Last Wednesday evening saw 22 Newport & District Running Club members take part in the Phoenix Flyer, the second race in the Sexarathon series, hosted by Telford AC. The Phoenix Flyer is a 5k race which takes in three laps of Dawley Town Centre, and takes its name from the nearby Phoenix school. This year saw the trial of the race being run in two parts – an “elite” race for runners who expected to finish in under 21 minutes, and then a second “masses” race, which meant that people were able to support clubmates before or after their own race.

Team NDRC (plus photobombers!) at the Phoenix Flyer

David Clarke was the first NDRC member to finish, taking 31st place overall in a time of 17 minutes, 46 seconds, whilst Robin Guy took 46th overall, and 2nd in his category, with a time of 18:15. David Brown was 133rd in a time of 21:01, just ahead of Alex Cochrane, who ran a PB of 21:21 to finish 134th. In 140th position was Phil Link, who clocked a time of 21:25, as did Phil Dolding in 146th. Andrew Wilmot stopped the clock at 21:44 for 149th place, whilst Oliver Stokes took 19th in 23:00, and Graham Rogers ran a time of 23:13 in 200th position, just ahead of Kirsty Greenhead, who clocked 23:20 in 205th. 

David Brown (406), Phil Dolding (green & purple Newport vest) and Alex Cochrane (391) run as a group in the early stages

Carrie Stokes was next, and she finished 245th in 24:45. Ralph Humphries finished 27th in a time of 26:03, just ahead of Helen Mason, who clocked 26:09 in 278th position. Louise Patterson smashed her 5k PB with a time of 26:57 to finish 296th, whilst Emily (27:29) and Tom (27:30) Pope ran and finished together in 305th and 306th respectively. Mathew Richards stopped the clock at 27:51 in 319th position, whilst Anne Richards was 341st in 29:38. Matthew Humphries finished 349th in 30:23, closely followed by Steve Cannon, who was 356th with his time of 30:27. Anne Strowger won her age category with her time of 31:07 in 363rd place overall, and John Stokes took 383rd spot in a time of 33:24.

Ollie Stokes chases down Kirsty Greenhead during the race

The Sexarathon continues on Wednesday 14th June with a 4-mile race at Granville Country Park.

More photos from the 2023 Phoenix Flyer here (courtesy of Martin Murdoch)

Ralph Humphries seemed to be enjoying himself!