​Two athletes from Morpeth Harriers represented Northumberland at the annual English Schools Track and Field Championships, held in Birmingham on 11 and 12 July.
Under 17 Girl Alexandria Hodgson competed in the Intermediate Girls Hammer competition, where she finished fifth, producing a best throw of 47.85m, which unfortunately was a little adrift of her usual best, however Alex was delighted to be involved in what was her second chance at these championships.
Despite running a personal best time of 40.87s, Under 15 Girl Sophie Pledger lost out for a place in the final of the Junior Girls 300m, as she could only place fourth in her heat, where only the first two gained qualification, only a mere fraction faster would have seen her through, such was the toughness of competition.

Two members of Morpeth Harriers had the distinction of collecting international honours when running in the 48th Castle Howell International Snowdon  Mountain Race (Ras Yr Wyddfa) at the weekend.
For Catriona Macdonald, it was a return to a mountain she has raced up and down previously in Scotland colours, but for Lawrence McCourt it was his first time in an England vest, but on the day both had outstanding runs.
Quite rightly describing itself as ‘One of Europe’s toughest endurance challenges’, the 10 mile mountain race starts and finishes at Llanberis and includes a full 7.16 kilometre ascent and descent of the highest summit in England and Wales. 
With North Wales escaping the downpours that affected much of the rest of the country on Saturday, it was oppressive heat that was more of a factor for those taking part, with several of the 406 finishers collapsing from heat exhaustion at the finish.
Won by Italian Luca Magri in a time of 1 hour 6 minutes and 10 seconds, with Italy also collecting the team prize, Lawrence had an outstanding run to finish in 5th place in a time of 1:09:50 and was second counter for an England team who picked up a Silver medal.
The women’s race was won by Nancy Scott of England in 1:20:30 with Cat finishing in 1:27:28 as 9th female and second team counter for Scotland. Once again, Italy picked up the team prize with England second and Scotland third. 

It has been a busy few weeks with club members participating in a wide range of popular local events. Below we round up the best of the action.

Newburn River Run
 
The Newburn River Run took place on the evening of 18 June with the race covering a five-mile, multi-terrain route on both sides of the Tyne – although sadly not finishing, as older members may recall, at the leisure centre.
 
Won by Leeds City’s Linton Taylor in an impressive 24 minutes 29 seconds with Crook and District AC’s O/40 Sarah Attwood 1st female finisher in 30:17, Dave Stabler was Morpeth’s sole representative, finishing 20th and also 7th O/40 in 28:06.
 
Newburn River Run results
 
Windy Gyle
 
Windy Gyle fell race took place on Sunday 22 June with the customary 8.5 miles and 1801 feet of climbing.
 
Won by Loftus and Whitby’s Sam Leadley in 1 hour 3 minutes and 4 seconds with experienced NFER O/55 Karen Robertson 14th and 1st female to finish, Robyn Bennett was 20th and 3rd woman in 1:22:47 and Jill 38th and 3rd O/50 in 1:50:08.
 
Fellrunner — Results: Sun 22 Jun 2025 — Windy Gyle
 
Weetslade Relays
 
The popular Weetslade Relays took place at Lockey Park on Wednesday 25 June with some 125 teams competing in the customary male/female/veteran format up and down the two miles of the old Wideopen pit heap.
 
This one seems to be getting more and more popular with the competition at the front end also more challenging, and this year saw a repeat of last year’s 1-2-3 with Tyne Bridge, for whom Jarlath Mckenna on leg 1 ran the fastest veteran time of the night (13:38) and Jess Eaton the fastest women’s time (15:51) claiming the spoils again with an overall time of 43:07, over a minute ahead of the chasing teams.
 
Behind them, Sunderland Harriers just managed to claim the 2nd place by a mere two seconds, with Joe Armstrong – who ran the fastest overall time of the night (12:48) – pipping James Tilley in the run-in.
 
Morpeth’s A team finished in 44:24 with runs by veteran Andy Lawrence (14:38), Lizzie Rank (16:16, the 3rd fastest female time of the night) and James (13:30, 2nd fastest overall) to ensure that the club were in the medals once again.
 
The B team of Ethan Bond (14:29), Kirsty Burville (17:17) and Bertie Marr (14:00) placed 6th in 45:46 with the C team of Lee Cuthbertson (14:40), Tayla Douglass (17:37) and Ali Douglass (13:35, 3rd fastest of the night) not far behind in 7th (45:52).
 
