events round-up

Sunderland City Runs 

Ross Floyd made a return to competitive action for Morpeth in Sunday’s Sunderland City Runs, recording an excellent 33 minutes 34 seconds in the 10k race for 5th place behind home town winner Liam Taylor of Sunderland Harriers (32:17), with the women’s race won by NSP’s Charlotte Penfold in 34:59.
 
On the same day, Andy Leeson ran in the Half Marathon, recording 1:35:58 in 119th place. The race itself was won by an athlete who must have travelled a long way, Lewis Macalpine of Stornoway Running and AC in 1:10:34, with local lass Aly Dixon of Sunderland Strollers first female back in 1:19:03.
 
Prague Marathon
 
Meanwhile, further afield Carl Avery, who has had a remarkable six months of top class competition both over the cross country and on the roads, had another outstanding run to finish the Prague Marathon in a time of 2 hours 20 minutes 30 seconds. Carl was 18th overall in a race won by Kenyan Mutiso Alexander in 2:05:09 with Ethiopian Edessa Workewesh clocking 2:20:42 as first female home.
 
Les Allcorn 10k 

Tuesday evening saw the running of the Les Allcorn 10k, held once again in the scenic grounds of Hulne Park just outside Alnwick, with a fantastic one-two-three for Morpeth.
 
Thomas Prentice was 1st home in 34:19 with Rob Balmbra just under a minute behind in 2nd (35:17) and John Butters 3rd and first veteran (36:25).
 
The first female finisher was O/40 Felicity Smith from Elswick in 42:48 with Saltwell’s Joanna McNeill 2nd (44:10) with Lindsey Quinn, in her first outing since London, picking up 3rd in 44:41.
 
Other Morpeth finishers included: Lee Cuthbertson, 7th in 37:54; Mike Winter, 20th and second O/50 in 42:53; Robyn Bennett, 32nd and 8th female in 45:47; Jane Briggs, 45th and 2nd O/50 in 49:31 and Rich Kirby, 46th in 49:42. Some 91 finished, with the club picking up both Men’s and Women’s team prizes.
 
In the earlier held Junior races, dominated by athletes from home club Alnwick Harriers, U/13 Jack Dhawar was 18th overall in 13:41.
 
British Athletics Inter Counties Marathon Running Championships 

Cat Macdonald represented the North East Counties at the above championships held in the Howgills at the weekend, with two laps of a very tough 14 k up and down course which took in some 760 metres of ascent and descent over the summits of Winder and Arant Haw near Sedbergh.
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Coming home in 1 hour 12 minutes and 28 seonds, Cat finished as 1st counter for the NE and 13th female finisher, with the team 5th overall behind local winning outfit Yorkshire.