Morpeth Harrier Ryan Green knocked another second off his impressive 800m time at the
BMC Grand Prix meeting, held at Sport City in Manchester on Saturday 27th May 2017.

Posting a time of 1m50.56s, he finished second to Halifax athlete Max Burgin in the C race, who clocked 1m50.04s.
Although a little disappointed not to have improved on his personal best performance,
fellow Morpeth Harrier Kieran Hedley’s night was somewhat sweetened by his 1500m F Race victory,
where he clocked his best time of the year of 4m02.77s,
finishing just over a second clear of Preston’s Nathan Dunn.
​
In the 5000m B race, after looking prominent in the early stages, Morpeth’s Carl Avery
posted new figures of 14m45.98s, when finishing 11th in a strong field of 21 runners.

The Morpeth branch of the “MacDonald” clan were certainly in evident action
in the valley of the South Tyne on Saturday 27th May 2017,
when Father Alistair, youngest daughter Catriona, and Mother Margaret,
all competed in the annual Allendale Fair Trail race.

It led to a close finish between Father and Daughter, placing fourth and fifth respectively,
with only a mere twenty-one seconds between them, with Alistair very much setting
the pace over the 6.50mile course, by posting a finishing time of 42m08s.

Catriona was first Female finisher.

Meanwhile, Margaret very much enjoyed her outing, finishing further down the field in 44th place,
​posting a finishing time of 65m45s, and was seventeenth Female finisher.

Nine days after winning her very first ever track 5000m in Los Angeles,
Morpeth’s Laura Weightman came down to earth, when she finished at the rear of a class 1500m event,
at the IAAF Diamond League Meeting, held in Eugene, Oregon on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th May 2017.

She posted a time of 4m10.50s, which was well below her best,
and Weightman would certainly not be best pleased by this outing.
​
Fellow Brit Laura Muir finished third in 4m00.47s.

There is no doubt that the performance of Rory Leonard in the Graded 3000m event,
at the second Start Fitness sponsored North East Grand Prix Meeting,
held at Monkton Stadium, Jarrow, on Wednesday 24th May 2017, was the most eye-catching.

One of three Male Under 17 athletes, in a seventeen-strong field of mainly more Senior opposition,
Morpeth Harrier Leonard led them all home, posting a superb 8m43.0s, a time which was not only a new personal best, but also took him from 24th to fourth in the UK rankings, a massive leap for the newly crowned North-Eastern Counties 3000m Champion, and 1500m Bronze medallist.

Chasing him all the way home, and setting new figures of 8m44.1s,
was his more Senior club colleague Thomas Straughan,
​whose time took him up to sixth in the regional rankings for his age group.

Other Morpeth Harriers finishers in the 3000m were Taylor Glover (5th) 8m55.7s,
and Daniel Dixon (7th) 9m05.2s, both performances representing new personal bests.

Another Morpeth Harriers star performer on the night was Joe Armstrong,
who won the opening Graded 800m event in 1m57.0s, which also won him
the coveted Jimmy Hedley Cup, presented in memory and honour of the legendary Jarrow Coach,
who mentored former World Mile Record Holder Steve Cram, during his equally legendary athletics career.
Not far behind Armstrong was his club colleague Kieran Hedley, who finished third, posting a time of 1m57.5s,
only a whisker outside his personal best, however the North-Eastern Counties Under 20 Men’s
1500m Bronze medallist could feel well pleased with his effort.

Third fastest Senior Man in the 800m Graded events was Morpeth Harrier Phillip Winkler,
who posted a finishing time of 1m59.3s.
Posting a new personal best time of 2m00.2s, Alistair Douglass of Morpeth Harriers was fifth fastest Senior Man.
Club colleague Jordan Scott was seventh fastest Senior Man, posting a time of 2m03.4s.

Morpeth Under 17 Man Ross Charlton, posted a new personal best time of 2m14.3s,
to finish as fourth fastest in his age group.

Ryan Davies of Morpeth Harriers posted a new personal best of 2m43.8s in the Under 13 Boys 800m,
where he was the eighth fastest in his age group.

