Many long-serving members of Morpeth Harriers & AC, are currently mourning the recent loss of their legendary coach Bryan Simpson at the age of 95 following a short period of illness.
Bryan was not only a coach, but also a much-loved father figure to many of his young charges, who just happened to come his way, and experienced development, not only as athletes, but also as growing adults. The very nature and wisdom of Bryan stretched far beyond the training ground, as one of his young products Mark Brown readily testifies in the following account. Bryan Simpson coached a number of runners over the years as part of Morpeth Harriers. His interest in running started when he was doing National Service and was a talented runner himself. He started out coaching at Morpeth and had the kids running a loop around the Stanners in Morpeth and back up Newgate Street. He told the tale of finding some of them stopping running to look in the shop windows, so that's where he decided to set up a loop where he could keep an eye on them all and make sure he was getting the best out of everyone. That loop was on the sand dunes at Seaton Sluice where he made sure training could take place all year round in all weathers by putting up lamps around the course. He was so committed to his coaching, picking up the runners around Blyth and beyond in his van and making sure everyone was able to get involved and get to the competitions. He devoted so much time to the club with his coaching and many of us who were lucky to have been part of this have used similar words to describe the impact he had on us all. Words his runners have all used when his name is mentioned include: Selfless, father figure, devoted, encouraging, committed, kind, caring, dedicated, inspiring, friendly, gentleman, a great man, a great coach. He helped influence and shape many of us. Bryan enabled opportunities for kids who otherwise may have been getting up to mischief on the streets. He didn't show preference on ability either and involved everyone and encouraged everyone to give their best for themselves. Having said that around 30 members of the groups that he coached over the years gained England Vests and he enjoyed friendly competition with another great north-east coach Stan Long with who he became good friends with. He was assisted for many years with the help of Judith who deserves a special mention and who was a great friend to Bryan and will miss him terribly. He will be a terrible miss to all his friends and family and when we remember him, we all know we are fortunate to have had this giant of a man in our lives and can smile at so many memories he created for us all. Rest in peace coach. Bryan’s funeral will take place on Thursday 13 February at 3.15pm at Cowpen Crematorium. All friends are kindly invited to attend, family flowers only, donations in lieu to Parkinson’s UK, as per his family’s wish.
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Finishing third himself, Joe Dixon led Morpeth’s Under 20 Junior Men’s team to a comprehensive victory at the Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships in Cheshire on Saturday.
Held in the idyllic pastoral setting of Tatton Park, just outside Knutsford, the calm and sunny conditions provided a remarkable contrast to the previous day’s stormy weather with the going largely good under foot for the hundreds of runners from across the North who turned out. As expected, local vests from clubs across the North West were predominant, along with many from Yorkshire - notably Leeds City AC and Sheffield’s Hallamshire Harriers - but there was also a reasonable smattering of runners of all ages from the North East who had made the 500-mile return journey to be part of what is the largest cross country meeting in the North. Joe formed part of a small leading group at the front of his field, with Biruk Aduna Kebede of Clayton le Moors making a break at the start of the second lap over the 7.90 kilometre course and the Morpeth runner the only athlete trying to stay in touch. With Kebede clearly in very good form and extending his lead over the last two kilometres to win by over 20 seconds, it became a battle for the Silver medal, with Dixon fighting hard with Skyrac AC’s Abdimajid Darood in the last hundred metres and only losing out by a narrow two-second margin in the run in. Joe was backed up by a strong Morpeth squad, some of whom like him had been winners in the Under 17s at Blackburn then at Sedgefield in the U20s last year, with Elliot Kelso coming in 10th, Ralph Robson 13th and Bertie Marr 15th. With three to count for the team, Bertie unfortunately missed out this time but the miserly team count of only 26 points provided a massive winning margin. The Junior Men’s success was certainly the highlight for the club, but there were some other good performances in the earlier races. In their first taste of racing at this level, Heidi Wilkinson placed 40th in the Under 13 Girls with team mate Zoe Tomlinson 73rd, while in the U/13 Boys, run over the same 3.15km distance, Mason Gaylor, coming in 18th, looked fearless as he posted a top twenty finish in a field of well over 100 runners. Mason was supported by Jack Dhawar in 69th and Jacob Thompson 112th, the three runners again proudly wearing their blue and white vests as they had done in the Northern Road Relays in Blackburn some months ago. Faye Heatley and Emma Tomlinson both ran well in the U/15 Girls, with Faye first back for the club in 67th and Emma 97th, while Emma and Zoe’s older brother Oliver had an excellent run in the U/17s to come back in 27th place and Tabitha Robson placed 28th in the Junior Women’s race. Last race of the day, the Senior Men’s over the day’s longest, three lap distance of 11.75 strength sapping kilometres, also saw the biggest field of just short of four hundred. Won by City of York’s Angus McMillan in 35 minutes and 37 seconds, Morpeth’s Phil Winkler had one of his best ever efforts for the club, the ex Duchess High School pupil having an outstanding run to place 7th in 36:37, and up to 5th at one point. Sam Hancox was 55th in 39:30 and Matthew Briggs 88th in 40:54, both athletes still working their way back to their best form. Struck by late injuries and withdrawals however, for the first time in a long time Morpeth failed to field a full six for the team count with only Sunderland Harriers registering for the North East and no complete teams either from Gateshead, Tyne Bridge or NSP. Sunderland vests were also out in the force in the penultimate Senior Women’s race, won by Hallamshire Harrier Lauren Hayes, with Morpeth disappointingly not represented after their strong showing in the North Easterns. Again, Sunderland Harriers turned out in force for a strong showing. Leeds City AC were winners in both Men’s and Women’s Senior fixtures. Well done to all 16 club members who turned out and represented the club so well, but it has to be said that after such strong showings in the North Eastern Championships, this felt disappointingly like one step forward, two steps back. Morpeth Harriers specialist Woman Thrower Claire Reid was in competitive action at Sheffield Indoor Arena on Sunday, finishing third overall in the Women’s Shot Putt at the British Masters Open Pentathlon.
