Bishop's Stortford Running Club members tackle Tarpley 20, Welwyn Half, Baldock Beast and Carsington Water Half

By Bishop's Stortford Independent reporter

newsdesk@bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk

Published: 12:08, 28 February 2022

| Updated: 12:08, 28 February 2022

Bishop’s Stortford Running Club was represented at four races on Sunday.

Five members training for the Manchester Marathon in five weeks' time headed to Bury St Edmunds for the Tarpley 20, a 20-mile race organised by St Edmunds Pacers Running Club.

Leading team green and gold home was Kathryn Chapman, who ran a personal best, by about two minutes, of 2:14:51, a time that earned her a trophy for winning the FV45 (female veteran aged 45-54) category and that smashed the category club record by about 13 minutes. She was third woman home overall.

from left, Sarah Mackay, Mark Booker, Mike Grant, Kathryn Chapman and Andrew Pooley before the start of the Tarpley 20. Picture: Mike Grant

Mike Grant was second for BSRC in 2:44:36. With just a few hundred metres to go, Andrew Pooley (3:26:15) – running the furthest he has ever run as he nears his first marathon – caught and overtook Mark Booker (3:26:51).

Sarah Mackay completed the club quintet, buoyed by the rest of the team cheering her in, finishing in 3:47:13 in her first race at this distance.

In Hertfordshire, Vicky Simpson was fifth lady home in the Welwyn Half in 1:35:08. Meanwhile, in North Herts, Clare Gallagher and John Kennedy ran together and tamed the Baldock Beast, an undulating half-marathon, in 2:25:40 and 2:25:41 respectively. Clare is using the opportunity to fundraise for the Red Cross Ukrainian Appeal (www.justgiving.com/fundraising/claire-gallagher16).

Clare Gallagher and John Kennedy show off their Baldock Beast Half Marathon medals. Picture: Clare Gallagher

Further from home, in Derbyshire, Chris Chew won the MV55 category in the Carsington Water Half Marathon, an undulating trail race around the eponymous reservoir between Wirksworth and Kniveton. His chip time of 1:33:55 earned him 16th place out of 160 finishers.

This week the running club has a display in the window of the Indie offices in North Street. You can find out information about the club, its '10 weeks to 10k' course which starts on Wednesday 27 April, the Stort 10 and 5 races at Cammas Hall on May 8 and the inaugural Stort Tri on June 12. Do pop along and have a look if you get the chance. More information about the club can be found at https://www.bsrc.org.uk/

Athletics Other Sport Bishop's Stortford Independent reporter