North Norfolk Beach RunnersCLUB members have shown that a true runner is not going to be put off by wind and rain. The Cromer runners have been represented at seven races in the east of England.

North Norfolk Beach Runners

CLUB members have shown that a true runner is not going to be put off by wind and rain. The Cromer runners have been represented at seven races in the east of England.

At Bungay Colin Stark was the fastest Beach Runner with a superb 1-23:28 for 27th in a field of over 400 whilst Alec Fraser was third Over-65 and Maurice Copeland second Over-70. Tony Heath and Michael O'Connor also defied the dismal conditions to finish the tough 20k course set for the Great East Run.

At a muddy Horsford cross-country, Clare Donovan made it a clean sweep of victories for the season when she won the ladies' race by nearly five minutes, taking the series prize by a huge margin.

John Christopher took the series

prize for the 45/49 age group whilst Malcolm Ball was victorious in the Over-70 category.

Other Beach Runners in the muddy Horsford woods were Charlotte Neale, Shelley Burton, Ryan Callaby and Ian Wade.

Five members travelled to the Leicestershire Wolds to take part in the gruelling 16-mile Belvoir Challenge.

Fastest of all was chairman Jim Hayes who made light work of the thick mud to finish 56th out of 400 in 2-18:01.

Malcolm Ball got round in 2-55:05, just ahead of a trio of lady Beach Runners - Christina Walker, Christine Thorne and Brenda Kinch - who finished together in 45th place in their race.

Colin Stark, Vinnie Purdy and John Leach all entered and completed the inaugural Not For Nothing 50, a Long Distance Walkers event based at Hanworth Village Hall.

Colin and Vinnie's joint time of just over 10 hours was a remarkable effort in the conditions.

The rearranged Reedham 10-mile race tested winter conditioning. Amongst 200 runners successfully negotiating the wet and windy course were Dave Spooner, Mike Marshall, Andi and Rob Osborne, Karen Emery and Katrine Middleton.