December races round-up

Malaga Marathon
 
Three Morpeth Harriers swapped the chill and mud of Temple Park for the sunnier Spanish climes of Malaga to take part in the city’s annual marathon, also held on the second week in December.
 
Won by Kenyan Vincent Kigen in 2 hours 8 minutes and 5 seconds, Andy Lawrence was first back in blue and white, clocking 2:35:27 for 61st place.
 
He was followed home by Ian Harding, 85th in 2:38:17 with Rob Balmbra just over a minute behind and just outside the top 100 (102nd in 2:39:25).
 
Jordan Scott, late of this parish, went out with them, clocking 2:42:50 in 155th place.
 
Some 5000 plus finished in a race that continues to grow in popularity.
 
Ronnie Walker Saltwell 10k
 
There were only two Morpeth finishers in what is now the region’s oldest race, the Ronnie Walker Saltwell 10k, held in the grounds of Saltwell Park in Gateshead.
 
Leeds City athlete Linton Taylor travelled up the A1 for the victory in a time of 32:44, with Tyne Bridge Harrier Lucy Crookes 1st woman home and 20th overall in 37:19.
 
Lee Cuthbertson made the top ten in 9th in 35:02 and Jake Parmley the top 50 in 46th (39:20).
 
Ribble Valley 10k
 
Christmas festivities over, it was back to serious business at the annual Ribble Valley 10k, run just outside the town of Clitheroe and hosted by Blackburn Harriers on the following weekend.
 
With the race incorporating the North of England 10k road championships there was a tasty field out, although an athlete who had travelled all the way from Tonbridge Wells, James West, was 1st back in 28:43. Charnwood AC athlete Hannah Nuttall was 1st female finisher in 31:53, just ahead of local lass Jess Warner-Judd.
 
Lawrence Mccourt continued his fine run of form after last week’s cross country to clock 30:11 in 16th place, with regular visitor Sam Hancox still working his way back to his best next in, 45th in 31:42.
 
Lee Cuthbertson dipped comfortably under the 35 minute barrier this time, 105th in 34:08 with Leeds based Alex Cunningham 107th in 34:10. The Morpeth team finished in 6th.
 
Catriona Macdonald was 228th and 16th senior female in 37:42.
 
Rob Hancox was 352nd and 12th O/55 in 41:02, with Alistair Macdonald 379th and 7th O/60 in 41:39.
 
Simonside Cairns
 
The postponed Simonside Cairns race take place one week after its initial proposed date on the first day in Sunday, with quite a small field who were headed home by NUAXC athlete Ed Woodhead in 1 hour 22 minutes 58 seconds and O/50 NFR veteran Karen Robertson clocking up a remarkable 11th win in the women in 1:45:45.
 
Thankfully putting recent injury problems behind him, Richard Kirby was 29th in 1:55:29 and Anna Wright 39th and 2nd O/40 in 2:12:03.
 
Tour de Humbleton
 
The somewhat strangely named ‘Tour de Humbleton’, a 4.9 mile circuit of Humbleton Hill (mentioned, incidentally, in Shakespeare’s Henry 1V Part 1) run from The Cheviot Centre and taking in 774 feet of elevation took place on the last weekend of the year.
 
Duncan Selmes was the winner in 33:29 with some four Morpeth Harriers taking part.
 
James Tilley just missed out on a top three place when finishing 4th in 34:58, Anna Wright was 28th and 6th female finisher in 47:41, while Jane Kirby (29th and 6th female in 47:44) managed to get the drop on husband Richard (45th in 52:09).