The famous Great North Run from Newcastle to South Shields featured six Burndeners this year - all crossing the finish line under 2hrs 31mins.

The popular race, with its field of 60,000, Geordie views and visions in the sky of the Red Arrows, is the ultimate half for many runners and a lucky place in the ballot is on many a wish list.

First to fly home for the club was Steven Walsh in 1:56:17 - a course personal-best time for his third outing there.

Next up were the Normans, Andy and Rachel, who held strong and finished in identical times of 2:05:05. Joining the couple with more reasons to smile were David and Julie Morrison in 2:20:13 and 2:20:14, respectively.

Completing the collective was sixth Road Runner, Diane Wylie, in 2:30:05.

Carolyn Edwards has such commitment to Burnden Road Runners that she travels miles from her home in Haworth to join the club on many races.

But last week, she was on home turf as she was back for 2024 to face the fells of the Yorkshireman Half.

She was not daunted as she ascended 1,750 feet and completed the route - actually longer than a half at 14.7 miles - in 3:39:54.

After her successful debut at last year’s Cheshire Half, Sarah Brown was back again to outdo herself - and that she definitely did!

No longer her first half-marathon, the Cheshire still gave Brown another first - a sub-60 at 59:25 and a 10K PB.

Her full finishing time left her beaming as she took a whopping 29 minutes from her 2023 time to finish in 2:14:43.

The Burnden Bees were back in town this week with two new Queens, Sarah Brown and Jennifer Entwistle, to run the Hive as Burnden’s Couch to 5K took off.

Run leader Brown, summarised the success of week one: “We were delighted to welcome a full group of 15 enthusiastic Couch to 5k attendees, made up of new faces and a few familiar ones.

“As explained to the group, throwing and catching a beanbag has nothing at all to do with running ability.. but it did provide a fun way to introduce ourselves and start to warm-up.

“We completed week one out of nine, with lots of smiles and promises to return next week, so congratulations to all.”