She produced a best throw of 9.57m, which clearly shows that the Scottish based athlete is in superb form. Several athletes from the ranks of Morpeth Harriers & AC competed at the annual Northumberland Schools Cross Country Championships, held at Temple Park, South Shields on Tuesday 21 January.
By virtue of finishing in the top 16 of their respective events, a number of the club’s athletes will have received an invitation to compete at the Northern Schools Inter Counties competition, scheduled to take place at Middlesbrough’s Stewart Park, on Saturday 8 February. This will be the final stepping stone before the Northumberland Schools selectors make their final team choices for the annual English Schools Cross Country Championships, which this year are being held at Ardingly, in West Sussex on Saturday 15 March. Mason Gaylor produced an excellent run to finish third in the Junior Boys event, an event that also saw fellow Morpeth Harrier Jack Dhawar finish just outside those vital top 16 places (just one second outside in 17th), so whether he gets a nod for Middlesbrough is in the laps of the gods. Ben Moll and Harry Douglas both qualified from the Intermediate Boys, finishing 12th and 14th respectively. Three Morpeth Harriers competed in the Senior Boys event. Joe Close finished third, Ollie Tomlinson was fourth, and Harrison Armstrong finished in 14th spot. Sisters Lucy and Faye Heatley both produced excellent runs to finish eighth on each occasion in their respective Minor and Junior Girls events. Other Morpeth Harriers competing in the Minor Girls event were Emily Hodgson (25th), and Izzy Cromar (48th). Alongside the older Heatley in the Junior Girls event were Heidi Wilkinson, who ran well and placed tenth, Lucy Sage, who finished 18th and Zoe Tomlinson, who finished in 13rd place. In the Intermediate Girls event, Molly Roche placed fourth, and Emma Tomlinson finished in eighth place. Tabitha Robson finished tenth in the Senior Girls event. Run Through Newcastle 10k
Saturday’s A race on the Quayside was won by Belgrave Harrier Samuel Gebreselassie in 29 minutes 43 seconds with Birchfield Harrier Omar Ahmed 2nd in 29:54 and Morpeth’s Finn Brodie 3rd in 29:56. For Morpeth, Phil Winkler was 9th in 30:37, George Lowry 11th in 31:16, James Tilley 14th in 31:45, Matthew Briggs 33rd in 32:54, Lee Cuthbertson 38th in 33:34, Robyn Bennett 159th and 15th Female in 39:32 and Kirsty Burville 163rd and 1st O/45 in 40:40. Camilla Mcknespiey of Leeds took the Women’s prize in 34:15 with Stockport Harrier Mollie Williams 2nd in 34:36 and NSP’s O/40 Charlotte Penfold 3rd (35:09). There were nearly 2000 finishers in the B race that followed, where Richard Glennie was 75th in 41:32, Stephen Johnstone 511th in 48:53 and Sophie Ward 294th and 44th Female in 45:25. Brass Monkey Sunday morning’s ever popular – and very rapidly sold-out – Brass Monkey half marathon in York saw a big win by Morpeth’s in-form Lawrence Mccourt, 1st back in an outstanding time of 1 hour 5 minutes and 26 seconds and winning by over a minute from Freddie Roden of Leeds based Abbey Runners (1:06:55) and Durham City’s Dan Garbutt (1:06;59). Leeds City’s Heather Townsend won the women’s race in a similarly excellent 1:14:15. with Houghton’s Under 20 Charlotte Dillon 2nd in 1:15:14 and Lincoln Wellington’s Charlie Thornton 3rd (1:16:20). Morpeth’s Jake Parmley was 262nd in 1:25:26 and Andriy Volkov 416th in 1:27:32 Husband and wife Jane (1:34:36) and Richard Kirby (1:44:25) were 660th and 8th O/50 and 962nd respectively, with Jane’s training companion Anna Wright 595th and 12th O/40 in 1:32:38. Some 1711 finished. Gateshead Indoor Series Three Morpeth Harriers were in competitive action over 60m at the third and penultimate meeting of the Gateshead Harriers Indoor Series, held at Gateshead College on the evening of Thursday 16 January. In the Under 15 Boys B Final, Charlie Townsend furthered his sprint education, by finishing third, with a new personal best over the distance of 8.30s. That performance also saw him place third overall in his age group. In the more senior events, Under 20 Woman Freya Caygill finished first in her heat, also posting new figures of 8.10s, which also saw her finish fifth overall in her age category. Veteran athlete Trevor Hodgson mixed it with the seniors, finishing second in his heat with 7.61s, which placed him sixth in his category. |
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