ON A weekend which saw most runners going round in circles, a few Quakers also ended the weekend with some prizes too.

Most of those out racing at the weekend headed to South Park for the 20 mile race there, which saw Quakers taking two of the top ten positions. On a course virtually identical to that of the parkrun, Michael Joyeux finished the twenty one-mile laps in second place overall in 1:57:20 (PB). He was followed by Marc Ellis (2:15:33 and in ninth place overall), Billy Harris (2:27:43), Phil Rutter (2:42:41), Rob Gillham (2:45:52), Fred Tennant (2:51:29), Michael Oliver (3:03:03), Rebecca Bowes (3:14:10), Andrew Dixon (3:14:34), Sandra Martin (3:14:58, PB), Darren Alderson (3:17:26), Sue Woodcock (3:17:26) and Gill Colling (3:25:55). Two relay options were also on offer, which saw Dave Jones complete ten miles as part of a pair, with Jamie Pratt and Fred Tennant contributing to teams of four, each covering five miles.

The longest run of the week was done by Richard Hughes who took part in the Maverick Buff X Series race in the Yorkshire Dales. Over a hilly 43K route which took in the area around Malham Tarn, he finished in 7:28:12.

Over in the Lake District, Michelle Boshier and Emily Beaumont took part in the Dark Skies marathon at Kielder, which as the name suggests is run under the night sky. The pair finished the off-road route together, coming home in the darkness in 5:44:31.

Annette Clarke, Charlie Bogg and Dave Thompson were out on the moors once again, this time for the somewhat grimly named Cleveland Survival, the proceeds of which went to Cleveland Mountain Rescue. Over a course for which they were only given the starting point, and had to navigate themselves, they completed the 28 mile route around the North Yorkshire Moors in together in 6 hours 36 minutes.

The seventh and final race in the Stockton Winter 5K trail series took place over at Ropner Park, which saw a few Quakers coming home with prizes. Alex Kiel won the race, finishing the three-lap route in 16:02, while Paul Dalton came home fifth in 17:30. Danny Gordon ran in 25:19 (finishing second overall for the series in his age category), Mark Trowels in 28:35 and Lucy Bendle in 33:44 (finishing third overall for the series in her age category).

Brian Martin was the sole Quaker up at South Shields for the Temple Park 5K, finishing the run in 18:45 to come home first in his age category.

In the Saturday morning parkruns, Rob Dent finished at South Park in 19:02 followed by Andrew Vernon (20:04), Daniel Orton (20:25), Adrian Cottam (20:39), Luke Minall (20:42), Louise Trainor (21:11), David Mclachlan (21:42), Stuart Burkin (21:54), David Whittle (22:03), Iain Clyde (22:44), Peter Rowley (23:15), Rob Gillham (23:32), Jamie Pratt (23:43), Nigel Eddy (24:16), Peter Commane (24:22), Mark Trowles (24:24), Lewis Boshier (24:30), David Ptak (24:31), Abigail Willson (24:46), Gary Read (24:50), Julie Whinn (25:08), Shaune Eland (25:26), Rebecca Bowes (25:41), Dave Jones (25:42), Michelle Boshier (26:14 in her 100th parkrun), Elizabeth Kennedy (26:14), Sarah Watson (27:23), Brian Dixon (27:52), Michelle Scruby (28:12), Lee Morris (28:38), Diane Adkins (28:47), Michael King (29:39), Grainne Duffy (30:17), Ian Hamond (30:18), John Whinn (30:40), Dawn Johnston (31:53), Phill Johnston (31:56), Emily Beaumont (32:06), Nichola Jordan (32:13), Lisa Johnstone (32:24), Nicola Arkley (33:04), Karen Dove (33:50), Isabelle Bell (34:33), Rachel Ryan (38:02), Paul Ryan (38:03) and Gavin Armstrong (39:23).

At Northallerton, Caroline Moses and Mike Brown finished in 27:19 and 27:20, while at Sedgefield, Richard Payne and Jeff Marriott finished in 26:00 and 28:30 respectively. At Tees Barrage, Helen Whiting finished in 28:43 along with Alec Cinamon  in 32:23, Barbra Barker ran at Albert Park in 26:25, while David Ledgerwood finished at Gateshead in 25:06.

Darryn Wood ran at Harrogate in 38:29, Anthony Corbett did the run at Goole in 25:09, Rebecca Howard was the first female finisher at Gibside in 22:41, while Adrian Colbourne completed the Fell Foot run at Newby Bridge in 24:23.

Quakers Running Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm at Abbey Road Playing Fields. For more information visit our website: www.quakersrunningclub.org.uk

Submitted by Rob Dent (photo by Mark Robinson)