The club fielded three more teams who all represented themselves well:
 
D Dave Stabler (15:10), Linzi Quinn (18:35), Jimmy Dixon (15:13) for 48:57 and 20th
 
E  Mike Winter (18:13), Sophie Ward (19:20), Richard Glennie (17:43) for 55:16 and 57th
 
F  Tony Horsley (17:39), Nicola McCoy (19:52) and Jane Kirby (20:12) for 57:43 and 61st.
 
Some 125 teams finished in total.
 
Weetslade-Relay-2025-Provisonal-Results.xlsx
 
Tynedale 10k
 
The Tynedale 10k took place on the evening of Wednesday 2 July over the customary course from Ovingham to Prudhoe.
 
Elswick Harrier Dan Milton was first back in 33:05 with TBH’s Rebecca Blain first female winner in 38:32.
 
Only a couple of Morpeth vests out, perhaps surprisingly in what was always such a popular race, with Mike Winter 58th in 41:52 and Richard Sill 152nd in 48:30.
 
Some 312 finished.
 
Tynedale 10k 2025 results
 
A J Bell Great Newcastle 10k
 
Sunday July 6’s Great Newcastle 10k was run over a town centre course which one club member memorably describes as ‘great for spectators, but not so good for runners – you were constantly having to turn into one street after another!’
 
That didn’t seem to deter the record entry of 10,000 who ran, with the race sold out well in advance.
 
Athletes who’d travelled a long way picked up men’s and women’s prizes, with Dean Williamson of Colchester Harriers first back in 30 minutes 20 seconds and Louise Small of Aldershot Farnham and District winning the women’s race in 33:35.
 
With the race including a Masters International, Gavin Bayne had the distinction of running for England and, in his first race as an O/70, finished in an outstanding 40:24 to win his category.
 
Kirsty Burville also had a fine run to finish in 40:02.
 
A busy Mike Winter ran 42:46, Sophie Ward 45:52 and Sarah Mills 55:44.
 
Apparently, entry for next year is already open…
 
Great Newcastle 10k results
 
Bridges of the Tyne 5 miler
 
With Sam Hancox just back to running again and unable to defend a title he’s won on the banks of the Tyne on more than one occasion, it was that man Jarlath Mckenna who profited on Tuesday 8 July, winning in 25 minutes dead.
 
Helen Warburton was 1st female finisher in 28:42.
 
There were four blue and white vests out, with Lee Cuthbertson 13th in 27:35, Rachelle Falloon 5th Senior Female in 31:45, Rob Hancox 119th and 5th O/60 in 33:18 and Thomas Campbell 251st in 38:13.
 
Some 530 finished.
 
TGA Bridges Of The Tyne 5 Mile results
 
Sunderland 5k
 
South of the river on Thursday 7 July for the annual Sunderland 5k, held once again in the grounds of Silksworth Leisure Centre.
 
This year’s race was not, however, round over the traditional two-lap course round the fishing lakes, with vandalism to the small wooden footbridge near the finish necessitating a stressful re-think for organisers only days before this year’s races, which included this year the Northern Championships in addition to the North East and North East Masters Champs.
 
That rethink meant a taxing course which started and finished on the running track, before climbing sharply uphill to go in the opposite direction of the usual race, the return meaning several hundred metres of climbing from 4k before a finish on the track.
 
Torrid conditions on a muggy night, with temperatures well in the twenties, didn’t help either and meant times were understandably down from previous years.
 
Race 1, for Women and Men, Over 50 was won by Durham University student Megan Stenhouse of Rugby and Northampton AC, coached at present by Nathan Shrubb  in an impressive 16 minutes 45 seconds with Birtley’s Lydia Turner 2nd in 16:52 and Houghton’s U/20 Charlotte Dillon 3rd in 17:06.
 
Tayla Douglass had a fine run to finish in 20:02, seconds off a pb.
 
Morpeth’s only other finisher was Richard Sill, who was 2nd O/70 in 24:04.
 
Elvet Strider David Milligan ran the fastest O/50 time of the night, 17:19, with NSP’S Greg Penn 1st O/60 in 18:59 and Jarrow’s Michael Joyce 1st O/70 (23:40), with 136 finishing overall.
 
The following race for Senior and Men O/40s saw a Leeds City AC one-two, with Ed Bovingdon the winner in 14:59 and club colleague Angus Cole 2nd in 15:05.
 
Behind them, three local youngsters battled it out for local honours, with TBH’s Zak Kettle clocking 15:09 and just pipping Morpeth’s James Tilley and Joe Dixon by three and seven seconds respectively, although in fairness to the two Morpeth youngsters they had both competed in the NEGP event the night before and did, at least, pick up 2nd and 3rd NECAA medals behind Kettle.
 
