The 5km handicap series started on the seafront with the first of the five races taking place

Last Tuesday, more than 140 adult runners descended on the seafront, attempting to outrun their predictions.

Host club Harwich Runners, clocked 56 representatives among the 140 runners, including the fastest runners: Harry Tilley and Chris Barker, who completed the race in 17 minutes 6 seconds and 17m 9s respectively, marking new personal bests.

"The overall winners were Michael Greenfield and Kate Wills who managed to beat their predicted times by the biggest margin," Harwich Runners said.

Some runners like Harry Young (19m 37s), Stuart Raffle (18m 52s), and Nicola Challis (21m 36s), notched new personal quickest-ever times after successful races over longer distances.

Other personal best times came from Thomas Richardson, Vanessa Davis and Olyver Meddings.

Several runners took part in the series for the first time and delivered encouraging debut times.

Aidan Downs timed 22m 51s, Ellen Sitton managed 23m 44s, while Jodi Thomas clocked a promising 22m 19s.

Kathryn Scrivener finished at 27m 29s, while Joe Belshaw recorded an excellent 17m 29s, and Marcus Poston impressed with a fast debut time of 18m 34s.

Besides the adult event, a junior run covering one mile attracted 38 enthusiastic young runners.

Alarna Poston took the winning spotlight by beating her predicted running time by the greatest margin.

Others like Charlie Roxby-Clarke, Eva Law, Harry Almond, and Nancy Garner posted significant improvements.

Elsewhere recently, Andrew Robinson completed the Battersea Park half marathon in 2h 36m.

Alan Gardner crossed the finishing line of the Ipswich Twilight 5km race around the town’s quay area in 21m 32s.

The Stephen Williams 10km race in Bury St Edmunds saw eighteen club members participating.

Winners of their age categories included Robin Brookes (MV55), Nicola Challis (FV40), Kim Pretty (MV65), Christina Pretty (FV60), and Elspeth Knott (FV70). Alison Evans and Anne Herbert bagged second place in their age groups, whilst Jeff Higgon and Helen Benham placed third.

Closer to home at the Colchester 10k, Tom Hancock came in twelfth overall finishing first in his age group (MV50) with a best club time of 37m 37s.

Joe Belshaw clocked a time of 38m 37s, and Ellen Sitton’s time of 48m 33s, improved by one-minute.

Debut performances came from David Ashmore and Ben Smith.

Also on the weekend, Ruth Benham completed the marathon with finish of 4h 35m in Halstead, while Owen Goldsmith ran a gruelling ultra-distance event of 46 miles around Lake Windermere in an impressive 13h 11m, overcoming 8514 foot elevation and less than ideal long-distance running conditions.