GYDAC

Several athletes from the Great Yarmouth & District Athletic Club had gained selection to represent Norfolk in the inter-counties cross country championships at Birmingham on Saturday.

On a nice sunny day, with Sky TV filming all the races, the runners had a great chance to show how they would compete against the best runners in the country.

With large fields of up to 400 runners it was a real test. In the U17 boys race Kyle Ella had a superb run steadily making his way through the field to finish in 78th position. Dominic Oliver (representing Suffolk) finished 90th and Keelan Pywell was 196th. Catherine Lee was close to making the top 100 in the U17 race but was more than pleased with her 113th placing. In the U13 girls race Yarmouth had half the Norfolk team with Amy Dowsett leading the Norfolk team home in 216th place followed by Daisy Spurway 270th, Holly Baker 283rd and Erin Irwin 290th.

Phoebe Baker in the U15 girls race finished in 171st place and Josh Clark in the U15 boys race was 295th.

In preparation for their forthcoming London Marathon, two members of Great Yarmouth & District Athletic Club participated in the inaugural running of the challenging Fritton Lake Cross Country Half Marathon.

Along with 135 other competitors the off-road course was a single lap around the Somerleyton estate, taking runners through woodland and along country pathways as well as past the front of the Somerleyton Hall. The tough course and wet conditions meant that the going was hard, but despite this the course was described by many runners as the best off-road course they had ever run.

Chris Gay finished in 1-47:18 and Pat Brightman was pleased with her sub three-hour result of 2-58:54.

At the Park Run, Josh Clark finished seventh with a new PB by one second of 19:42. Kane Simmonds finished 11th. Penny Studley was second lady with a new PB knocking off an incredible 24 seconds to finish in 21:59. Sue Fraser also ran in 24:46.

This Sunday at Frettenham, is the Mad March Hare 10K organised by Coltishall Jaguars.

Some members will travel to Stowmarket for The Joe Cox Memorial Half Marathon.