Morpeth Harriers very own Border Raiders Carl Avery and Ian Harding, were in competitive
action at the annual Jedburgh Festival of Road Running on Sunday 30th October 2016.

Both competed in the tough undulating 10k event, finishing first and second respectively,
with times of 31m59s and 32m51s, which were a little way adrift of their personal bests,
however this was largely due to the nature of the course.
Third and fourth places went to fellow North East athletes Kurt Heron (currently running as unattached),
and Guy Bracken of North Shield Poly, who posted finishing times of 34m03s and 34m58s.
​
Other Morpeth Harriers competing in the event were Avery’s Duathlon partner Steve Patterson,
who finished 13th in 38m23s, and Over 60 Veteran Man Bob Marshall, who finished second in his category,
when he came home in 41st place, posting a finishing time of 43m52s.

Despite developing a very painful stitch during
the early stages of the Frankfurt Marathon in Germany
on Sunday 30th October 2016,

Morpeth Harrier Ady Whitwam eventually rallied
after twenty milesof the twenty-six and a quarter mile event
​to finish in a well-earned 56th place.

Whitwam posted a finishing time of 2hrs28min16secs,
which was a good two minutes or so inside his previous best for the distance.

He was also the sixth athlete home from Great Britain,
and was second overall in the Men’s Over 40 Veteran category
behind Notts AC athlete Rob Keal, who finished in 40th place,
posting a finishing time of 2hrs24mins46secs.
​
The event was won by Kenyan Mark Korir, in a time of 2hrs6mins48secs

The inaugural running of the Morpeth to Newcastle Marathon
and Half Marathon events on Sunday 30th October 2016,
organised by Total Racing International attracted just under 1000 finishers between them.

The Marathon started just outside Northumberland Sport Headquarters at Hepscott Park on the A192,
and the Half Marathon commenced at the Spanish City in Whitley Bay.

Amongst the runners in both events were several members of Morpeth Harriers,
most notably Andrew Lawrence and Karl Taylor.​

Following a tense tussle in the Marathon with Gateshead Harrier Conrad Franks,
Lawrence was forced to settle for second place in a time of 2hrs40m20s.
Franks won in 2hrs38m05s, with Sedgefield Harrier Justin Cox a distant third in 2hrs49m54s.

Other Morpeth Harriers finishers of note in the Marathon at the time of going to press were,
Alistair Douglass (15th) 3hrs10m08s, Richard Sill (78th) 3hrs48m22s,
and Gary Mason (114th) 3hrs57m00s.

In the Half Marathon Karl Taylor finished second to Saltwell’s Eritrean athlete Abraham Tewelde.
Taylor clocked a finishing time of 73m28s, to Tewelde’s winning time of 69m21s.
Third place went to Gateshead Harrier Kevin Connolly of Gateshead Harriers,
who posted a finishing time of 76m29s.

Other prominent Morpeth Harriers finishers in the Half Marathon at the time of going to press were,
Paul Banks (17th) 86m00s, Tony Lewis (18th) 86m07s,
​and Neil Shashova (192nd) 108m30s.

The Marathon route took in Bedlington, Plessey, Hartford, Blyth and Seaton Sluice,
before reaching the Spanish City, then went through Cullercoats, Tynemouth, North Shields,
Wallsend, and Walker, before finishing on the Newcastle Quayside (East).

Half Marathon runners experienced the latter part of the course from the Spanish City.
Thankfully the weather was kind to most runners on the day,
although Marathon runners reported several instances of slight headwind. 

​Several Morpeth Harriers were prominent amongst the leading finishers at the Newcastle,
Wallsend Rising Sun, and Druridge Bay Park Run’s on Saturday 29th October 2016.

​At Newcastle, Under 13 athlete Dylan Davies finished in 23rd place, in a new best time of 18m22s.
Twelve places and thirty-three seconds adrift of him was his Morpeth Harriers
club-mate Andrew Hudspith, who also posted new figures for the circuit.

At Druridge Bay, Morpeth Harrier Josie Cram warmed up nicely for her forthcoming winter exploits,
by coming home in sixth place, as first Female finisher, posting a time of 19m04s, on her first run on the course.

One place behind her, and as second Female finisher, was club colleague
​Lorna MacDonald, whose time of 19m17s was a new best for her.

Cram was not the first Morpeth finisher however, as that mantle belonged to Tim Miley,
who finished third overall in 18m49s, which was eleven seconds adrift of his best.

Other prominent Morpeth finishers at Druridge Bay were
Helen King, and youngster Oliver Bruce.
King finished 20th, posting a new best of 21m26s.
Bruce finished in 28th place, with a time of 22m34s.

Continuing the theme of best times, Morpeth Harrier Mark Snowball
​finished third at Wallsend Rising Sun, producing new figures of 17m11s.

Running in what was only her second ever, and first Half Marathon for eleven years,
Morpeth Harrier Jane Hodgson won the Women’s section of the
Run Northumberland Castles Half Marathon, held at Bamburgh on Sunday 23rd October 2016.​

She also bettered her 2005 time by two seconds,
when crossing the finish line in 86m27s, in 19th position overall.
Hodgson was also the first home of five from her club.
​
Other Morpeth finishers in the 322 strong field were
Paul Banks (26th) (4th O/45 Man) 89m53s,
Richard Kirby (67th) (9th O/45 Man) 109m25s,
Jane Kirby (122nd) (3rd O/40 Woman) 117m41s,
 and Clare Hiscock (258th) (17th O/40 Woman) 131m53s.