Newport running club celebrates a top year and looks to the future
A running club celebrated a year to remember, honouring some of its high achievers and thanking two club stalwarts who stepped down from their roles.
Newport & District Running Club held its annual general meeting at Edgmond Village Hall, followed by its traditional awards night.
At the meeting members looked back on the many races organised throughout 2018, including the second successful Christmas treasure hunt through Newport's town centre.
They also heard about the creation of a new run, the Tibberton Trot, masterminded by club member Martin Murdoch.
Members paid tribute to Bernie Holbrook, club president for the past three years and member for more than 30 years. In his last function as president he handed out trophies and shields to the award winners.
Bernie, 61, said: "I've been involved with the club for over 35 years, I was pretty much there from the start. The joke is that you have to be old to get the president job.
"I try and help people, I introduce myself to new runners and tell them about how great a club we are. I'm quite talkative anyway so it has worked well.
"I'm very proud of what the club has done, I'm quite protective of it.
"It's time to give somebody else a chance."
Fish and chips
The next president will be chosen at the club committee's next meeting.
Another long-serving member to hand over his reins on the award night was publicity officer Mark Deighton, who helped promote the club's activities for more than 20 years since joining in 1993.
His role will now be filled by Neil Fairbrother and Lee Sutton.
After the AGM concluded the members tucked into fish and chips from Jones' of Newport before the presentation of various running awards.
Pauline Walsh was the master of ceremonies and she also showcased pictures from throughout the year that she felt represented the club's ethos.
Runners were celebrated for the fastest times, male and female, in various race categories including ones adjusted for age.
One runner who swept the board was 28-year-old Joe Phillips, who won the fastest male 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon times over the year.
Notably he finished the Manchester Marathon last year in two hours and 41 minutes. The official men's world record is 2:01:39, held by Eliud Kipchoge.
Joe, who began running six years ago, qualified for this year's London Marathon for his impressive time.
'Humbling'
Ellen Deighton, Mark's daughter, also did well at the awards night. She ran the fastest female 5k and age-adjusted marathon and was named the most improved female runner.
She said: "It is very exciting and very unexpected. It's really nice for you to put the work in and to be recognised for it.
"I have managed to get new personal best times in every category in the last year.
"It is quite humbling."
Ellen chalked up her recent success partly to the club's new regular track sessions, held in Cosford and spearheaded by committee member Sarah Higginson.
Two memorial awards were handed out, in honour of two popular and much-missed runners.
Lee Sutton won the Duncan Strowger Award for his "seriousness and commitment" to running throughout the year, while Kay Wilkinson was given the Helen MacDonald-Jones Award for motivating and inspiring other runners.
Kevin Nicklin and Sarah Higginson were rewarded in the Contribution Award category.
Club chairman Robin Guy, who also won the male adjusted 5k, 10k and marathon awards, closed the meeting by thanking the members.
