Runners at March Athletics Club were missing their parkrun fix so much that they devised their own 5k challenge – with plenty picking up the gauntlet.
They were given a set 5 km route from their Elm Road base which they could complete as individuals or in small groups of up to six runners over a two-week period.
The course took them over one of March’s few “hills” for an extra tough challenge; the bridge over the railway line on Norwood Road, and helped create some friendly rivalry over the distance.
In total 23 took part with three gaining PBs. One of them was overall winner Toni Alcaraz, who clocked 18 minutes 52 seconds, and another was third-place finisher Steven Robinett who came home in 19:18.
The third was James Moon with 25:12 while Andy Cole was second in 19:10.
One particularly creditable time was March AC junior Serge Lambert who completed the course in 26:52.
Elsewhere 17-year-old Liam Lambert finished his first half marathon, the virtual Milton Keynes Half, in a time of 1:38:01.
That achievement was made all the more poignant as it was almost 12 months after he was meant to tick off the milestone.
Training for it had started in May 2019 with the plan being he would make his 13.1-mile bow at the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough, scheduled for October last year.
That was cancelled after the start of the race was delayed due to a security scare and his entry in to the Milton Keynes event in May was postponed with the arrival of the pandemic.
The MK half was initially rescheduled for September, only to be cancelled altogether and made into a virtual race.
Lambert had almost given up by then but threw himself fully into training again just three weeks ago.
Mum Tina also completed the race in 1:58:13.
Norwood 5k results:
1. Toni Alcaraz (18:52); 2. Andy Cole (19:10); 3. Steven Robinett (19:18); 4. Andrew Larham (20:16); 5. Kanina O’Neil (20:26); 6. Mark Salmons (20:53); 7. Geraldine Larham (20:54); 8. Tim Brammer (21:03); 9. Karen Patterson (22:26); 10. Jon Long (23:06); 11. Jason Mottram (23:09); 12. Hannah Daniel (23:49); 13. Tina Lambert (24:33); 14. James Moon (25:12); 15. Graeme Dedman (26:02); 16. Eleanor Snooks (26:16); 17. Dawn Veal (26:52); 18. Serge Lambert (26:52); 19. Fay Scrivener (27:47); 20. Mark Darlow (29:03); 21. Pat Norris (31:28); 22. Deb Watts (31:51); 23. Dave Watts (33:15).
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