“A sea of red,” is how one spectator described the 32 Black Dog Running Club vests among the 233 competitors in the second of the Great Yarmouth Road Runners’ spring series of five -mile promenade races.
In windy conditions runners twice made their way pierward on the two-lap course but the wind thwarted hopes of personal best times, although the club’s Ted Oldman improved on his fourth place in the first race of the series by securing second place this time around.
Black Dog results were: 2 Ted Oldman 26.58.11, 26 Nicky Sparkes 32.15.49, 32 Darrell Oldman 33.05.93, 68 Chris Chorley 35.49.08, 69 Simon Norton 35.49.74, 88 Sabrina Norton 36.55.34, 92 Simon Sparkes 37.03.40, 107 Stuart Young 38.20.27, 116 Alice Kirk 39.07.30, 122 Bob Paul 39.36.99, 126 Stuart Lawn 39.58.05, 127 Tamsin Desborough 39.59.30, 132 Nigel Gilham 40.13.68, 133 Neil Thomas 40.15.49, 135 Bruce Rayner 40.20.62,144 Bobbie Sauerzapf 41.30.55, 145 Annette Manning 41.30.99, 153 Danny Bell-Tye 41.52.87, 154 Graham Sampson 41.55.46, 161 Faye Ellis 42.39.21, 168 Jackie Bell 43.31.24, 175 Steph Whyte 43.54.55, 177 Ken Hurst 44.01.34, 184 Christine Muttitt 44.56.87, 186 Sarah Sparkes 45.00.93, 189 Joanne Taylor 45.18.71, 191 Louise Reed 45.29.78, 194 Pamela Brown 46.02.02, 197 Mitzy O’Loughlin 46.08.49, 202 Robin Farrar 47.03.02, 210 Karen Waters 48.44.90, 228 Linda Nobbs 58.45.14.
The weather was kind to competitors taking part in the Spring Waveney Triathlon on Sunday with 16 Black Dogs swimming, cycling and running their way to a fantastic set of results in what for most competitors is the first tri of the season.
First female overall was 19-year-old Sophie Bell, completing the course in a blistering 57.12 with team-mate Jane Hannah running a hard-fought battle to gain her place as third female.
The club also had three age group winners with Dale Skoulding, fourth male overall and first in his 30-39 category, Marcus Sladden won the male 20-29 age group and Imogen Snelling gaining first in the female 40-49 age group.
The popular event, organized by Norwich-based Tri-Anglia sold out within hours of entries opening and saw 140 triathletes tackling the 400m swim, 20km bike course around the picturesque lanes of the Saints and a hilly out and back 3.2km run.
“It was a super day,’ said the Black Dog’s Lucy Johnson, fresh from her recent London Marathon run. “We had brilliant support all the way and some great results for the Black Dogs.”
The contingent’s full results were: 4 Dale Skoulding 52:04, 8 Marcus Sladden 54:36, 9 Marcus Nichols 54:40, 18 Sophie Bell 57:12, 22 Simon Cowley 57:47, 34 Jane Hannah 59:34, 46 Julian Davis 01:01:07, 47 Simon Norton 01:01:15, 48 Imogen Snelling 01:01:18, 54 Darren Oldman 01:01:57, 61 Andy Bailey 01:02:45, 89 Sabrina Norton 01:06:39, 95 Jo Walker 01:07:48, 106 Larissa Smith 01:09:57, 112 Jackie Bell 01:10:53, 117 Lucy Johnston 01:11:50.
Seven of the club, several of whom had only recently competed over 26.2 miles in London or at Bungay’s own Festival of Running, were among more than 500 taking part in Halstead Road Runners’ annual Halstead & Essex Marathon in the scenic Colne Valley.
Their times were: Chris Chorley 3.53.28, Ian Taylor 4.03.08, Bobbie Sauerzapf 4.24.46, Bob Paul 4.35.19, Becky Sturgeon 4.41.02, Robin Farrer 4.55.33 and Colin Whale 5.56.07.
Five juniors, Freddie Cox-Hartigan, Abigail Mackenzie-Websdale, Holly Bunn, Peter Lowther and Reece Barton, took part in the second round of the junior inter-clubs competition, hosted by GYDAC at the Wellesley Stadium.
This was a track and field meeting and the first time any of the athletes had taken part in such an event. A great time was had by all, cheering each other on in the sunshine.
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