LOCAL participation by the Great Yarmouth Road Runners in some recent races has not been great, perhaps because the London Marathon looms together with a number of high-profile and significant area events.

LOCAL participation by the Great Yarmouth Road Runners in some recent races has not been great, perhaps because the London Marathon looms together with a number of high-profile and significant area events.

Runners have getting about, however, even if not in large numbers.

John Bone was in Rome for the marathon which, like that in Paris, takes in all of the fine sights of the city. With about 11,000 runners in all, and cobbled streets notwithstanding, Bone enjoyed the outing which puts him in the category of more than 40 marathons completed and a possible target of 50 altogether.

Paul Brookshaw, Stephen Haughton and Ivan Lees were at Coltishall for the Spring 10k last weekend, with Brookshaw obtaining another personal best, Haughton more than happy with the outing and Lees also enjoying a race which attracted nearly 200 runners.

Many of these same runners will be battling it out in next weekend's race over the same distance at Trowse.

Andrew and Karen Manning had seen out the cross-country season at Shouldham Warren, this time over the 6.5k, while Chris Harbord, as well as organising his exciting new park runs along Gorleston Cliffs, pooped up at the quaintly named Sticky Toffee Pudding race at Cartmel in the southern Lake District where he was second pole walker overall.

So quite a few events, albeit enjoyed by relatively small numbers.

Results. Rome Marathon: John Bone 3-36:57.

Coltishall Spring 10k: 21 Paul Brookshaw 39:21 (pb), 45 Stephen Haughton 42:59, 161 Ivan Lees 59:02.

Ryston Runners Grand Prix Race 6, Shouldham: Andrew Manning, Karen Manning.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Race, Cartmel: Chris Harbord.

GREAT Yarmouth and District Athletic Club athlete Mark Phillipson representing Norfolk (for the Eastern area) in the national Sportshall Athletic Championships on Sunday at the NEC Birmingham won the national championship in the vertical jump with a jump of 62cm.

It was an exceptional performance for an under-13 boy having only been in athletics for a few months.

In the four-lap race he finished in 12th position out of the 26 competitors and helped the Norfolk team to finish 10th place.

Catherine Lee was also in the under-13 girls' team, her best event the six-lap race where she finished in 12th place, whilst in the standing triple jump she finished 23rd.

The Norfolk team again finished in 10th place out of the 13 regions from the UK.

On Saturday two members of the club represented the Norfolk Schools Athletic Association at the English Schools Cross Country Championships at Loughborough.

Catherine Lee, in the under-13 girls' race finished 208th, and Keelan Pywell running in the under-13 boys' race finished 270th.