With Monkseaton turned into a Ghost town because of the pandemic, the Clive Cookson 10km had to wait two years before the Velvet Underground Race T shirt could be replaced with something special. The cry of enjoy yourself went up and the JJs ditched their man at C&A look and pulled on the blue vest to race through the concrete jungle.
So you are wondering how they got on? Well the King of Ska was Tom for the JJs, with a great run, clocking 38:18 coming in 47th with Rob Mulligan 37 places behind with 41:15. Cliff Vetch continued his great form of racing clocking a new PB of 42:26. Marcus Clark, pulling on the JJs vest in anger for only the third time, ran a good 42:52. Angus Miller was storming around in 43:33 with Simon Wells, looking like he had done too much too young, or maybe the six races in three weeks had finally caught up with him, ran 44:12. Tim Cook was back to form with a good 47:05, with David Newman just getting under 55mins with a 54:58 clocking. The JJs were brought home by Martyn Collins, who always turns up for the JJs in these local races, clocked 56:22.
The prize for the night, was a superb Specials inspired race T shirt, as you may have guessed, ensuring that the JJs didn’t return home looking like a man at C&A, and they went off to Pearls’ Café, or the nearest local hostelry, for well-earned refreshments after a muggy night of racing at a great local race. So do nothing and you miss out is motto of this two tone race.
A prize may or may not be awarded for the nine Specials songs named in this report!
47th Tom Dowling MV45 6/41 38:15
80th Robert Mulligan MSEN 23/39 41:05
95th Cliff Veitch MV55 6/27 42:15 PB
103rd Marcus Clarke MSEN 25/39 42:40
125th Angus Miller MSEN 27/39 43:33
131st Simon Wells MV50 13/41 44:01
176th Tim Cook MV60 5/14 46:40
270th David Newman MV60 8/14 54:17
292nd Martyn Collins MV50 32/41 56:22