Our Couch to 5k go even further afield! (by Lee Drummond)

Sunday 6th Sept saw a few Birtley athletes on the wet drizzly road to Derwent Reservoir to run the 5k
and 10k trail races. There was also a good showing of young members running the kids 2.5k fun run.
Phil Atkinson, Rebecca Pottinger, Zoe Towers, Amy and Lee Drummond lined up for the 10k, with a
socially distanced start. All did really well, Phil 3rd in his age cat, Rebecca 2nd in hers and Amy winning
hers. All had really good times in what was a challenging but very scenic course.
However, the most pleasing thing was seeing the new members of the club lining up to do their first
ever run for Birtley. This group developed from our first ever ‘Couch to 5k’, they then had the set
back of lockdown but kept training as best they could. They have been turning up regularly as the
beginners group twice per week giving it their all, week in week out.
Of the new gang, Tony Storey challenged himself to the 10k and beat his 60 minute target by 2
minutes, so well done.

Some of our Couch to 5k Ladies before the event

​His better half Joanne ran the 5k, along with Natalia Maggiore. Elaine Brownless and Sara Francis
took to running rather than watching their families doing the business.
The kids 2.5k was well attended by Ben and Lexi Storey, Oliver King and also Clare Braban and her
son Toby. Again all newcomers to the club with the exception of Oliver of course.
It was a tough but enjoyable course that left the beginners group buzzing after their first ever run.
They have been a committed, hard working group who have finally seen their weeks of getting
robustly encouraged up Harris bank, Long Bank and any other bank pay off. Well done all, a great
turn out for Birtley.

Some of the gang afterwards - still smiling!