Dr Antoinette Kenny, principle executive of Heartscan, had the privilege of setting nearly 200 hardy competitors on their way, in the annual Morpeth New Years Day Road Race.

Her company, which is North East based, and offer heart-screening services to sport, both in the professional and amateur field, were providing main sponsorship to the event for the very first time, and hope to continue keep up a relationship with Morpeth Harriers and it’s membership, based upon the strength of their continued support,
laced with the services that they can bring to event participation.

Shortly after 1.00pm, and in rather unseasonal warm winter sunshine, runners began their approximately 11k pursuit from the bottom of Dogger Bank on Mitford Road, taking in the splendid Northumbrian country splendour of Mitford, Mitford Steads, and the Whalton Road, returning to the finish on the Stanners, after passing the Sun Inn, and heading through Carlisle Park, and along the promenade.

Just over thirty-three minutes, (33m05s) to be precise, it was Gateshead Harrier Callum Johnson, who began 2019 in fine style, by winning the event by a margin of eighty-two seconds from 2018 winner Ross Floyd from Morpeth Harriers.

Third place went to Floyd’s club colleague Thomas Straughan, who had won his clubs 10k in August 2018.
Straughan finished six seconds adrift of Floyd.

First Female finisher was Jarrow and Hebburn’s Steph Pattinson, who was 21st overall in 40m55s.
Pattinson won the Women’s race by six places and fifty-three seconds from Morpeth’s Catriona Macdonald,
with the third placed Woman Judith Nutt of Elswick Harriers, a further four places adrift,
posting a finishing time of 42m14s.
Nutt was also the first Veteran Woman finisher.

Morpeth Harriers wish to sincerely thank Heartscan for their much-valued generosity towards the event,
and to Dr Kenny for her assistance in both starting the event and making post-race presentations
on behalf of the organisers.

In addition, they would like to thank Morpeth Rugby Club for the use of their
Grange House Field premises as Race Headquarters and for Post-Race Presentation.

They also wish to thank Race Director Kevin Bray, and his superb team of club members
and friends who acted as Race Marshals on the day, without whose assistance, the event could not take place.

UK Officials who assisted with finish control and on the on the day results production teams,
are also to be thanked, along with Tees-side Volunteer First Aid Services,
who were also present both on course and at the finish to assist where required.

Finally, thanks also go to Race Number.Co. Uk, for providing pre-event registration services.

The Ribble Valley 10k, on Sunday 30th December 2018  which incorporated the Northern 10k Road Race Championships, attracted a total field of around 1500 competitors, and was won by Richmond and Zetland’s Commonwealth Games representative Marc Scott in a time of 28m58s.

Second place went to Liverpool Harrier Jonny Mellor (29m19s),
with third spot going to Preston’s Patrick Dever, who posted a time of 29m24s.

Not far adrift of the leading three was Morpeth’s Carl Avery, who eventually finished sixth,
posting a finishing time of 29m33s, which for him represented a brand-new personal best
of the magnitude of fifty-two seconds.

Another prominent Morpeth Harrier finisher was Rory Leonard, who marked his first ever 10k Road Race outing,
by finishing as first Junior Man, in twelfth place, with an equally excellent time posting of 30m39s.

Morpeth Harriers other finisher in the event was Richard Johnson, who posted a time of 34m12s,
​when coming home in 86th place overall, he was also 61st Male in the Northern Championship.
Johnson’s time also bettered his previous best for the distance, by around forty seconds.

The 33rd Annual Woodlawn Christmas Pudding Run, held at Whitley Bay on Boxing Day,
attracted a record field of over 1200 hardy competitors, who faced better than usual conditions,
comprising autumnal like sunshine, laced with only a mere hint of a coastal breeze.

Amongst those competitors were several from the ranks of Morpeth Harriers,
who for the first time in the event, had the first three across the finish line.

Posting an excellent time of 15m48s, double North Eastern Counties Track Champion James Young
was the first of those finishers, winning by a comfortable margin of seventeen seconds from his
club colleague Ross Floyd, who in turn had a nine second margin of comfort over
third placed Morpeth Harrier Andrew Lawrence.

Other prominent Morpeth finishers were Matthew Briggs who was sixth in 16m52s,
and Rachelle Falloon, who was second Woman home in 18m56s, fifty-five seconds
adrift of North Shields Poly athlete Charlotte Penfold.

North Shields Poly as usual splendidly hosted the event, on a slightly modified course due to recent
developments around the Spanish City area, and now look set to hold the event on this course in future years,
​with proceeds as always going to the Woodlawn Special Needs School.

