15th Gibside Fruit Bowl

 Report by Mike Swainson, Blackhill Bounders.

Our 15^th Fruitbowl race was perhaps our best ever. Entries for the race closed in early October 2011 and many unlucky people were left to rue their late attempt to partake.

The race is quite difficult to organise having to take into contention the day to day running of this popular and busy National Trust attraction but congratulations must go to Race Director Sue Shaw and to Jackie Potts the Course Director for the total success of the event. Thanks must also be given to the Gibside staff and all the Bounders who threw themselves headlong into ensuring everything was in place to give the runners and visitors something to remember.

From early morning it was obvious that the day was going to be something special. The weather was perfect for running, sunny and crisp at the start and warming slightly as the day progressed but perhaps the most stunning memory will be the autumn colours of the trees and the smiling faces of runners and spectators alike.  Like I said before the “race was perhaps our best ever*

The course has its own little description – “not flat” but this did not seem to cause faces to frown in fact even on the toughest bits runners kept up the smiley face syndrome – OK there might have been the slightest of grimaces on the toughest bits but runners need a little bit of that just to prove they are working at their limit – or say they tell me !!

Congratulations to all category winners particularly our overall winners;

First male – Graeme Taylor, Morpeth Harriers 32:28

First female – Jane Hodgson, Morpeth Harriers 37:17

And a big “WELL DONE” to all competitors.

Thanks must also go to our sponsors;

The National Trust.

Brooks.

Start Fitness.     

Northumbrian Water.

St. Johns Ambulance.

Referees Bill McGuirk and Les Venmore.

Results for 15th Gibside Fruit Bowl Trail Race November 6th 2011.

Gibside Results 2011 (PDF)

Gibside Results 2011 (Excel)

Don’t forget to enter early for the 16th running of the race 21/10/12