Bushfield Joggers hosted round two of the 2024 GP races from the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre attracting almost 430 runners to the main race of the evening, the 5k. Once again Grantham Running Club was well represented on this parkrun style course whose main issue was severe overcrowdingfor the full first kilometre.
On a very hot evening PBs were always going unlikely, but as the Series prizes are handed out for position everyone was in the same boat.
First home for GRC in 26th position was Grantham College student Alex Curtis with heavy legs after both a 5,000m and a 1,500m on the track in the weeks since round one, he was pleased to escape with a sub 18 clocking by 4 seconds. Daniel Pearce, running his second hot 5k in consecutive days knocked one second off his previous night’s time to finish in 21:15, an improvement he claimed was as a result of the partial shade offer from the sun by the overhanging trees on the second part of the course.
Catherine Payne finished in 22:01 picking up good points for position.
From the start to the finish there was an almighty tussle between Kevin Wallace and Paul Davis overtaking and reovertaking each other several times before a last minute surge by Kev took him over the line in 23:20, one position and two seconds in front of Paul.
Robert McArdle finished in 23:49 with the final GRC runner Caroline Davis crossing the line in 27:28.
Report by Robert McArdle
Photo c/o Alex Curtis