Rhiannon Hedley had a welcome return to better form, when finishing
as fifth fastest Under 15 Girl in her 800m, posting a new personal best time.
In complete contrast, it was not the best of nights for her Morpeth Harriers club colleague Holly Peck.

Unfortunately, the newly crowned North Eastern 800m and 1500m champion
sustained a leg injury during her event, and was forced to limp home in 2m26.4s,
which was a very brave effort under the circumstances, where she was rewarded
with the seventh fastest time in her age group.

Fellow Morpeth Harrier Lily Heaton produced a new personal best time of 2m27.6s,
to finish as ninth fastest Under 15 Girl.

In the Under 15 Boys 1500m, Morpeth Harriers had three of their athletes in action.
Fastest of these was Jonnie Kidd, who posted a new personal best of 2m25.1s,
which was ninth equal fastest time overall in the age group.

Dylan Gooding and Dylan Davies finished virtually on top of each other,
posting new personal best times of 2m30.3s and 2m30.7s respectively,
which made them sixteenth and seventeenth fastest in the age group.

Excellent runs by Morpeth Harriers Joe Elder and Brad Brown saw them
post brand new personal best times of 52.9s and 59.7s in the Graded 400m events.
The times made them second fastest Senior Man, and third fastest Under 17 Man.

Posting a time of 23.0s in the Graded 200m events, Morpeth Harrier Sean O’Hara was fastest Under 20 Man.
Club colleague Kenny Harrison also posted new figures of 23.7s,
which made him second equal fastest Under 20 Man.

Naomi Arkle of Morpeth Harriers also competed in the Graded 200m events,
posting a time of 27.7s, which made her third fastest in her Under 20 Women’s age group.

In the Under 13 Girls 200m, Morpeth’s Olivia Gent was eighth fastest with 32.9s.

Morpeth’s Jacob Clayton was third fastest Under 15 Boy in the 200m, clocking a new personal best of 28.3s.

Ten athletes lined up in the 2000m Steeplechase event.
Morpeth Harriers Jake Masterman and Liam Marsh finished second and fifth,
posting times of 6m43.7s and 7m16.7s respectively.

The club had one Field specialist in action on the night.
Andrew Knight putted 14.73m in the Shot, finishing second to
Senior Man Craig Sturrock of Thames Valley Harriers,
​formerly of Gateshead Harriers.

331 finishers took part in the annual Clive Cookson 10k Road Race,
organised by North Shields Poly Athletics Club, at Monkseaton High School,
on the evening of Wednesday 24th May 2017.

Eight of those finishers were athletes from Morpeth Harriers, who were led home by Ross Floyd,
who is now fully lodged as a full time GP with Northumbria Healthcare,
after being inducted at an official ceremony, held in London on Friday 26th May 2017.
Congratulations from the club, and the athletics community to Ross,
as he finished third, posting a finishing time of 32m49s.

The event was won by Tyne Bridge Harrier James Dunce, who posted a time of 32m04s,
after getting away from club colleague Finn Brodie (2nd) 32m24s, and Floyd in the closing kilometre.

Next home for Morpeth Harriers in sixth place, and posting a finishing time of 33m07s, was Chris Smith,
With a time of 36m12s, Matthew Boyle was next home from the club, finishing in 22nd place.

Having her first test of fitness following an injury sustained when warming up
at the UK Inter Counties Cross Country at Loughborough in March,
Morpeth’s Emma Holt can feel well pleased with finishing as second Woman,
finishing 29th overall in 36m58s, behind Birchfield’s Danielle Hodgkinson, who was 15th overall in 35m41s.

Another Morpeth Woman who could feel quite pleased was Gemma Floyd,
who was first Veteran finisher in 53rd place overall, and posting a finishing time of 40m02s,
which was her third best ever time over the 10k distance.

Other Morpeth Harriers results on the night came from
Alistair MacDonald (59th) (2nd O/50 Man) 39m54s,
Mike Winter (65th) (8th O/45 Man) 40m41s,
​and Andy Leeson (117th) (21st O/40 Man) 43m50s.