Runners pounded the streets of Hitchin and the surrounding villages yesterday during a new annual 10km race.
The Hitchin 10km, organised by Burnt Hare Events and Hitchin Running Club, took runners from the High Street to Charlton, Gosmore and St Ippolyts before a big finish back in Market Place.
The fastest two runners out of the 402 finishers were Callum Stewart and Dan McAlpine, both from Stevenage’s Fairlands Valley Spartans – with Callum finishing in 33 minutes and 59 seconds.
The fastest woman was Natalie Lawrence, also of Fairlands Valley Spartans, who finished in 39 minutes and 56 seconds.
Burnt Hare Events’ Jake Amos said he and the team appreciated all the help and support from everyone who made the new race a success.
“Personally we need to say a huge thank you to so many people, everyone who helped, everyone who showed faith to enter this new event, and all the residents and businesses along the route and surrounding areas for their support and patience at times,” he said.
“To the race sponsors – without them there wouldn’t be an event.”
Near the finish line on the day was a cake stall where Ella Gower sold goodies to raise funds for a special racing wheelchair for her 12-year-old son Jack.
Jack, who lives with cerebral palsy, last month featured on the front page of the Comet’s Hitchin edition after he had the footplate snap off his racing wheelchair during a mini marathon.
Ella said after Sunday’s race that they had raised £475.07, bringing them within £225 of reaching their £3,000 target. She thanked everyone who had helped and made donations.
Some of the runners were raising money for other good causes. One of these fundraisers was John Hayes, chairman of Hitchin’s Labour Party branch, who tackled the race in memory of his close friend Brian Palmen.
John, who set a fundraising target of £200 for heart condition charity SADS UK, has so far raised almost four times his initial goal.
Also raising money was Jay Livermore, who has raised more than £300 for the Herts Disability Sports Foundation to buy an adult tricycle.
Zoë Folbigg, author of bestselling novel The Note, was also among the runners.
May 19, 2019, is already set as the date for next year’s race.
If you’d like to support one or more of these fundraisers, see gofundme.com/jacks-new-wheels, justgiving.com/john-hayes1166 or justgiving.com/j-livermore.
The full results are at racesonline.uk/results/2018-results/hitchin-10k-2018.
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