Athletics: Barking Road Runners have fun in the sun as members take part in Palma de Mallorca 10k

Cristina Cooper faces the camera at the Velopark Duathlon (pic: Barking Road Runners) (Image: Archant)

Several Barking Road Runners ventured over to Mallorca for their latest efforts and Lee Johnson was the pick of the bunch.

They made the journey to take part in the Palma de Mallorca 10km run and Johnson finished in an impressive 11th spot with a time of 36 minutes and six seconds.

He was followed over the line by Derv Bartlett (41.40), Ronald Vialls (47.34), Andy Preston (52.26), Robert Courtier (1:03.45), Antony Maughan (1:10.01) and David George Mottley (1:18.01) Paul Ward took on the Palma de Mallorca marathon though and finished in an impressive time of 3:37.40.

Andy Horlock participated in the Wix five mile event and on a tough, undulating course through the Essex village, finished in a time of 52.17, while Mick Ball stopped the clock on 1:!5.49 when taking part in the Leigh on Sea Striders 10km event.

Cristina Cooper faces the camera at the Velopark Duathlon (pic: Barking Road Runners) (Image: Archant)

Meanwhile, a team of club runners led by Diarmuid MacDonald finished in a fine third place in the Velopark Duathlon, which took place in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

A number of other club runners formed splinter group teams, including Alain Cooper who competed in his first duathlon, Amanda Heslegrave, Anthony Leckerman, Cristina Cooper and Trevor Cooper.

Each had to run two miles, followed by a six mile effort on bike, and then ending with a one mile run. Cristina and Trevor Cooper also did particularly well having competed in the Norman & Saxon Eeyore Expedition Challenge at Ashdown Forest the day before, completing a distance of 16.5 miles in 3:36.00.

Over the parkrun distances, Philip Ellul was the first Barking man home at the Barking Park event in a time of 18.47, while Andrew Hiller completed his 50th parkrun event in a new personal best of 23.55.

Rory Burr (21.26) and Vicky Cooper (20.19) took on the Valentines Park and St Albans Park events respectively.

Gareth Tucker was up in Huddersfield and finished in 28.54, while Ray Taylor (33.51) competed at Raphael Park.

Thomas Coughlan (27.43) ran the Mile End parkrun, while Paul Withyman (20.31) finished the Hilly Fields equivalent and Barry Culling (24.49) was at Harrow Lodge. It seems it was another busy week for the club’s members.