Last Wednesday evening, after the weekly club runs, Newport & District Running Club came together for their annual AGM and Awards Presentation Evening at Newport Bowling Club.

To start the evening, attendees were treated to a “chip supper”, paid for by the club, and sourced from a local fish and chip shop, which gave everyone a chance to recover from the evening’s run and catch up with friends.

The AGM came next, with the usual formalities that accompany such a meeting, and each committee member gave an update on what work they’ve been doing behind the scenes for the past 12 months. The only change on the committee was a new secretary, as Emily Pope stood down, and was thanked for her hard work since taking on the role. Former co-chair Annabel Bolton was elected as the new secretary, with Jo Lutner taking on full chair responsibilities.

The formalities concluded, it was time for the presentation of the club’s annual prizes. These awards reflect club members’ achievements over the course of 2023, with members submitting their best times from certain distances for consideration, as well as voting for fellow members on awards such as “most improved” and “contribution to the club”.

Back row (L-R): David Clarke, Alex Cochrane, James McCaughern, Kevin Nicklin, Kay Wilkinson, Verity Dodd, Ellen Deighton, Louise Patterson, Nigel Ingram, Alex Millington, Robin Guy.
Front Row (L-R): Jo Lutner, Annabel Bolton

Prizes for various race distances include the outright fastest male and female runners, as well as “age graded” awards which adjust times depending on the age category of the runner.

List of winners:

Age Graded 5K:
Men: Robin Guy
Women: Elizabeth Bennett
Age Graded 10K:
Men: Robin Guy
Women: Kay Wilkinson
Age Graded Half Marathon:
Men: Robin Guy
Women: Elizabeth Bennett
Age Graded Marathon:
Men: Robin Guy
Women: Annabel Bolton
Fastest 5k:
Men: David Clarke
Women: Elizabeth Bennett
Fastest 10K:
Men: Alex Millington
Women: Kay Wilkinson
Fastest Half Marathon:
Men: David Clarke
Women: Elizabeth Bennett
Fastest Marathon:
Men: Robin Guy
Women: Jo Lutner
Ultra Marathon:
Men: James McCaughern
Women: Ellen Deighton
Most Improved Runner:
Men: Alex Millington
Women: Louise Patterson
Most Promising Young Runner: Verity Dodd
Strowger Award (Effort and Participation in Races): Alex Cochrane
MacDonald-Jones Award (Inspiring Others): Nigel Ingram
Contribution to the Club:
Men: Kevin Nicklin
Women: Jo Lutner