THE EASTER bunny brought Quakers more than just chocolate at the weekend as a whole host of runners set some new personal bests.

Good Friday saw the traditional trip to the coast for the Mermaid 10K race, where the flat course and pretty good weather conditions certainly went in the runners favour. Michael Joyeux narrowly missed out on recording successive wins at the event, finishing in second place in a new personal best of 32:36. He was followed in by Rob Dent (38:31, PB), Dave Jones (39:51), Chris Minto (41:10, PB), David Todd (41:14), David McLachlan (42:48), Steve Major (43:40), Brian McLaren (43:51), Steve Snook (44:13 and second in his age category), Ty Hankinson (44:14, PB), Nicola Wells (45:39 and third in her age category), Stephen Moore (48:09), Francis Connolly (48:39), Sue Woodcock (50:18), Jamie Pratt (50:27), Juliette McLaren (52:38), Clare Stradling (52:40), Paul Dalton (52:40), Liz Kennedy (52:43), David Ledgerwood (52:46), Barbra Barker (53:44, PB), Vicky Garlick (54:14), Tracey Plaskitt (54:53, PB), Fin Fox (59:02), Darryn Wood (1:00:01), Michelle Scruby (1:00:07), Lee Morris (1:00:20), Diane Lockhart (1:02:26), Kim Hall (1:02:34), Grainne Duffy (1:03:38) and James Simpson (1:07:58).

Some Quakers were also out on Easter Sunday as well. At the multi-terrain 10K race at Helmsley, where runners had the added incentive of winning an Easter egg as their prize, Paul Dalton finished in 39:33 (and first in his age category) along with Jamie Norman (51:23), Sandra Cass (55:24), Barbra Barker (56:35), Janet Bowlby (57:57) and Claire Norman (58:58).

Meanwhile, further north at the North Tyneside 10K race, Darren Alderson completed the coastal route in 54:58 along with Lisa Alderson in 1:09:30 (PB).

Also on the Northumberland coast at the Druridge Bay half marathon, which included a stretch running along the beach, Rebecca Howard finished the 13.1 mile route in 1:41:40 (PB), with Adrian Colbourne close behind in 1:42:18.

In the Saturday morning parkruns, Gary Read finished at South Park in 19:07 followed by Louise Trainor (20:14), Dan Rowlands (20:58), Phil Rutter (21:19), Ian Bond (21:24), Rob Gillham (22:17), David Whittle (22:31), Lewis Boshier (22:31), Dave Jones (22:32), Gavin Armstrong (24:13), Stuart Masterman (24:20), Paul Roberts (25:01),  Danny Gordon (25:19), Michelle Boshier (25:35), David Ptak (25:59), Rebecca Bowes (26:05), Ian Hamond (26:10), Julie Bell (27:00), Gemma Hammond (27:26), Lee Morris (28:06), Sharon Watson (28:15), Brian Dixon (28:20), Gill Colling (28:22), Elizabeth Kennedy (28:33), Charlie Johnson (29:04), Jo Dickinson (29:14), Michelle Scruby (30:13), Fiona Dixon (32:22), Lucy Bendle (33:04), Paul Ryan (34:13), Rachel Ryan (40:13), Mark Trowles (40:36) and Linda Harrington (41:11).

There was a whole host of tourism taking place over the weekend. At Tees Barrage, Emily Beaumont finished in 31:21 along with Lisa Johnstone (32:32) and Karen Dove (35:19), Adrian Colbourne ran at Stewart Park in 22:25, while at Hackworth, Sally Watson finished in 37:37. Michelle Dale did the run at South Shields in 34:57, Rebecca Howard ran at Druridge Bay in 21:48, while Lena Rusa completed the run at Riverside in 44:03. At the Fell Foot run at Newby Bridge, Peter Rowley finished in 25:16 along with Phill Johnston (33:20) and Dawn Johnston (33:28), Darryn Wood ran at York in 51:44, Sarah Wilson did the run at Keswick in 26:19, while Anthony Corbett completed the run at Oakwell Hall, near Batley in 26:19.

North of the border, Gemma Marshall and Olly Moore both did the run at Ayr in 32:55, while at the Ganavan Sands run near Oban, Julie Whinn finished in 27:58 with John Whinn in 31:40.

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 Karen Newton)