Stubbington Green Runners

MARK LE GASSICK stepped on the gas to win the New Forest 10 in some considerable style.

Just a day after representing the club at a Southern League track meeting in Guildford, where he ran the 5,000m and the 1,500m, Mark ran an impressive race to win by almost a minute.

And to complete a great day for the club, teenager Ryan Gunner, who was too young to compete in the main event, won the three-mile race in a blistering time.

A year ago, the New Forest 10 was run in blistering 35 degree heat. In fact the 12.45pm start time in early July has caught out many runners with the temperature. This year the organisers sensibly put back the start time at New Park Farm near Brockenhurst to 11.15am - although it has been argued that 10am would be a far better start time.

However, the race attracted a field of 769 runners from all over the country, as well as a contingent from Dubai.

Despite the heavy overnight rain, the skies were starting to show specks of blue come race time, and during the race itself it did get quite warm in the forest.

Mark, wearing his trademark sunglasses, made all the early running along with Winchester & District's Matthew King.

The pair were out in front from early on, and the Stubbington runner admitted later that the toughest part of the race was the open forest roads for the first three miles where the field was buffeted by winds.

But as the race turned into the forest by Rhinefield House and along forest tracks Mark forged ahead to win in 55min 30sec, from second-placed King in 56:40.

Afterwards, Mark said he was delighted with both the win and his time, which was around 5min 30sec pace.

"Considering that I ran a 5,000m (15.55) and a 1,500 (4.19) the day before, that is not too shabby at all," he said.

Mark revealed that for the past couple of years he had put off from running the New Forest 10 because of the late start time. "When I saw that this year that the organisers had moved it back to a more sensible 11.15am, I thought I'd do it even though I had the track and field the day before," he explained.

"As a rule, I usually don't run on two consecutive days and I certainly don't like to race two days in a row - and after Sunday I now know why!

"At the start I ran with Matt King and just before the two-mile point I felt quite good so I picked up the pace slightly and took the lead. That was just before the turn into the wind between two and three miles, which was nasty!

"After that it was another time-trial like race (similar to Hardley and Alton) - out on my own trying to keep a decent rythm and pace going for the remaining eight miles.

"I was very glad of the coolish conditions and breeze in the enclosed forest as it must be really unbearable when it's hot in there!"

It was a good day for the Stubbington club, with 15-year-old Ryan Gunner winning the three-mile race in a time of 18min 50sec.

Despite an RR10 race on Wednesday, and the 6.5 Special on Friday, there was a good turn-out of Stubbington runners.

The men's team finished fourth behind winners Witney Road Runners from Oxfordshire. Ray Gunner is pulling in some terrific performances of late. A scorching run at Itchen Valley Country Park last week was followed on Sunday by a superb 17th place in 1hr 2min 36sec.

Ben Whittaker came in 68th place in 1:09.02, and Jon Leigh competed the scoring with a very steady run of 1:11.25 for 105th spot.

For the ladies, Lauren Coates was our best-placed runner in 240th overall with a time of  1:18.01, which gave her 42nd lady. Rachel Whittaker and Chris Haskell both managed to duck under the 90 minute mark with Rachel clocking a time of 1:29.04 for 461st, and Chris just behind her in 1:29.51 for 481st.

Winchester & District AC's Kath Bailey won the women's race in a time of 1:02.5 for 17th place overall. Corsham Running Club from Wiltshire won the ladies team prize. 

Other Stubbington runners: 135th: Dave King 1:12.58, 159th: Nick Kimber 1:14.13, 169th: Marcus Lee 1:14.33, 274th: Simon Holford 1:19.35, 487th: Joseph McDonald 1:30.03, 505th: Heather Bowers 1:30.56, 632nd: Jacquelyn Sherman 1:38.31.

Above photo courtesy of the Southern Daily Echo | Click here for more photos.