There were some nine other finishers in blue and white, with Connor Marshall next in (16th in 15:51), followed by: U/18 Oliver Tomlinson (25th in 16:16); Andy Lawrence (44th in 16:46); Rob Balmbra (47th in 16:49); Tom Straughan (49th in 16:52); Andrew Mirfield (59th in 17:04); Dave Stabler (74th in 17:30); Tom Innes (98th in 18:01); Shaun Land (108th in 18:16). Just under 200 finished.
 
Sunderland Harriers 5k & Junior 2 Mile Road Races 2025
 
RunThrough Newcastle Half-marathon and 10k
 
RunThrough’s Newcastle Half and 10k took place on Sunday morning, with a start and finish at Kingston Park, home of Newcastle RFC.
 
The Half Marathon was won by Nick Spencer in a time of 1 hour 13 minutes and 54 seconds, with Lindsay Welburn taking the women’s race in 1:27:25.
 
For Morpeth, Tayla Douglass was first back, 5th Senior in 1: 34 :25.
 
Laura Mclean was 12th O/35 in 1:53 :53 and Mike Winter 4th O/55 in 1: 38 :24.
 
runthrough.co.uk/race-results

The fourth meeting of the 2025 North Eastern Grand Prix series was held at Jarrow’s Monkton Stadium on the evening of Wednesday 19 June, when 19 athletes from Morpeth Harriers were in competitive action.
The club had three event winners, one in the 3000m events, and two in the later run 800m events.
Chris Coulson almost front ran the fastest of three 3000m events, to eventually win by crossing the finish line in 8m25.87s, four seconds ahead of Western Tempo’s Luke Davis.
Other Morpeth Harriers in this race were James Tilley (4th) 8m38.47s, Joe Dixon (6th) in a season’s best 8m43.41s, and Ralph Robson (12th) 9m14.81s.
The fastest of eleven 800m events saw a tense fast finishing tussle for supremacy between Morpeth club colleagues Alistair Douglass and Joseph Close.
Eventually Douglass stole the initiative, to win in 1m53.69s, and Close finished second in 1m54.96s.
The other Morpeth 800m winner was fast improving Under 15 Boy Mason Gaylor.
Gaylor went to the front with 300m to go and maintained great pace over the remaining ground to record victory in a new personal best time of 2m10.55s,
In the third fastest 800m event, Morpeth Harrier Anthony Liddle produced an excellent personal best performance of 2m06.54s, to finish third in a very competitive race.
New signing Darcey Tullis also ran well, producing a season’s best performance of 2m19.9s to finish fourth in the fifth race.
Under 17 Man Thomas Roche set new figures of 2m23.49s, when placing seventh in the same race.
His Sister Molly also set new figures of 2m30.43s, when finishing ninth in the seventh 800m event.
She finished one place ahead of club colleague Emma Tomlinson, who posted a time of 2m41.02s.
Emma’s younger sister Zoe, finished fourth in the ninth 800m event, posting a time of 2m39.33s.
Back with 3000m events, and in the third fastest event, Morpeth newcomer Daniel Craig finished ninth in a time of 10m18.46s.
In a return following an illness, Morpeth Under 15 Girl Heidi Wilkinson finished thirteenth in the same 3000m, posting a time of 10m48.23s.
Alistair Douglass warmed up for his later 800m victory, by finishing fourth in the second fastest 200m, posting a time of 24.75s.
In the fifth 200m race, Morpeth Under 15 Boy Charlie Townsend produced new figures of 26.11, to finish second.
Morpeth Under 20 Woman Ellie Wickens finished fourth in the eighth 200m, producing a time of 28.90s.
Charlotte Earl of Morpeth finished as second Woman in her Long Jump, with a best of 4.76m.
…………………………………………………………..
Five Morpeth Harriers took part in Saturday’s high-profile Watford Grand Prix, incorporating BMC events.
Star of the show for the club was Rory Leonard, who not only produced a new personal best of 3m42.54, when finishing sixth in a very competitive 1500m B race, also went on to set new figures of 7m55.75s in an equally competitive A race of the 3000m.
In the A race of the 1500m, Morpeth Harriers Cameron Boyek and James Young finished fourth and twelfth respectively, posting respective times of 3m40.66s, and 3m43.45s.
Morpeth’s Phil Winkler produced a new personal best time of 8m16.14s, when finishing sixth in the C race of the 3000m.
Rounding off the Morpeth performances at the event, Alistair Douglass finished ninth in the sixth fastest 800m event, in a time of 1m53.87s.
 
