Running clubs took the time to mark Remembrance Day at special events.

Stevenage Phoenix had three at the former RAF Debden in Saffron Walden on Armistice Day with another at Lee Valley.

Wayne and Mason Simmons plus Jay Papa were at Debden for the Active Training World Remembrance Run and it proved very fruitful.

Wayne finished the 10k in a new age category club record in a time of 48 minutes 57 seconds while Papa did the same in the 5k race with a time of 18:52.

Mason Simmons was just seven seconds behind him.

Club coach Chris Leigh was at Lee Valley to take part in Saturn Running's We Will Remember Them event.

At 11am the race was stopped while runners observed a two-minute silence.

Chris completed the marathon in 4:31:16, another age group record in his 111th over the distance.

Two more Phoenicians ran on Remembrance Sunday at Walton on Thames where, again, the field observed a two-minute silence at 11am.

Ian Harvey was running his first marathon with Emma Mead and they both finished in 4:27:14, a PB for Mead.

Two club members were overseas.

Lisa Liversidge was at the Brooklyn Fall 10k in New York where she came first in her age group in a time of 57:56.

Lewis Green meanwhile finished the Athens Marathon in 4:04:09.

The Comet: Stevenage Striders at the Remembrance Run at Walton on Thames. Picture: STEVENAGE STRIDERSStevenage Striders at the Remembrance Run at Walton on Thames. Picture: STEVENAGE STRIDERS (Image: Stevenage Striders)

Jess Ives-Keeler of Stevenage Striders took part in the ATW Remembrance Run 10k at Debden and got a PB of 46:05. 

Marc Hagland ran twice at Walton on Thames, the Armistice Half of Saturday followed by the We Will Remember Me Half on Sunday.

He finished in 2:18:50 and 2:23:36 for both.

He was joined on Sunday by a lot more Striders.

Matthew Robinson (1:37:02) and Tracy Bullot (2:13:48) were the leading men and women from the club while there were course PBs for Chris Newton (2:13:48), Russell Edwards (3:01:02), Ally Brown (3:01:31) and Sarah Goodyear (3:01:32).

Glenn Cuzner (3:23:37) and Martin Scales (3:52:48) took on the marathon at the event.

Other big runs for Striders saw Ben Ward complete his 250th parkrun at Stevenage where he was joined by the most recent graduates of the club's 0-5k programme. 

Archie Brown took part in a North Herts School District Cross Country competition and got a PB for the 4.5K race while there were PBs too for Lily Robinson (56:02) and Peter Smalley (48:29) at the Alton Towers 10k.

The Comet: Fairlands Valley Spartans present a cheque to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. Picture: FVSFairlands Valley Spartans present a cheque to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. Picture: FVS (Image: Fairlands Valley Spartans)

Jim Brown of Fairlands Valley Spartans went under two hours for a half marathon for the first time this season at Debden.

He clocked 1:57:36 while Spartan team-mate Robert Wright managed 1:56:15.

Paul Shelley ran the 10k in 44:51.

There was a parkrun PB at Stevenage for new Spartan Sophie Parsons who finished in 27:02.

The club had three in the top 10 overall. Grant Ramsay was third, Ashley Johnson eighth, and second woman, and David Riddell 10th.

Fairlands Valley have also announced that the Stevenage Half Marathon, held last month, raised more than £6,000 for charities that support the Stevenage Community.

Race Director Andy Prior said: "2023 has been a great year for the event and we have been able to present a cheque to the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance for £5,297, Chells Scout group and 5th Stevenage Scouts each receiving £300."

The event will return on October 20 in 2024 where it will be a once in a decade full marathon, also coinciding with the 40th anniversary of FVS.

The Comet: North Herts Road Runners at Battersea Park. Picture: NHRRNorth Herts Road Runners at Battersea Park. Picture: NHRR (Image: North Herts Road Runners)

There were plenty of PBs for North Herts Road Runners as they ran at Battersea Park in the Sri Chimnoy 10k

Emma Sandham took nearly two minutes off her time as she finished in 46:21 and after Stewart Overton led the pack for the first 4k, three men managed PBs.

They were Ben Sewell, who also won the race, in 34:28, Tom Barclay in 34:37 and Shahab Ahmad in 34:43.

Overton finished in 35:03 while Sophie Thrussell was NHRR’s first lady over the line in 40:59.

Six Squirrels headed to Rutland Water to take part in the Rutland Water Night-time 10k.

Plenty of runners chose to wear fairy lights and due to the out and back design of the course, many just see a stream of colourful lights.

Lucy O’Connor, Linda Aird, Miranda Morgan and Georgia Barker all achieved age group placings with Jo Kenlin and Richard Barker also at the event.