Christmas Handicap 2017

 Dear All,
Thanks for turning out last night and hope you enjoyed it!
Next race is Wednesday 24th January and hope that you can make it!
Have a Happy Christmas and all best wishes for 2018,
Kevin & Linda

Christmas Handicap 2017
Well the weather couldn’t have been much different from the November race !
 It was perfect last night for the 26 who turned out for the 5k Christmas Handicap 
and a number of PB’s were clocked which was great.
I was recording at the finish and tell you what – people were really trying !

For those who don’t know the system, it’s a ‘yacht’ handicap with the fastest runners away last chasing
down the slower runners and my job as handicapper is to get people finishing together.
Well, I got 24 of you back inside a 2 minute span which I don’t think was too bad but I do owe
apologies to Jill Sandeman and Clare Hiscock  for whom I got it completely wrong – Ladies please come back in January & don’t desert me..........!!

Last to start and first back after a tremendous run was 15 year old Daniel Dixon in a time of 25.41
which minus his handicap meant he got round in 15.51!!
He chased down Mike Steven and Frances Naylor and passed them in the home straight in a really tight finish.
Mike and Frances finished 2nd and 3rd both recording 5k PB’s so well done to them !

Fastest lady overall was Lorna MacDonald in 18.44 – perfect (?) preparation for her epic charity run that starts today at sunset and continues until sunrise tomorrow. Lorna is running overnight on the longest night of the year to raise money for Shelter, the homeless charity.
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 If you want to support her click here; https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lorna-macdonald9 
where you can find out about what she’s up to! Best of luck Lorna !

Top %age efforts were Daniel at 84.86%, Paul Bellingham (and Rosie, his reindeer cross English Pointer who definitely won the fancy dress prize) with 82.38%, and Neil McAnaney with 81.67%.
It was great to see Lesley Chapman back on the road with an excellent 77.18% effort,
and Hamish and Jane Kirby running well after recent injuries.

Back at the clubhouse the buffet was demolished and a special prize was awarded to the ‘man on the bike’,
Dave Taylor who has turned out for every race to act as pacer for the lead runners and he has dragged,
cajoled, hollered and shouted people to some brilliant performances over the past two winters !

It was also great that to see some of the younger generation taking part – the two Daniel’s Dixon & Melling
and Matthew Briggs. Morpeth Harriers have some very talented young athletes which bodes well for the future ! 

Thanks to Linda and Lindsey for the timekeeping which was spot on and to
Mike, Cinty, Pam and Paul Waterston for their help last night – it’s appreciated !

Next race is on Wednesday 24th January – perfect to help you get over the post festive blues !!
Thanks for running and have all best wishes for Christmas and the New Year!
Kevin