THE Harwich Parkrun has now been running for six months and recently attracted its second-highest field.

Eighty-six runners lined up on the Cliff Park starting line, among which were 23 Harwich Runners.

On a new route that avoided the wet and slippery grass section around the Barrack Lane field, the runners faced a two-lap course run entirely on Tarmac paths.

This gave the opportunity for fast times – and so it proved, with ten members achieving new personal bests (PBs).

Leading from the start and first to complete the five-kilometre course was promising newcomer Sebastian Keczmerski, in 19 minutes and 32 seconds.

There was a close battle for third and fourth between Aaron Rudkin (20m 16s) and junior Archie Barrington (20m 17s).

The youngster did have the consolation of setting yet another best time, on this occasion by five seconds.

Another new member, Hugo Jardim, was fifth in 21m 30s, followed by Ian Cannons (22m 42s) in eighth and super-veteran and organiser Dennis Warner, just making the top ten in 22m 50s.

The first female Harwich Runner home was again Claire Gooding-Matthews, who was second woman and 16th overall in 24m 12s.

Claire Bransby (25m 34s) and Ann Piercy (27m 1s) were fifth and seventh female finishers respectively.

Piercy also had the honour of being the only person to have completed all 29 Parkruns at Harwich to date.

One club member turned out at another event and that was Peter Fraser-Hopewell, who notched up yet another 60-64 years age group win in 23m 34s and finished 76th overall in a large contingent of 333 at the Colchester Castle Parkrun.