Record entry for the Gainsborough and Morton 10k race

More than 60 of them were from the home town club, the Striders, and many of those were celebrating after their efforts.

This race is one of the most popular in the country, partly due to its excellent organisation by Kevin Housham and his team of volunteers, but also because the flat course means it is a good place to try and obtain a personal best (PB) time.

Despite the strong winds on the exposed course 12 Striders managed a PB.

Pride of place went to Rachel Haldenby who scythed over six minutes off her previous fastest effort.

Husband Ian did almost as well, finishing over four minutes quicker.

Morgan Cutts showed he has benefitted from training with the seniors as he improved by five and a half minutes.

Fellow junior, Lauren Staves, was almost two minutes quicker than before, which made her the first lady Strider to finish.

Kayleigh Hall and Darryl Kelsey were both five minutes faster, with Carl Currie slicing two minutes off, to smash through the 40 minute barrier.

Meanwhile improvements of about a minute, about 200 metres on the road, were made by Glenn Peniston, Timothy Smithson, Dale Swinton, Vicky Toward and Sian Turner.

Many Striders, particularly those at opposite ends of the age spectrum, acquitted themselves well in their age groups.

As well as Staves [2nd U20f] and Currie [5th V35m] there were also top five age group placings for David Allen [3rd V70m], Maureen Allen [2nd V65f] and Chris Inman [4th V60m].

Aaron Coy marked his debut run for the club with a superb second place in the U20m category.

Gainsborough and Morton Striders also claimed the ladies’ team prize, awarded to the club with the top four finishers.

The first Strider to finish was William Lansdall, 15 seconds ahead of James Croft.

The race itself was won by Lewis Jagger, of Sheffield & Dearne AC in a time of 32:30.

The winner of the ladies’ race was Natalie Burns, from Lincoln Wellington AC in 36:30.

Unfortunately for both these fine runners the wind meant that neither had a chance to break the course records.

In the junior fun run Kameron Rodgers fought off a determined challenge from Jasper Humphries to claim first place.

Further afield, Lorna Allison and Jane Benson stepped up their training for the London marathon by taking on a 20 mile race at Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire.

Judging by their results of 2 hrs 32 minutes and 2:58 respectively it would appear that the training is going well.

Tom Humphries continued his sparkling start to 2017 by finishing 14th out of a field of over 500 in the Hardmoors 55 trail race from Helmsley to Guisborough in a time of 9:02.

Gainsborough and Morton 10k Striders results: David Allen 83.28, Maureen Allen 69.30, Gary Atkinson 49.06, Hanna Bennett 51.35,Angela Boyle 71.13, Shaun Boyle 50.58, Clare Carney 65.42, Jonathan Chapman 54.39,Helen Clarke 67.06, Joanne Cook 66.33, Aaron Coy 40.22, Lee Creed 47.20,Molly Creed 46.58, James Croft 38.18, Carl Currie 38.27, Claire Cutts 69.32,Mark Cutts 50.45, Morgan Cutts 50.45, Tracey Cutts 67.07, Rhidian Edwards 49.17,Alison Elwess 58.33, Diana Forrest 67.46, Samantha Garrison 57.01, Janet Goude 70.54,Ian Haldenby 53.41, Rachel Haldenby 61.43, Kayleigh Hall 64.30, Clare Hardwick 69.32,Vikki Hearn 52.16, Alison Howe 67.08, Jayne Hunt 65.37, Chris Inman 46.44,Amanda Johnson 52.24, Darryl Kelsey 45.57, Sara Kelsey 76.03, Phil Kitchen 45.52,Carol Knapton 63.53, William Lansdall 38.03, Lottie Lindley 55.14, Kev Lovett 54.42,Stacey Lyner, 61.52, Louise McClue 65.37, Jeanette McGhee 54.57, Helen Newton 64.25,James O’Connor 53.02, Glenn Peniston 46.19, Joanne Proctor 48.32, Karen Ramsdale 55.25,Simon Smith 55.46, Kirsty Smithson 59.21, Timothy Smithson 42.34, Lauren Staves 44.29,David Sweeting 49.08, Helen Sweeting 52.19, Dale Swinton 48.37, Stephen Toward 49.06,Vicky Toward 59.32, Sian Turner 57.13, Georgina Verran 61.27, Craig Williamson 56.11,Sally Williamson 61.00, Lisa Wells 63.15, Abbie Wood 59.29, Mick Wood 50.45.

Junior Fun Run results: Charlie Burgin 3.55, Scott Frisby 4.33, Leo Garrison 4.50, Grace Housham 4.47, Owen Hunt 4.49,Finlay MacLeod 5.23, Dyllan Marsh 5.49, Josh McClue 4.42, Audra Morris 4.13,Tudor Morris 5.26, Archie Proctor 4.46, Elsa Rodgers 6.01, Kameron Rodgers 3.27,Ruby Rodgers 4.54, Rhys Sweeting 4.50, Thomas Sweeting 4.00, Joshua Swinton 5.56.