charlie Mudd 26:20, Daniel Harris 18:48 and Kylie Rafferty 24:04.