Sam Hancox’s journey to the mid Cheshire Summer 5k wasn’t without its moments, with a seven-hour journey meaning he made the start line with only 45 minutes to spare.
The adrenaline must have been flowing however, as despite the hassle he was only some 8 seconds off a pb, coming in 19th in 14 minutes 51 seconds. The race on 26 August, which incorporated the EA 5k Road Championships, was won by Adam Craig in a time of 14 minutes 9 seconds from Bristol and West’s Kurt Taylor 2nd (14:15) and Ben Brown, who had travelled all the way from Southampton, in 3rd (14:18). Ellie Wallace from North Somerset was 1st female finisher in 15:48, with Lauren McNeil of Hallamshire Harriers 2nd in 15:50 and Stockport’s Jip Vastenburg 3rd in 16:06. The Watergate Trail Race featured some seven Morpeth Harriers, with Cat Macdonald once again claiming 1st Female slot and the club’s women also picking up the team honours.
The two-lap race round the Forest Park on 25 August, organised as ever by Low Fell Running Club, also incorporated the NEMAA 5k off road championships and was won by Sunderland Harrier Adam Hughes in a time of 15 minutes 54 seconds with Heaton’s David Young 2nd (16:02) and Gateshead’s Peter Grimoldby 3rd (16:25). Anthony Liddle was first Morpeth runner home, 18th in 17:34, with Lee Bennett 23rd in 17:45 and picking up 2nd Over 50 prize. Dave Nicholson was 1st Over 60 in 20:24 and finished just ahead of Stephen Cessford, who made his debut for the club in a time of 20:26 for 67th place. Cat Macdonald was 28th overall, winning in a time of 17:52, ahead of Elswick’s Imogen Bungay (18:05) and Birtley’s Tracey Millmore (18:33). Lindsey Quinn was 5th in 19:43, and with the pleasing sight of Robyn Bennett having her first run in a club vest for a good while and finishing in 21:32, the club’s women were convincing winners of the team prize ahead of Elswick Harriers, something that hopefully bodes well for the forthcoming cross country season. Richard Johnson was a runner-up in the Tynedale 10 mile race, while fellow Morpeth Harrier Gavin Bayne ran the fastest time for an Over 65 in the country this year, with the club’s Senior Men also picking up the team prize.
Resuming on Sunday August 21 like so many other local races after a two-year break, the Tynedale 10 has always been seen as a good preparation race for the forthcoming Great North Run in September and this year was no exception. The out and back course from Ovingham Middle School heads West along the banks of the Tyne through Bywell, before climbing sharply almost as far as the A68 Corbridge road only to turn back itself for a faster second half. Carl Smith, running these days for North Shields Polytechnic Harriers, was the overall winner in a time of 52 minutes 13 seconds with Johnson chasing him all the way back to finish in 54m 45s. Heaton Harrier David Young was 3rd in 55:37. Two other Morpeth runners made the top ten, with Andy Lawrence having a good run back from injury in 57:48 and Mark Snowball not far behind in 58:19. With three in the top ten, Morpeth were comfortable winners of the three to count team prize. Young’s fellow Heaton runner Danielle Smythe was 1st woman home in 1 hour 4 minutes 14 seconds with Elswick’s Amy Fuller 2nd in 1:04:44 and Claremont’s Sarah Kerr 3rd (1:06:49). There were some six other finishers for the club with a number picking up age category prizes. Anthony Liddle was 22nd in 1:03:53; Andrew Hebden 23rd and 3rd Over 40 in 1:03:56; Dave Stabler 28th and 2nd O/45 in 1:05:01; Shaun Land 29th in 1:05:02; Gavin Bayne 32nd and 1st O/65 in 1:05:37 and Mike Winter, 72nd and 3rd O/50 in 1:12:10. Gavin’s performance deserves a special mention. Having represented Great Britain with distinction in the World Masters Championships in Finland last month – where he finished 4th for his age and took a share of a team Silver – he has been in fine form all Summer, and his time represents the best run for the distance nationally by an athlete in his age category by a margin of nearly thirty seconds. Eight athletes from Morpeth Harriers competed in the North Shield Poly Open Track and Field Meeting, held at Churchill Playing Fields, Whitley Bay, on Saturday.
It was the first holding of the meeting, organised by the North Tyneside Club, and the event was largely well appreciated by those who were in attendance. For much of the meeting, it was fairly dry, with a developing breeze clearly in evidence. However, in the later stages organisers and officials were forced into rushing things through as storm clouds invaded the area, and the final three events were run in a prevailing rainstorm. Two of the athletes affected by the rainstorm were Morpeth’s Bertie Marr and Joe Anderson. Running the longest race of the day, the 3000m with the rain pouring throughout, could be termed as an act of punishment. However both athletes were not long in going to the front in the seven-and-a-half lap event, and it was Marr who eventually took victory, winning in 9m10.1s, whilst Anderson placed second in 9m13.0s, which was a new personal best by a fraction of a second. Conner Phillips' two events were run entirely in the rain, firstly the 150m, where he finished as third Under 15 Boy in 19.2s, and later he finished as first Under 15 Boy in the 300m in 42.7s. Another Morpeth runner in the 300m was Under 15 Girl Amelia Hamlin, who posted a time of 45.7s. In the 150m, Morpeth also had Freya Caygill in action, where she was fastest Under 17 Woman in 20s, a new personal best for the lightly-used outdoor distance. Caygill had earlier been the fastest Under 17 Woman in the 100m, where she posted a time of 12.8s That time was equalled by her Morpeth club colleague Mia Belton, who was fastest Under 20 Woman. Morpeth Under 15 Girl Amy Longstaff was fastest in her age group in the 100m, clocking 13.3s. Despite taking a short holiday recently, Morpeth Harriers Senior Man Alistair Douglass was still comfortable in his victory in the 600m, posting a finishing time over the one and a half laps of 1m25.2s. There were no athletes from Morpeth Harriers in action in the accompanying Field Events. Throwing a best of 39.54m with a confident final throw, Morpeth Harriers specialist thrower Edward Gardiner won the Northern Athletics Under 17 Men’s Discus title at Wavertree in Liverpool on Sunday.
He won with a two-metre gap to spare over Isaac Henson of City of York. Ed entered the event as the highest ranked entrant, but rankings are one thing, delivering on the day, quite another, especially in very hot conditions amidst start delays and alterations, and while still recovering from a niggling back injury, and so tentative and throwing within himself to protect his back. Fellow North East athlete Ryan Cook of Gateshead Harriers finished with a best of 31.73m. Certainly a much better day than in 2021, when an injured Ed had only been able to place fifth at Costello Stadium in Hull. Congratulations to Ed for all his continued hard work, now reaping its rewards. He travels to Bedford at the end of August for the English National Championships where he hopes to be physically back to his best to take on the best in England. He will be reacquainting himself with his competitors from English Schools Championships earlier in the year, where he finished 6th. Our best wishes travel with him. |
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November 2024
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