Winter Handicap, 25th January 2021

Four miles is a long way to run with nobody to chase! So well done to the 31 runners who braved the ice and the cold and ran in our 4th virtual handicap. Don’t worry, back to the summer course next, so it will be shorter!

Times were affected by the weather as, depending upon time and location, it was difficult for some runners to find a suitable frost and ice free route. However there will still some very good performances recorded.

It was a ladies one-two in the race, with Hazel Juggins and Cath Robson beating the handicapper to come 1st and 2nd respectively. As Hazel still holds the Knockout Cup from last January, she is now the undisputed queen of the Claremont Handicaps. Dean O’Brien was the first man home to complete the podium in the bronze medal position.

Perhaps predictably, Kris Axon (21:45) and Sarah Kerr (26:23) were the fastest man and woman on the night.

Full results can be found here.

There was a Zoom social afterwards with a quiz that had a running and North East theme. The music round was perhaps geared a bit towards the older generation, which may explain why the winning team (with 46½ out of 50) comprised Michael Teasdale, Gordon MacFadyen and Terry Welsh.