Three Counties runers tackle Great North Run solo challenge

After the disappointing cancellation of the Great North Run, Three Counties Running Club members, husband and wife Phil and Vicki Newton, and Ewa Szczygielska took to the roads as part of the GNR Solo Challenge.

The challenge was to run a minimum of 100 miles for a bronze medal, 200 miles for silver and 300 miles for gold.

The miles had to be covered across 40 runs and in 78 days.

Phil and Vicki decided to challenge themselves to a gold medal effort and managed to reach their target with a week to spare. If that wasn’t enough, they decided to challenge themselves by running the GNR Halloween Challenge, again achieving gold medals with a minimum of 125 miles, which had to be run between October 1 and 30.

Ewa also did a fantastic job in the GNR Solo by covering 106.1 miles within the time limit, earning herself a well-deserved bronze medal and also 50 miles in the GNR Halloween Challenge.

Both challenges helped to raise money for the National Health Service.

Ewa, along with fellow club member Victoria May, also took part in the 10th Arthur Rank Hospice 5k on Sunday.

Again, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this was another virtual run.

The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity (ARHC) supports people in Cambridgeshire living with advanced serious illnesses or with other life limiting conditions.

It takes £8.56 million a year to operate their services, which are provided free of charge to those in need of vital care, so all money raised is greatly received. Ewa completed her run in a time of 38.14 and Victoria in 27.23.

Next week sees TCRC take part in March AC’s Hereward Relay which will also be a virtual event.