Race Report - August Half Marathon, 10k and 5k

August is proving to be a month of personal bests for the team at Lowestoft Road Runners. On Sunday 13th August 9 of Lowestoft Road Runners lined up among 308 to take on the Great Yarmouth Half Marathon with 7 members recording new personal bests. The route, starting at Ormiston Venture Academy follows country roads out to Lound before passing through the grounds of Somerleyton Hall before completing a loop back to Lound to follow the route back to the start/finish.
Matthew Sutton was first to finish for the club in 14th place recording a time of 1:24:50 (PB). Neil Bye, also recording a personal best was 34th in 1:29:47. Shaun Kay was 94th with his time of 1:42:23 (PB). First to finish for the ladies was Florence Ashdown with her personal best time of 1:56:39 placing her overall 180th, 26th lady. Vanessa May was just behind in 182nd (27th lady) and also recording a PB of 1:56:42. Debra Kay, with her time of 1:57:46 (PB) finished 192nd overall, 31st lady. Making up a full house of personal bests for the ladies was Jo Pallant in 218th (41st lady) with a time of 2:03:02. Bringing the club home was Philip Laurier in 301st with this time of 2:36:58.

The next event for Lowestoft Road Runners, was the Ipswich Twilight 10k. Billed to be a fast and flat course around the town centre area, with the aim of finishing before the sunset. The evening race on Friday 18th August saw 3 club members line up within a field of 1269 with all members achieving personal best times. Breaking 43 minutes for his very first time with a time of 42:28 was Matthew Reynolds in 145th. Running step for step together were husband and wife team, Marie and Philip Ayers both finishing in their best times in 50:49, position 508 and 509 respectively.

Keeping with the trend of successes 4 members travelled to Dereham for the annual 5k race which saw 341 runners take on the fast, central 2 lap route. All recorded new personal bests, fuelled by the fear that the cake might be all gone if they don't run fast enough.
Lee Gooderham, first member finished and having only having recently doing his first sub 20 minute 5k, finished 41st with 19:04. Joining the "sub 20 club" for the first time was Neil Wood in 59th with a time of 19:50. Aaron Smart finished 135th in 22:39 and James Crisp was just behind in 137th place with a time of 22:45.

Continuing the trend there were also personal bests at the local parkrun events. At Lowestoft Parkrun personal bests were achieved by David Graham in 24:30 and Marie Wallace in 31:12. At Gorleston Leigh Butcher had a season best, but his best time at Gorleston, finishing in 18:48. Also recording a best time was John Drinkwater in 27:28. At her first time at Gorleston Helen Nixon took over a minute off of her previous best 5k to finish in 38:18, her 4th PB in 5 parkruns since joining Lowestoft Road Runners' beginners course in May this year.