This week’s spotlight on Parkruns, in Suffolk and Essex, falls on the Colchester Castle Parkrun:
The Colchester Castle Parkrun regularly attracts fields over 300 runners, and sometimes even 400-plus, and last Saturday morning was no exception.
A field of 335 congregated at the start, near the band-stand in the Upper Park, to tackle a tough course featuring a stiff incline up and around the castle on each of the two laps.
Edward Mitchell was first home in 18mins 12secs, which was 21 seconds slower than his personal best for this 5K course.
Jonathan Nears celebrated his 49th Parkrun with 18:29 in second. Over-40 veteran Nears, a member of Colchester Harriers, has a best of 17:22 for this course.
Teenager Nebay Debesay, of Braintree & District, was third home in 18:47, a PB, followed by over-50 veteran Andy Raynor, from Colchester Harriers, who clocked 18:52 in his 93rd Parkrun.
Laura Shewbridge, also of the Harriers, was the first female finisher and ninth overall in 19:30. Youngster Jasmine West (15-17 year-old age group) was second in 21:45, and Sadie Moore was a Colchester Castle Parkrun ‘first timer’ in third (21:54).
As usual, there were many ‘first timers’ making their debuts at the Colchester Parkrun.
In addition to Moore, those first timers in the first 100 finishers included Ken Summers, Katy Fidler, Steve Lynn, Gemma Cann, Paul Stephen, Tim Allen and Glenn Hellyer.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here