2018 Durham Cathedral Relays

14/1/2018

Start of Senior Mens race

The annual Durham Cathedral Relays were held for the second occasion at the
Graham Sports Centre at Maiden Castle on Sunday 14th January 2018.

Morpeth Harriers had a total of nine full teams and three incomplete teams in action in the three events on offer,
successfully striking Gold twice, in the Veteran Men’s Over 35 and Over 55 age groups.
All races were run on a two-lap course, covering a total distance of three kilometres.

Their A team finished second to Durham University, just losing out by sixteen seconds.
It was a very close battle between the Morpeth A and B teams, with only two seconds dividing them.
As Durham University confirmed their victory, a huge battle for supremacy had developed between the chasing Morpeth A and B squad members Lewis Timmins and George Lowry.
With 200m remaining Lowry had gained the upper hand, however Timmins rallied to regain second spot,
as he posted a time of 9m03s, which was fifth fastest overall,
Lowry meanwhile had the second equal fastest time of 8m54s.

Earlier legs in the A team had been posted by Sam Hancox (9m17s), and Thomas Straughan (9m10s).
The earlier legs in the B team came from Joe Armstrong (9m04s), and Alistair Douglass (9m34s).

Andrew Lawrence (9m45s), Richard Castledine (10m09s), and Thomas Innes (10m19s)
saw the Morpeth Senior Men’s C team finish ninth overall.
Dean Lonsdale ran a very respectable 10m09s as a lone representative in a Morpeth Senior Men’s D team.

George Lowry in action at Durham

The club had no fewer than four complete teams in the Veteran Men’s event,
which also incorporated the North-East Masters Championship.

Their A Team, who were in the Over 35 age category, won by a thirty-three second margin from Sunderland Harriers, with excellent runs by Andrew Hebden (10m05s), John Butters (9m31s), and Chris Smith (9m18s).
Smith’s time was the fastest of the day, with Butters being third fastest.

The Morpeth B team, who were third in the Over 45 Men’s category,
were eighth overall, courtesy of Rob Hancox (10m40s), Graeme Thorpe (10m48s),
and Fergus Bates (10m29s).

Phil Walker (10m44s), Mike Winter (11m33s) and Paul Waterston (11m15s),
saw the Morpeth C team through to 14th overall, and were 6th Over 45 Veteran Men’s team.

Morpeth had more winners with their Over 55 Men’s A team, who were tenth overall,
courtesy of Neil McAnany (10m47s), David Nicholson (11m05s), and Tim Miley (10m52s).

Paul Bellingham (11m31s), and Peter Scaife (12m37s), lined up in an incomplete Morpeth Over 55 Men’s A team.

Chris Smith in action at Durham

In the Women’s event, the club had two complete teams,
and the A team finished second to a very strong North Shields Poly outfit
courtesy of Alison Brown (12m04s), Helen King (12m03s), and Jane Hodgson (10m29s).

Hodgson’s time, which was truly outstanding, was equal fastest to Charlotte Penfold
of leading club North Shields Poly, who had won by an 89 second margin.

The Morpeth Women’s B team comprising of Veteran athletes Helen Bruce(13m49s), Sue Smith (13m26s), and Lindsay Turnbull (13m16s), finished 22nd overall, and were ninth Over 35 Veteran Women’s squad.
Pam Woodcock (14m46s), and Lesley Chapman (14m46s), ran for an incomplete Women’s C team.