harriers pick up honours at watergate

There was a string of medal-winning performances at the Watergate Trail Race 5k last week, which also incorporated once again the NEMAA Masters Championships.
 
Run over a relatively fast, two-lap, off-road course in Watergate Park, Lobley Hill, and hosted by Low Fell Running Club, the race certainly proved popular with Morpeth Harriers old and young looking for something to bridge the gap between the Track and Field and Cross-Country seasons.
 
Won by an in-form Adrian Bailes of Birtley AC in 15:25 with Sunderland Harrier Liam Taylor 2nd and also 1st O/35 (15:39) and Birtley’s Lewis McConnell 3rd (15:50), Elliot Kelso was first back for the club, 4th in a time of 15:54 and in the process collecting the prize for fastest Junior athlete by a big margin - as he had indeed confidently predicted he would in the clubhouse the previous Monday!
 
Elswick’s Justina Heslop, now an O/40 vet, was first female finisher in 18:35 with TBH’s Kathryn Stevenson 2nd and also 1st O/50 in 18:56. Birtley’s Chloe Bailes was 3rd Female and 1st Senior in 19:05.
 
It was a keenly-contested race between Robyn Bennett, Lorna Macdonald and Lizzie Rank for Morpeth, with all three neck and neck having good runs and coming in 3rd, 4th and 5th Seniors in 19:41, 19:48 and 19:49 respectively.
 
Shuna Rank picked up 1st O/55 in 22:48 with Margaret Macdonald 3rd in the same category (27:16). Pam Woodcock was 1st O/70 in 28:31.
 
Stephen Cessford was 35th and 9th O/35 in 19:42, but there were four further medal winning performances from James Dixon, Andrew Ball, Lee Bennett and Al Macdonald.
 
James was 3rd O/40 in 17:28, Andrew 2nd O/45 in 17:13, Lee (who must be itching to move up to the 55s in December) 2nd O/50 in 17:49 and Al 2nd O/60 in 20:06.
 
Well done to medallists and all who ran.