 
 

Morpeth Harriers Young Athletes continued their NEYDL Division 2 campaign for 2025 in their third-round match held at Shildon on Sunday 22 June.
Unfortunately, the squad continue to struggle, as they could only managed to finish a lowly seventh of the eight competing teams.
Team Manager David Swinburne, despite his efforts, could only turn out seventeen athletes in total across the three age groups, and two genders, which meant that they were very much up against things from the off.
There were, however, some good results achieved, some that were very encouraging.
On the day, the club did manage to achieve five A String wins, two of them by one athlete, and one B String win.
The Morpeth athlete who achieved the two A String wins, was Under 15 Boy Mason Gaylor, who won the 1500m in 4m32.20s, which was a new personal best for the three- and three-quarter lap event.
Gaylor also won the A String Javelin, when he threw 22.6m, and his Morpeth clubmate Jacob Thompson won the B String with 7.71m.
Staying with the Morpeth Under 15 Boys, they were the clubs only age group to win a 4 x 100m Relay, doing so in 58.2s
In the 100m and 200m sprint events, Charlie Townsend finished third in both A races, posting times of 12.8s and 26.9s, respectively.
B race efforts saw newcomer Charlie Law finish fourth in the 100m in 14.4s, and again it was Gaylor in action, this time clocking 27.3s, for second in the 200m.
Law also competed in the 200m, posting a time of 29.73s.
In the 800m, Law finished fourth in the A race in 2m39.41s.
Jacob Thompson was third in the B race in 2m46.47s.
Back with Under 15 Boys Field events, Townsend finished second in the A String Long Jump with a best of 4.20m.
Thompson finished third in the B String Long Jump, producing a best of 7.71m.
Morpeth’s George Mavir won the Under 17 Men’s A race in the 800m, posting a winning time of 2m01.38s, which was a new personal best.
Thomas Roche finished second in the B race, posting a time of 2m25.63s., which was a fraction outside his personal best.
In the Under 17 Men’s 1500m, Ben Moll finished second in 4m49.10s.
Under 17 sprinter William Hodgson was a lone ranger in the 100m and 200m events, finishing third on both occasions, posting respective clockings of 12.1s, and 24.8s.
Another Morpeth lone ranger was Harry Shaw, who finished fourth in the Under 17 Men’s 400m in 63.9s.
Four athletes from Morpeth contested the Under 13 Boys events.
The best result from this age group came in the 800m, where Joseph Clasper finished second in the A race in 2m41.74s, and Luke Thompson was second in the B race in 2m49.34s.
Clasper and Thompson also competed in the 200m, where the former finished fifth in the A race in 31.1s, and the latter was third in the B race in 35.0s.
Luke Thompson finished fifth in the 100m in 16.7s, and Joseph Fawcett was fourth in the 1500m in 5m29.72s.
Luke Thompson was Morpeth’s sole Under 13 Boy Field eventer, finishing fourth in the Long Jump, with a best effort of 3.47m.
The best Morpeth Girls result, was that achieved in the Under 15 100m event, where Sophie Pledger continued her previous days celebration on reaching the English Schools by winning in 13.0s, and Sophie Peace added to the result handsomely by finishing an excellent third in the B race in 14.5s.
In the 200m, Morpeth’s Sopia Gibson finished sixth in the A race in 29.7s, and Peace finished third in the B race in 30.0s.
Peace finished seventh in the Long Jump with a best effort of 3.57m, and Gibson was fourth in the High Jump with 1.25m.
Morpeth could only muster one Under 17 Woman for the day’s competition.
Charlotte Marshall won the Shot Putt with a best of 5.42m, was third in the 1500m with 5m59.25s, and finished fourth in the 300m in 56.8s.
Only one athlete from the club took part in the Under 13 Girls events.
Izzy Cromar finished second in the 1500m in 5m35.94s, and sixth in the 200m in 32.9s.
MATCH RESULT
1st Blyth/Alnwick 710pts, 2nd New Marske 619pts, 3rd Chester Le St/Durham C 571pts, 4th South Shields/Elswick 548.5s, 5th Blaydon/Wallsend/Gosforth 491pts, 6th Tynedale/Prudhoe 342pts, 7th Morpeth Harriers 325pts, 8th Heaton/Tyne Bridge 249.5pts.
It is hoped for a better result for the club in their fourth and final match of the season, scheduled to be held at Whitley Bay on Sunday 20 July.