A double-birthday celebration for Julie Cross and Liz Denyer this weekend, with a group of Claremonters and assorted friends flocking to sunny Whitley Bay to mark the occasion. This was the first stage in a ‘birthday triathlon’ for Julie, followed by a dip in the chilly waters of Cullercoats, and an afternoon cycle. Let this be an example that age need not diminish your vitality, as Julie started the day strong by being the first of our number across the line, in a swift time. After drying off from the North Sea, our gaggle warmed up in the charmingly named ‘Sea You There’ cafe.
Other performances of note further inland: there were course PB’s this week for Eddie and Ann Smith at Town Moor. Harry Mawdsley took it ‘easy’ at Denton Dene, finishing 3rd, while Catherine Young was 3rd lady at Fulwell Quarry.
On the tourist trail, rather than dipping in the sea, two of our runners crossed it, Brian Hegarty returning to Derry, and Rachel Hurdman stopping just shy of reaching France (presumably once she realised they no longer have parkrun there) on the island of Guernsey.
Not risking getting her feet wet, and not too far from Rachel as the crow flies, Lena Lou was trying out Chippenham in Wiltshire, with James Fowler a little bit further away at Elder Park in Glasgow.
