Garden City Runners were left absolutely delighted with the traditional end to the Midweek Road Race League season - and that was before they got to the actual race.

The Welwyn Garden City club have the honour of hosting the mob match, the final race of the season which brings clubs from all three divisions together for one final race.

The 10k course started and finished at Ridgeway Academy which also hosted the end of season prizegiving ceremony, immediately after the finish.

 

GCR's Rebecca Barden said: "Huge thanks to race director Tim Cooke, master of ceremonies Peter Harvey, chief marshall Sean Bowen, Midweek League club rep Hannah Frank, the catering crew team leader Jacqueline McCallum and everyone who marshalled and volunteered before, during and after the event.

"GCRs put on a great show."

And that was true of the race itself with the club battling to second place overall behind Division One champions St Albans Striders.

That was in the main due to a fabulous team win for the GCR women, although the second place for the men was nothing to be sniffed at either.

The club's veteran runners were also the winners overall in their category.

On an individual front, Juliet Vine was third in the women’s race with Lizzy Parry sixth and Martha Hall 13th.

In the men’s race, Bradley Birch was fifth, Daniel Pudner eighth and Ben Carr ninth.

It was a good way to end what has still been a fabulous season for the league, even if fantastic participation and team spirit across the four scoring races was not enough to prevent GCR from being relegated to Division Two.

They did have some of their athletes receiving trophies at the awards ceremony too.

Birch was third in the men’s open competition while Vine placed third in the women’s.

In age groups, Peter Harvey was third MV50 and Mike Russell first MV60.

In the women’s V55 category, GCR scored a one-two with Barden winning first and Sarah Durston second prize.