RUN Hereford took a virtual form this year raising £1,500 for St Michael’s Hospice with 80 runners taking part in the event.
Local running club Hereford Couriers organised the virtual running race on the same week that hundreds of runners should have been taking part in the RUN Hereford event.
Instead runners across the county completed virtually over five-kilometre, 10km and half-marathon distances while maintaining the government’s social distancing guidelines.
Fastest male over the ‘5k’ was local running talent Henry White who recorded a time of 17 minutes and 14 seconds, ahead of Hereford Couriers’ Ryan Knight 17.47 with David O’Connell of Presteigne Pacers in third clocking 18.10.
Quickest female in the ‘5k’ race was Hereford & County AC youngster Eva Tyler who finished in 22 minutes and 29 seconds, second was Presteigne Pacers runner Helen Carter 23.19 while third was Hereford Tri-Club’s Rhiannon George in 24.50.
Meanwhile, in the 10km women’s race Susie Hay took victory in a time of 50 minutes and 21 seconds, ahead of Courier Bronwen Tyler-Jones 51.00 while Hannah Biddle picked up third place in a time of 51.57.
The fastest male was Dan Phillips who finished in 40 minutes and 46 seconds ahead of Nigel Hawkes who was second in 41:16 while Daniel George took third in 42.16.
Over the half marathon distance Andy Tyler was the quickest male in one hour, 22 minutes and nine seconds.
In a close finish the improving Presteigne Pacers runner Sam Butler finished 22 seconds behind in second while Hereford Courier Jake Underhill took third in 1:23.10
In the women’s race Croft Ambrey’s Jo Marriott completed her race in one hour, 42 minutes and 10 seconds to take first place. Wye Valley Runners’ duo Lou Foti and Lauren Williams battled out the remaining podium places finishing in 1:46.20 and 1:49.20 respectively to take second and third places.
Race organiser and Hereford Couriers runner Ben Skinner said: “We were disappointed to hear that the Run Hereford event had to be postponed.
“So the club committee decided to show our support and do something virtually – we have had some great success in our #KeepHerefordshireRunning initiative so we thought why not combine the two and raise some funds for the hospice.”
