United States discus thrower Al Oerter was once quoted as saying that he did not think that the discus would ever attract any interest until competitors were allowed to throw them at one another.

United States discus thrower Al Oerter was once quoted as saying that he did not think that the discus would ever attract any interest until competitors were allowed to throw them at one another.

A little far-fetched, maybe, but many sports do need a little extra, whether it is getting a team together, the right equipment or the right kind of playing arena. Not so running where, the all-important footwear notwithstanding, the activity can take place more or less anywhere and at any time of the day or night, writes Mike Spragg.

Runners will often tell you that when they are in the confined space of a train, bus or car and they are passing a particularly attractive scenic area they will assess it primarily in terms of its potential for a cross country course or a trail race or a road race or whatever.

This can be taken to extremes with races across very long bridges like the one across Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans; or up and down the stairwells in very tall buildings like the Empire State Building in New York; or underground through the Mersey Tunnel.

Great Yarmouth Road Runners have done some if not all of these at some time or another, as well as many other events of similar variety and challenge.

In recent weeks there have been marathons in Budapest, Mablethorpe, Nottingham, Amsterdam and Leicester, a seven-miler in North Norfolk, Great Yarmouth Roadrunners's 10k race in East Norfolk, the second race in the Suffolk Cross Country League at Fritton Lake and a cross country 5k in London thrown in for good measure.

On top of all that, a fair number of the Seasiders got together for a Sunday morning run to Berney Arms.

For a lively, varied and challenging number of events and training sessions, running could well be the sport and Great Yarmouth Road Runners the club for you.

Training sessions are every Tuesday and Thursday from the Marina Centre at 6.45 pm. Why not give it a try.

Results. North Norfolk Seven, Sunday, October 19: 1 Paul Brookshaw 45:21 pb, 2 Stephen Etherington 47:05 pb, 3 David Lawlor 50:02 pb, 4 Paul Anderson 56:00, 5 Carole Spong 57:15, 6 Angie Pacey 66:11 pb, 7 Denise Etherington 72:07 pb, 8 Jim Spong 85:36, 9 Chris Harbord 92:54.

East Coast 10k, Sunday, October 26: 40 Shawn Mason 40:11, 43 Stephen Haughton 40:28, 66 Antony Croucher 42:49, 75 David Lawlor 43:35 pb.