FOLLOWING the success of last year’s 40-lap track relay to celebrate their 40th anniversary, Ipswich Jaffa decided to repeat the event.

Harwich Runners were again invited to attend and sent a team of six runners.

All teams consisted of three men, two ladies and a junior, with each runner required to do a minimum of four laps.

Disaster struck, though, for Harwich as Kate Hodgkiss picked up an injury during her warm-up.

Bravely, she still completed five laps at a modest pace as there were no suitable reserves.

Mike Ball was first to run and produced a quick opening lap of 66 seconds.

He wasn’t quite able to repeat that time in his six subsequent laps but ran some consistent low 80-second times.

Will Roxby-Clarke put in some remarkably consistent times over his seven laps, varying only seven seconds between his fastest of 71 seconds and his slowest.

Another showing consistency was Miranda Rayner, whose seven laps only varied by eight seconds.

Her quickest was one minute and 52 seconds.

Continuing the trend and showing maturity beyond his years was junior Michael Knowles.

Impressing with a fastest first lap of 71 seconds, he also had a variance of less than ten seconds between all of his seven laps.

Completing the team was Graeme Knott, who opened with a swift 65-second lap but then slowed a little for the next few, feeling a niggle.

Knott continued for seven laps and even managed to post the quickest time by the Harwich team with an impressive 63-second final lap.

The team enjoyed the popular event which may now become a regular fixture in the calendar.

Dennis Warner finished his solo cycle ride across Australia with a Parkrun on the east coast.

Having left the west coast on August 18, he has cycled 5,516km doing Parkruns on the way, finishing with a 24m 15s run at the Sandgate event on Saturday.

At the Harwich Parkrun, it was the club ladies and juniors who took the top places.

Archie Barrington was first finisher in 18m 56s, Rem’a Eagle was third in 20m 27s, Eddison Barker fourth in 20m 41s and Michael Knowles sixth in 20m 50s.

The first lady was Madeline Lewis, her 11th win in 22m 10s.

Second and third places also went to club ladies, Karen Stapleton (22m 55s) and Carrie Hook (24m 18s).

There were personal bests this week for Tony Westgate (23m 1s) and Anne Herbert (24m 21s).

Valentina Burley ran her fifth half-marathon of the year on Sunday.

Having already completed Colchester, Frinton, Clacton and Wokingham, she recorded her best time so far at Bournemouth.

Perfect running conditions with a light wind on the seafront and sun all the way gave her a three-minute best to record 1h 56m 43s.

At Victoria Park, in the Run London 5k, Harwich Runners took top male and female places.

Steve Cooper was first finisher in 17m 13s and Nicola Challis was first lady, eighth finisher, in 23m 15s.