Bishop's Stortford Running Club round-up: Pedley and Barc lead home green and gold in St Clare Hospice 10k

By Bishop's Stortford Independent reporter

newsdesk@bishopsstortfordindependent.co.uk

Published: 04:54, 12 April 2022

Bishop's Stortford Running Club enjoyed the good weather at races at the weekend, writes Sarah Mackay.

The club had a turnout of around 20 among the 300 finishers in Sunday's St Clare Hospice 10k, which started and finished at the hospice in Hastingwood near Harlow.

This is a championship race, which means members score points according to their finishing position, relative to other members.

Rob Thorpe was third MV50 in 41:47. Picture: Kathryn Chapman

First home in the green and gold vest was Sam Pedley, who was second overall in 33 mins 6 secs, winning the MS (male senior, under-40) age category win in the process. Top points scorer in the ladies' championship was Sophie Barc, who finished in 44:57, taking third in the FV45 category.

The highest age-graded performance by BSRC was earned by Rosemary Nugent in the FV65+, the oldest age category for female runners. The age grading percentage enables participants to compare their race times with others of a different age or gender. Rosemary finished in 57:06, followed by fellow septuagenarian Ian McClymont in 59:09.

Three BSRC runners who ran personal bests at the Manchester Marathon the week before turned out for St Clare – and two of them clocked 10k PBs.

Andrea Thorpe followed her marathon PB the week before with a 10k PB of 48:45. Picture: Kathryn Chapman

Rob Thorpe sped home in 41:47 for third MV50, followed by Gary Jones in 42:52 for a PB by 11 seconds, whilst Andrea Thorpe earned a PB of 48:45.

Frances Iwaschkin improved her PB by a minute and 38 seconds, finishing in 1:01:51, following on from her half marathon PB in Cambridge last month.

Further afield, Chris Chew completed the Zurich Marathon in Switzerland in 3:15:37. The beautiful shore of Lake Zurich powered him to a PB by six minutes.

Using her running fitness for a walking challenge, Lara Wheeldon completed the Ultra Challenge Easter 50k around Windsor. She completed it with two friends in 9:46:03, finishing 311th out of 736 competitors.

Septuagenarian Ian McClymont beat the hour mark by 51 seconds. Picture: Kathryn Chapman

The club's '10 weeks to 10k' course starts on Wednesday April 27 and there is still time to sign up. Supported by qualified coaches, it takes participants on a gradually increasing series of run / walks with the aim of completing a 10k run from the Beldams Lane clubhouse to the edge of Hatfield Forest and back by the end of June.

The course is suitable for complete beginners, lapsed returners and experienced parkrunners or couch to 5k runners looking to increase their distance.

More information and registration are available on the club website https://www.bsrc.org.uk/join-beginners/beginners/.

Athletics Other Sport Bishop's Stortford Independent reporter