Wrekin Road Runner’s eighth trip to the annual running festival held in the Normandy town of Caen in Northern France proved to be one of its most successful in terms of running success.
First claim members Ian Emery; Paul Williams; Pete and Liz Wynn; Sarah, Jon and Clare Aston were joined by second claim members Sue Baker, Mark and Amanda Dalkins, and special guests Margaret Dalkins; Chris Davies and world snooker champion Ronnie (the Rocket) O’Sullivan. The running members of the group were ably supported by Chris’s parents, Amanda and Mark’s dad, friend of the club Vin and our very own Pat Adams.
Saturday evening saw ‘la rochambelle’ 5K women’s race take place in which the best part of 800 pink clad women and girls charged from Caen Memorial above the town down to the Hotel Ville near the town centre. The race was easily won by Amanda in 16:44 breaking the course record and going one better than the second places she achieved in the previous two years. Liz Wynn was the second member of the group to finish with a new PB of 20:44 and in 21st position. Susan Baker finished in 22:03, Margaret Dalkins in 33:07 and Clare and Sarah Aston crossed the line together in 36:30.
Sunday morning saw the 10K, Pegasus half marathon and the Marathon de la Liberté.
The 10K was won by Chris Davies making a guest appearance for Wrekin in 30:10 setting a new course record. Ronnie O’Sullivan lived up to his nickname and finished in 34:52 claiming a new PB with Mark Dalkins a place behind him in 34:53. Paul Williams was the next club member to finish in 43:19 with Peter Wynn next also achieving a PB and finishing in 48:52. Ian Emery made up the sextet of group runners taking part in the 10K by finishing in 1:22:28 completing his first race in the best part of a year.
Sarah Aston was the sole representative taking part in Pegasus half marathon, starting at the famous Pegasus bridge site of a brave operation to capture the bridge by the 6th Airbourne Division on D-day in 1944. Sarah was happy with her time of 1:57:54 her aim being to finish in under 2 hours.
Jon Aston took part in the Marathon de la Liberté his sixth marathon of 2008. The marathon course ran for several miles along the d-day landing beaches before turning down the Caen canal to join up with the half marathon course and then to the finish line at the Memorial. Jon finished in 4:37:19 not his fastest but not his slowest.
Sunday evening saw the main running event of the weekend in the waterside sprint challenge. Breaking with tradition saw the sprint take place several times, it is hard therefore to declare a winner, however Chris won the main event with Amanda, Ronnie, Mark, Sue and Sarah either winning races or holding their own (at least I think that is what happened).
A new event for this year called ‘who can ride the kiddie’s rocking bike the longest’ saw Mark christened as champion and provided several funny video clips that will soon be posted on Flickr.
