On the run: spotlight on Felixstowe parkrun

Runners and volunteers interact at the weekly Felixstowe parkrun. Picture: FELIXSTOWE PARKRUN FACEBOOK PAGE (Image: Archant)

Course records were set at the fourth staging of the Felixstowe parkrun, despite the cool, grey conditions beside the seaside on Saturday.

Danny Rock, of local club Felixstowe Road Runners, posted a new men’s best of 16mins 31secs for the fast, flat 5K route along the promenade, finishing ahead of Ipswich JAFFA’s Paul Wain (17:46) and Felixstowe club-mate Tony Gavin (17:49).

Fourth home was junior athlete Matthew Bennett, also of JAFFA, in 18:37, while club-mate Laura Thomas was fifth overall and also the first lady in a new female course record of 18:47.

A field of 267 runners, joggers and walkers braved the difficult conditions, including many enjoying their first-ever parkruns.

A totsal of 267 runners, joggers and walkers took part in Saturday's Felixstowe parkrun. (Image: Archant)

These ‘first timers’ included Nicholas Minns, David Henshaw, Andrew Murphy, Austin Jones, Jordan Youngs, David Wardley, Sean Dickinson, Nathan Burns, Christian Taylor, Gemma Langridge, Beth Young, Tak Li, Kieran Mann and Alex Tricker.

It was a grey, cool and damp day for the fourth staging of the Felixstowe parkrun. Picture: FELIXSTOWE PARKRUN FACEBOOK (Image: Archant)

Runners toil in the testing conditions along the promenade at Felixstowe. Picture: FELIXSTOWE PARKRUN FACEBOOK PAGE (Image: Archant)