Leeds Abbey Dash

Start of 2016 Leeds Abbey Dash

Sam Hancox was first Morpeth Harrier home at the prestigious Abbey Dash in Leeds last weekend,
and behind him there were again a number of personal and season bests.

The out-and-back race between Leeds city centre and Kirkstall Abbey
again attracted a high-class field and nearly 9,000 runners in total,
and also featured also the England and UK 10k Championships.

On a chilly but thankfully rain-free morning a closely fought men’s race was won
by Jonny Mellor of Liverpool Harriers and AC in a time of 29 minutes and 12 seconds.

It was a more clear-cut victory in the women’s race where Scottish Olympian
Liz McColgan’s daughter Eilish, of Dundee Hawkhill, was a resounding victor in a time of 32m 52s.

With a time of 31m 9s, Hancox knocked over 40 seconds off his previous best for the distance
when finishing in 35th place and showed the progress he continues
to make under the guidance of his coach, Chris Waugh.

Some twenty seconds behind him was his training partner Tom Straughan in 45th place (31m29s)
who also knocked over thirty seconds off his previous best for the distance.

When Morpeth’s Emma Holt crossed the line eighteenth in the women’s race in 35m 6s,
she became the third Waugh coached athlete to record a pb for the distance.
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Other Morpeth Harriers who made the journey down the A1 in search of a fast time were
Andrew Hebden, now recovered from his exertions in the Kielder Marathon, 289th in 36m 33s;
Sam’s Dad Rob, 293rd in 36m 36s and 6th Over 50 male; Matthew Boyle, 363rd in 37m 44s;
Mark Cockburn, 460th in 38m 53s; Peter Scaife, 656th in 40m 25s and 8th Over 55 and,
in only his second 10k, Paul Bellingham, 760th in 41m 46s, another pb.

Leeds Abbey Dash Results