Speedy Pete celebrates century in style at Portsmouth Lakeside

Left to right: Jane Collins, Pete Collins and Mike Collins. Picture: Malcolm Wells (160813-2158)

He was cheered on to a first place finish, the 10th time he has led the way at Lakeside.

The occasion was marked with cake and also a dinosaur balloon.

The speedy Portsmouth Joggers runner, who has a best of 17min 07sec at Lakeside, enjoyed his leisurely morning, finishing in 17.45 comfortably clear in first position.

He said: ‘My 100th parkrun at my home run was really good fun and well overdue.

‘Parkrun helped me get back into running after getting unfit after a 10-year break.

‘After running my first at Netley Abbey to my 50th at QE and my 100th at Lakeside, it is really the community spirit and friends you meet that gets you hooked, especially if you are not originally from the area.

‘It was short notice for the arrangements for my 100th run but a large number of Joggers still turned up to support which is what makes parkrun so special.

‘I now can’t wait for my 250th, although I think I ate way too much cake and while the running dinosaur balloon sums it up, I’m not that old!’

As well as doing 34 runs at Queen Elizabeth, 21 at Lakeside, 15 at Havant, eight at Netley and seven at Southsea, he has also run at Eastleigh, Fareham, Lee-on-the-Solent, Whiteley, Chichester, Alice Holt, Bognor, Wormwood Scrubs, Gladstone, Northala Fields, Newport, Eastbourne and Southend.

Gosport’s Chris Buxton finished second on Saturday in 18.27 and third was Chichester’s Charlie Benson in 18.41.

Jo Payze ran 22.00 to finish first lady with Noemie Plumridge second in 22.31, Samantha Blackledge third in 23.01 and Saxony Anders fourth (23.07).

There was a big turnout for Portsmouth Joggers as many took up the volunteer positions and there lots of good times recorded with personal bests for Christopher Owen-Smith, Tess Pritchard, Adam Swatton, Yvonne Morris, Gissele Leishman, Simon Langley and David Eneas.

In total 193 people ran, jogged and walked the course, with 24 first timers and 48 recorded new personal bests.

Alison Strudwick and Alex Hancock both ran well to get new Lakeside personal bests.

Lesley Wilman, of Clanfield, and Andrew Flynn, of Victory, also both set their fastest times for the 5k course around the lake at Lakeside, North Harbour.

All parkruns are free to enter and rely on volunteers to ensure they can take place each week.

For more details about how to register see the website parkrun.org.uk/portsmouthlakeside