17 Sep Hooray for Henry!
Twelve-year-old Henry Gardner was the star of the show as South Devon Athletic Club’s internal club Grand Prix series embraced the Torbay Velopark Parkrun.
Henry took a whole minute off his personal best to stop the clock in a staggering 18m 24s, just 10 seconds behind the leading SDAC runner on the day, Jamie ‘JD’ Duffield.
It was a day for good performances all round, and a sterling effort from those club members who gave up their own runs to marshal so their clubmates could race.
Colin Peters came through the finish line as the third SDAC runner in 20m 11s, followed by leading lady Dani Waters, whose 20m 36s was a personal best time.
Shaun Kirk shook off his post-marathon fatigue to finish in 21m 47s, followed in by Kerry Bell (24m 00s), James Nash (24m 14s), Guy Henderson (24m 36s), Matthew Senior (29m 28s), Alison Ford (30m 00s), Eddie Bairstow (37m 00s), Dave Cubberley (38m 33s) and John Drennan, whose time of 55m 58s on his 150th parkrun reflected his role for the day as tail walker.
Jamie Duffield and Eddie Bairstow
After the race there was a chance for the club’s race winner to meet up with his old coach for a chat and picture or two.
Honorary life member Eddie Bairstow coached Jamie Duffield during his schooldays, and said he was delighted to be taking part in the same race as one of his proteges.