HARWICH Parkrunners not only had to contend with a cold and windy morning but also had to try and avoid the waves as they came crashing over the seawall.

Add that to the head wind on the return from the west end and it made for a fun - or challenging - 5k.

Despite all this, 102 people completed the distance and the first finisher was Jonathan Nears, in 18 minutes and 36 seconds, followed by two Harwich Runners.

Second went to Graeme Knott, in 19m 12s, followed by Simon Day, in third place with a time of 19m 24s.

The top three females were all from Harwich Runners.

In tenth place overall and first female was Kate Hodgkiss, in 21m 14s, followed by Claudine Benstead, in 21m 30s, and just behind in third was Madeline Lewis, in 21m 37s.

It was her first Parkrun for just over a year.

First and third juniors were also club members.

Archie Barrington was first, and fifth overall, in 19m 39s.

In second was Sam Plummer, in 22m 2s, and in third was Alexander McCreadie, in 23m 9s.

Considering the conditions, it is surprising that anyone achieved a personal best (PB) but ten did.

Trevor Matthews was the only club member and he now has three PBs in seven Parkruns.

This week’s time of 29m 39s was another improvement of nine seconds.

Four club members took part in Parkruns elsewhere.

Hannah Jarvis ran 26m 25s at Colchester.

Bill Haining continued his return from injury with 21m 56s at the Great Cornard event.

The Roxby-Clarkes travelled to the Parkrun at Mersea Island.

Will recorded 23m 25s and Sarah 31m 4s.

On a bitterly cold Sunday morning, Harwich Runners were represented at a few different races across the country.

Two of these travelled to take part in the Roding Valley half-marathon.

For Matt Doran, it was his second half-marathon of the month and he finished in a similar time to his first in 1h 46m 53s.

Sally Gillam took on the same course and in her first race over this distance since 2014 clocked a very respectable 1h 54m 56s.

Meanwhile, down in Kent, Stuart Weaver was also completing his second half-marathon of February.

The Headcorn Half featured 400 runners and Weaver finished an impressive 15th, bettering his time at Great Bentley three weeks previously by two minutes to record 1h 27m 11s.

At Beyton, near Bury St Edmunds, almost 700 runners took on the two races on offer named the Tarpley ten and 20-mile after a former club president of the local Bury Pacers club.

Chris Payne took on the undulating 20-mile course, finishing in a superb 2h 28m 48s, pointing towards a good marathon to come this spring.

Three runners from Harwich took on the ten-mile option.

Christina Pretty ran 26 seconds quicker than she managed at Stebbing last November, managing 1h 40m 21s.

For Jean Weir it was her first ten-mile race in Harwich colours and she finished in 1h 51m.

The fastest finisher for Harwich at this race was Ruth Benham, in her first-ever ten-mile race, recording 1h 31m.

Also in action was Claire Bransby, who tackled a hilly course in the grounds of the Harewood estate near Leeds.

She completed the 10km course in 54m 32s.