Boy, nine, does the double in Hairy Legs challenge

MORE than 400 children and adults took part in this year’s Hairy Legs challenge in Goring.

The event took place at Sheepcot recreation ground, off Gatehampton Road, on Saturday.

Runners warmed up beforehand but were warned not to overdo it in the sultry weather.

Adults ran either two laps of a hilly 6km course through woodland between Goring and Whitchurch or a single lap as part of a relay with a partner.

There was also Teenage Kicks One, a race for children in school years 7 to 9, while those in years 10 to 13 entered Teenage Kicks Two.

Children in years 1 to 3 took part in Little Legs One, which was a lap of the field with obstacles like running under a tarpaulin, through tyres and the “circle of doom”. Those in years 4 to 6 did two laps for Little Legs Two.

The main race was won by Freddie Siemers in a time of 54 minutes and 48 seconds and the fastest woman was Dolly McPherson who came home in just over an hour.

Elliot Parsley, nine, a pupil at Goring Primary School, won the Little Legs Two race in a time of six minutes, 24 seconds — a year after winning the Little Legs One.

He said: “When I crossed the line, I felt happy. At the start I was thinking that I wasn’t going to win because I was against all the year sixes and I am in year four. I felt really proud of myself.

“It was really hard because it was uphill. I was trying really hard and using up a lot of energy.

“All my friends were cheering me on, which helped me to keep going when it was difficult.”

His father Kieran, 51, said: “He has always been an active child with lots of energy. It has been in the last couple of years that he has sort of taken up running. After winning last year, we put him through to Little Legs Two. He was in the lowest age group so we were kind of managing his expectations as was racing against 11-year-olds but he was amazing and on such a hot day too.”

Leighton Elliott, eight, who had a liver transplant when he was just one, completed Little Legs Two race. He said: “It was very tiring and hard.”

His mother Anna, said: “It’s magical that he can run. He is immunosuppressant and is doing well. We would not have thought he would be doing this.”

Jodie Brinson, a fitness trainer who had organised the event for the last time since taking over in 2015, said: “The turnout and the support have been fantastic. There is lots of fun, enthusiasm and positivity. A great day.”

Prizes were awarded to those in first place in each category. All participants received a free T-shirt.

The event, which also featured a climbing wall and refreshment tent, was followed by drinks and a barbecue at the Catherine Wheel in Goring.

The main sponsor was Goring estate agent Warmingham & Co. The other sponsors were Cranford School and Premier Heating
Solutions. The proceeds will go to Goring and Streatley primary schools.

The full results were as follows:

Adults

Males — Freddie Siemers 54.48 minutes

Females — Dolly McPherson 65

Old Crumblies

Males — Jake Morris 58.43

Females — Caroline Frank 75

Couples Relay — We Are Not Runners (Harry Rose and Toni Woods) 51.54

Parent Teen Relay — The Runners-Up (Charlie and Dominic Baker) 55.44

Open Relay — Johnny and Cole (Joey Hartley and Harry Mitson) 50.30

Teenage Kicks One

Males — Josh Sudbury 24.48

Females — Anna Howe 30.59

Teenage Kicks Two

Males -— Charlie Baker 23.42

Females — Grace Bartram 34.05

Little Legs One

Males — 1 Bryn Griffiths 3.33;
2 Isaac Bergvall 3.46; 3 Bonnie Martin 3.50

Female — 1 Imogen Harrison-Ellis 3.40; 2 Eleanor Hooker 3.57;
3 Alice Wardle 4.05

Little Legs Two

Males — 1 Elliot Parsley 6.24 (Course record); 2 Will Nicholson 6.39, 3 Theo Tapping 6.43

Females — 1 Martha Sudbury 7.05; 2 Elena Bastawrous 7.16;
3 Juliet Asselin-Miller 7.24