Clapton stars for county in cross-country battle

Emma Clapton represented Yorkshire County at the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, which were held at Prestwood Hall near Loughborough.
Jennie & Dawn TrownJennie & Dawn Trown
Jennie & Dawn Trown

The championships are the most prestigious event in the cross country calendar, and include only athletes who have been selected to represent their county.

Clapton who was selected for the Women’s Under-20 event after a eighth place finish at the County Championships in January, went one better as the seventh finisher for the county which finished third of 24 teams.

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Three club members competed in the North London half-marathon, which consisted of an undulating course around the North London before a finish inside Wembley Stadium.

The first of the club trio who all ran personal best times, was Jennie Trown who clocked 2 hours 1 minute.

She was followed by her sister Dawn Trown who finished in 2 hours 8 minutes.

London-based Emma Manton completed in the race for the second time after an event debut in 2016, and improved her personal best with 2 hours 13 minutes.

Jim Johnson competed in the Malta half-marathon.

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This started at the medieval hill top town of Medina, and proceeded along a scenic course to the seafront finish at the coastal resort of Sliema.

The 48-year-old finished in 1 hour 49 minutes and was up in 812th of over 10,000 runners.

There was an above average 16 club members taking part in the latest Sewerby Parkrun.

Michael Dowson led five club men after finishing in eighth overall.

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He was followed by club and event debutant Michael Westlund who was 16th.

David Field was 36th, Pete Barnard 38th and Mike Padgham 64th.

Louise Milne led home the club’s senior women runners in 15th and first Over-45 in a personal best time.

She was followed by Lesley Bayes 27th and first Over-65, Shirley Field 34th and third Over-55, Jill Grinstead 39th, Avril Metcalfe 45th, Sophie Vaughan 48th, Jacqui Smith 56th on her club and event debut, Sharon Parsons 62nd, Jenny Marshall 64th, Liz Cremer 86th, Jenny Stubbs 90th on her club and event debut.

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Five club members took part in the latest Dalby Forest Parkrun.

Derrick Swift made a good event debut when finishing sixth overall and the 1st Over-55.

Chris Bourne was next home in 19th and first Over-45. Glenn Shelton and Juliette Pilgrim both ran personal best times.

Shelton was 27th overall and third Over-55 and Juliette ninth female.

Jeremy Goodall followed in 42nd.

Rutt Shines at FlamingoLand

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Six club members took part in the annual FlamingoLand 10 kilometre trail race which was staged at the Kirby Misperton Theme Park.

The event consisted of a multi-terrain two-lap course, passing through the zoo, theme park and golf course areas of Flamingo Land and was in aid of the Udzungwa Forest Project, a charity which carries out work in Tanzania to help protect wild animal populations.

The first home for the club was Ruth Rutt who was sixth female and first Over-55, in a very good time of 48 minutes 45 seconds.

Sally Elwick led the four other club members when finishing 23rd and fourth Over-40.

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Next was Brian Rutt 85th man, Katie Webster 49th, Lucy McNeil, who made her club debut in 64th and Emma Simmons 132nd.

Club member Sean Kelly attended to support the club’s runners in a meerkat costume.

Three club members competed in Canal Canter events that were staged on the Leeds to Liverpool canal tow path.

The races all started and finished on and back courses at Kirkstall and were officially classed as trail races.

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In the marathon, Warren Foster ran his fastest-ever marathon after finishing seventh in 3 hours 19 minutes.

Phil Markham competed in the half-marathon and had an excellent race to finish fourth in 1 hour 25 minutes

Emma Foster achieved her best ever time for a half-marathon when finishing 18th woman in 2 hours 1 minute.

Michael Dowson competed in his first ever half-marathon at the Silverstone Motor Racing Circuit.

Over laps of the racecourse he achieved a good debut time of 1 hour 34 minutes.