Mablethorpe Running Club quintet: No New Year's Day hangover for quintet

Elaine, Guy and Sharon also completed the seafront challenge EMN-190701-155149002Elaine, Guy and Sharon also completed the seafront challenge EMN-190701-155149002
Elaine, Guy and Sharon also completed the seafront challenge EMN-190701-155149002

They made the short trip to Cleethorpes Athletics Club’s popular New Year’s Day 10k as 413 runners braved wintry conditions, with bitterly cold winds on the out-and-back 10k seafront course.

Guy Willey was first back for the club in a good time of 52min 46secs, while Sharon Margarson, in her seventh year at the event, finished three minutes quicker than in 2018 with a time of 52.55.

Elaine Wilson was also back for the seventh year and was two minutes faster than last year in 57.23, while Louise Willey started her race year with a finish time of exactly 69mins, and Helen Rice-Mundy crossed the finish line in 77.12.

Louise and Helen after their New Year's Day race EMN-190701-155139002Louise and Helen after their New Year's Day race EMN-190701-155139002
Louise and Helen after their New Year's Day race EMN-190701-155139002

The winner was Lewis Jagger (Sheffield Running Club) who completed the course in 30.19.

* Having completed her 100th marathon in 2018 and earned membership to the exclusive 100 Marathon Club, Paula Downing has gone past the mark and recently returned to Suffolk to complete the Great Barrow Challenge.

Paula was attempting the challenging off-road/multi-terrain marathon for the third time.

The routes are signposted with checkpoints, but runners must navigate their own way cross country on the uneven chalky trails, over ploughed fields and through miles of forests.

Ploughed fields and navigating the way didn't deter Paula Downing's latest marathon bid EMN-190701-155159002Ploughed fields and navigating the way didn't deter Paula Downing's latest marathon bid EMN-190701-155159002
Ploughed fields and navigating the way didn't deter Paula Downing's latest marathon bid EMN-190701-155159002

Competitors were almost threefold on last year, with 140 runners completing.

Paula, who enjoys this type of race, knocked almost 40 minutes off last year’s time, crossing the finish line as third lady home, and 13th overall, in a time of 3hr 49min 11secs.

Jay Macdonald won in a time of 3.22.05.

* Mablethorpe RC members Helen Rice-Mundy and her son Joseph made their Parkrun debut at Lymington among 97 finishers.

Joseph ran a superb debut, finishing eighth in 22min 23secs, while Helen was 85th in 34.39.

* If you’d like to run off those extra pounds over Christmas, to honour your new year’s resolution to get fitter, or to go out for a steady jog in the company of others, Mablethorpe RC would be happy to see you.

The club meets on Mondays at 6.30pm at Sutton-on-Sea Social Club.

To find out more, visit their website at www.mablethorperunningclub.org.uk