Heaton Harriers Memorial Road Races

The younger athletes of Morpeth Harriers were the prominent performers at the annual Heaton Harriers Memorial Road Races, held on Newcastle’s Town Moor on Sunday 11th November 2018.

These events are always held to commemorate the Armistice, and it was most appropriate that this year they were held on the 11th, exactly to the date, 100 years since the end of World War One.

The club won the team races in the Under 13 and Under 15 Boys 3k events,
and Taylor Glover and Gracie Hufton were respective winners of the combined
​Under17 and Under 20 Men’s and Women’s 5k events.

Taylor Glover winning the Under 20 Mens race

Gracie Hufton winning the Under 20 Womens race

Posting a finishing time of 15m48s, Under 20 Man Glover, won with forty-three seconds to spare over Gateshead Harrier Charlie McMillan, and Hufton enjoyed her first ever Under 20 Women’s outright victory,
posting a finishing time of 19m53s, which saw her win by sixty-seven seconds from the host clubs’ Holly Matheson.
For both Glover and Hufton, it saw them produce brand new personal best performances.

Morpeth’s other athlete competing in the Under17/Under 20 event,
was Under 20 Man Matthew Waterfield, who finished in sixth place,
posting a finishing time of 17m46s.
Waterfield was fourth Under 20 Man.

Morpeth’s Under 13 Boys produced an emphatic team victory over Gosforth Harriers in their 3k event.
They were led home by Bertie Marr, who finished an excellent third in 10m41s,
behind race winner Tom Slane of Blackhill, who clocked a winning time of 10m21s.

Second counter for Morpeth was Joe Dixon, who clocked 10m46s in fourth place,
with the clubs count being completed by Ryan Davies who was fifth in 10m51s.
Other Under 13 Boy finishers for Morpeth were Joseph Hudspith (8th) 11m40s,
and Adam Howliston (11th) 11m54s.

Dylan Davies led Morpeth Harriers Under 15 Boys squad home to a three-point
margin team win over Gosforth Harriers in their 3k event.
He finished fourth in 10m17s, eleven seconds of fifth placed club colleague Dylan Gooding.
Completing the winning Morpeth team count was Sam Tate, who finished seventh in 10m38s.
Morpeth’s other finisher in the Under 15 Boys event was Ben Walker, who was tenth in 10m48s.

Morpeth’s Abbi Leiper finished as third Under 15 Girl, posting a time of 11m30s.

Two Morpeth athletes faced the Starter in the Under 11 Boys and Girls 1k event.
Aaron Hayes, who finished seventh overall in 3m42s, was fourth Boy home.
Keira Peck finished eleventh overall in 4m09s, and was fifth Girl home.

Disappointingly only three Morpeth Harriers faced the Starter in the Senior Men and Women’s 10k Race.
Immediately prior to the event all runners joined a two-minute silence in memory
of those who fell during the two World Wars.

First home of the trio was Mark Long, who finished fifth in 32m08s.
Second home from the club was Paul Bellingham, who was 151st overall,
and was fourth in the Over 55 Veteran Men’s section, posting a finishing time of 42m13s.
Completing the Morpeth trio was Mike Steven, who finished 241st in 45m33s,
and was tenth in the Over 60 age group.

Thanks go to all at Heaton Harriers for once again organising a superb event.