THE 45th running of the Harwich Parkrun took place in Dovercourt Park.

The opportunity to run on the seafront is something locals take for granted, but it's this attraction that keeps bringing people back from all over the area.

There were 85 finishers, with 20 of those members of Harwich Runners.

The local club dominated the top male and female finish positions once again.

First back to the bandstand was club member Mark Lloyd - his seventh win - in a time of 18 minutes and 34 seconds.

Simon Harrison has won the event on one occasion but this was his fifth time in second place.

His time was 18m 56s.

Matt Durrant, a relative new club member, has finished second twice and was fourth on this occasion in 19m 24s.

Claudine Benstead has not been at the event since last August, when it all started.

She ran three times and was first lady every time.

The nine-month absence has not affected her performance.

A 21m 25s finishing time made her 11th finisher overall and once again first lady.

Ann Piercy is the only person who has run every Harwich Parkrun since it started and this week she was third lady finisher in 25m 8s.

Of the 85 finishers, seven achieved personal bests (PBs) and there were also ten first-timers.

Club members with PBs were Antony Westgate, 24m 33s, Lu Brown, 35m 21s, and Sarah Roxby Clarke, 32m 21s.

Daniel Brown completed his first-ever Parkrun in 17th position in a very good 23m 22s.

Elsewhere, at the inaugural running of the High Easter 10k, at Chelmsford, Bill Haining was there to represent Harwich Runners.

On the flat course, he finished 20th overall in a field of 186 and second in his age group (MV50) in a season’s best time of 41m 42s.

Peter Fraser-Hopewell took on the challenge of the Paras ten-mile race again.

Located at Colchester Garrison, this tough event, now in its fifth year, involves the negotiation of both streams and obstacles and attracted 215 athletes.

Peter finished 57th in a good time of 1h 25m 31s.