Coming up with ever more inventive ways to keep its runners motivated and at peak fitness, Colchester Harriers took on rival Essex club Woodford Green and Essex Ladies (WGEL) in a virtual mob match over the weekend.  With every runner’s performance counting towards the result and an age-graded competition too, every participant had a stake in the result and an incentive to perform.

Many of the Harriers ran on a course around Stanway specially set up for the purpose, and there were some outstanding individual performances.  Ben Felton ran the fastest time for the Harriers, the new boy continuing to impress with an excellent time of 32:48 and finishing with the second fastest time overall behind UK steeplechase champion and WGEL runner Phil Norman.  Tom Cresswell was second fastest in green, clocking 34:58 and just edging out Jonathan Nears who ran 35:03.  In the women’s event Colchester’s Jennifer Lovelock continued her fine recent run with a time of 41:05 to finish second overall, with Eleanor Mayne taking third with her run of 43:46 whilst Ellie Cumner also impressed with 40:59, although her entry came too late to count in the official competition. 

The age-graded competition was also keenly fought with 63 year old Kelvedon based Paul Mingay posting an outstanding time of 36:51 to edge out WGEL’s Dave Cox and aforementioned national champion Norman to take the title.  Mingay’s run helped Harriers edge the age-graded competition whilst Woodford Green took the honours overall.