FIFTEEN members of Farnham Runners supported their club in the Netley 10km, the penultimate event of the Hampshire Road Race League season, and were rewarded with some valuable results, eight of them achieving top-ten age category placings among the 500 finishers.
The ladies’ fifth place on the day moved them up to sixth out of the ten teams in the top division. Their B trio came fourth of 15 which gives them hope of staying in B Division One after the final round, the Lordshill 10km.
The men’s A squad were pleased with eighth out of ten on the day in Division One, while the Bs were tenth of 15.
James Clarke was first back for the local club in an excellent 37mins 03secs for 23rd place over the slightly undulating three-lap parkland course.
Andrew Ellison finished third M45 in 37-51 and Neil Ambrose and Tim Cummins put in strong performances for 41-38 and 42-02 respectively. Cummins’ time was equalled by John Phillips who was still pushed into the B ranks.
Alistair Hardaway’s 42-17 for tenth M50 was identical to his time last year, while Chris Cramp was only 11 seconds short of his personal best. Keith Marshall was fourth M55 in 44-15 and Geoff Brown came home in 46-21.
Emma Whittaker-Axon was 15th lady overall and sixth senior in a personal best 43-02, with Eloise Stradling having to settle for 45-24.
Linda Tyler was delighted with a personal best 45-50 and the first F55 prize. She held off Lindsay Bamford (45-59, 2nd F50) in the final dash for the line. Jane Georghiou took second F55 slot with 48-02 and Kay Copeland followed in 49-53 (4th F55).
* James Clarke chose the hilly Dorchester Marathon for his first attempt at the distance and finished an impressive eighth in 3-06-39.
* Anne Snelson travelled to Edinburgh for her first marathon, recording a creditable 4-18-56, and she raised £1,100 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Paul Mackie was pleased with his 3-51-08 after injury worries.