The annual Ronnie Walker Saltwell 10k Road Race on Saturday 22nd December 2018,
attracted a total finishing field of 475 finishers, who were led home by Adrian Bailes of Birtley AC,
who won by a whisker from Sunderland Harrier Oliver James, in a time of 32m06s.

Only two seconds divided the pair, with North-Eastern Cross-Country Champion
Greg Jayasuriya of Middlesbrough and Cleveland, coming home third in 32m18s.

The field also included five runners from Morpeth Harriers, whose Festive charge
was led home by Thomas Straughan, who finished fifth in a time of 32m55s.

It was good to see Lewis Timmins back in competitive action following a
serious injury sustained, when out on his bike several weeks ago.
Timmins will certainly feel encouraged by finishing twelfth in 33m29s,
and not far adrift of the leading protagonists.

Third home from the club was Alistair Douglass, who finished 21st, posting a time of 35m00s.

Morpeth’s other two finishers were Paul Bellingham (144th) (9th O/55 Man) 44m38s,
and Kevin Bray (155th) (3rd O/60 Man) 45m14s.

The combined performances of Straughan, Timmins and Douglass, secured an
excellent team victory for Morpeth Harriers, thus ending Tyne Bridge Harriers
five year run of consecutive wins.

The dry sunny conditions, and a slight cold breeze, proved to be a welcome change
from those usually experienced by runners of this popular annual event,
held within Saltwell Park, in Gateshead, and organised by Saltwell Harriers,
and continuing to honour Walker, who was a well-known long service member of the club,
​before passing away a few years ago, who also continued to run in the event, well into his eighties.

There was certainly an abundance of festive cheer in the prominent performances by runners
from Morpeth Harriers at some of the regions Park Runs, held on Saturday Morning.

With pleasant Christmastide weather very much playing its part, many runners turned out festively
to mark the occasion by producing some excellent runs, with a few new personal best course records
being set into the bargain.

Druridge Bay Park Run
The biggest turnout from the club was undoubtedly that at Druridge Bay,
where no fewer than seven runners finished in the top twenty.

First home from the club here was Under 15 Boy Dylan Davies, who finished second
to Leeds City’s Chris Snowball, twin brother of Morpeth’s Mark.
Posting a finishing time of 18m05s, Davies was only a mere four seconds adrift of his course best,
and he was also only thirteen seconds adrift of his more senior rival Snowball.

This was a terrific boost for Davies, who is only just returning to competition,
after being forced out of the recent North-Eastern Cross-Country Championships with an unfortunate illness.

Another Morpeth Harrier showing superb form, was Davies’s Under 15 Boy club colleague Ben Walker,
who was third, and only three seconds adrift, constituting in him producing a new personal best
for the course of 18m08s.
Finishing fifth was Morpeth’s Colin Archer, who clocked 18m13s.

One place behind Archer, was Morpeth’s Under 13 Boy Joe Dixon, who also set new figures of 18m43s.

Finishing in tenth place was Dylan Davies younger brother Ryan, who also set a new course best of 19m07s.

In fourteenth place overall, in her first run on the course, Morpeth’s Gracie Hufton
was the first female finisher, posting an excellent time of 20m16s.

Gordon Dixon, father of Joe, completed the prominent Morpeth contingent when
finishing seventeenth in 20m48s, only nine seconds adrift of his best time on the course.

Newbiggin By the Sea Park Run
There was celebration amongst Morpeth athletes as Tom Balsdon and Rachelle Falloon
crossed the finish line in first and second places at Newbiggin By the Sea.

Balsdon’s time was 17m46s, a little way short of his best on the course, however for Falloon,
who was well clear of her Female opponents, her time of 19m00s, was not only a new best on the course,
it also broke the Women’s course record for the venue.

Eighty second behind Falloon in third place, was her Morpeth club colleague Gary Hall,
and other prominent Morpeth finishers were Gary Mason (17th) 22m55s,
which was a new personal best for the Over 45 Veteran Man,
and Over 55 Veteran Man Jim Alder, who was one place behind Mason,
posting a finishing time of 23m14s.

Newcastle Park Run
Mark Long and Emma Holt of Morpeth Harriers were respective first Male and Female finishers
at the Newcastle Park Run, held in Exhibition Park.

Both athletes also had respective bests of 16m05s and 18m07s over the 5k circuit.
Holt finished in thirteenth place overall.

Gibside  Park Run
Morpeth’s Paul Adams was only three seconds adrift of being first across
the finish line at Gibside, near Rowlands Gill.
He was also only three seconds adrift of his best over the course,
with his posting of 19m18s.
​
Wallsend Rising Sun Park Run
Another Morpeth second finisher was Mark Snowball at Wallsend Rising Sun.
Mark posted a time of 18m08s, when finishing thirteen seconds adrift of Gosforth’s Ben Moore.