morpeth trio in top ten at sunderland

Many of the North East’s leading runners descended on the Silksworth Sports Village in Sunderland on Thursday night for the annual Sunderland Harriers 5 kilometre race, which this year, somewhat confusingly, also incorporated the Northern, North East AA and NEMAA championships.
 
Split into combined Women’s/ Men Over 50 and Senior/ Men Over 40 races, with a preliminary Junior two mile race, Morpeth Harriers were well represented, with 12 runners lining up in the first of the evening’s 5k fixtures.
 
Won by a flying Stacey Smith of North Shields Polytechnic Harriers in an impressive time of 16 minutes 29 seconds, leading Morpeth veteran Morag Stead was first back for the club, 14th overall but the first Over 50 back in a time of 18:12, and on a productive night collected gold medals in the Northern, North East Championships and NEMAA Championships.
 
She was followed home by club colleagues Holly Lawrence, 21st and 9th Senior Female, in 18:33 and training companion Poppy Buck, 23rd and 11th in 18:43, both in their debut runs over the course.
 
Also medalling for NEMAA were evergreen Over 70 Pamela Woodcock, who won her category in a time of 27:49, and O/65 Dave Nicholson who was 2nd in his category in 20:54.
 
Jason Dawson was the club’s first O/50 home, 29th in 18:52, with Elvet Strider Lindsay McEwan recording the fastest O/50 time of the night of 17:00.
 
Sophie Ward had a strong run to come home 94th in 21:59, Laura McLean 101st in 22:18, Helen Chaplin 144th in 25:53 and Sarah Henry 145th in 25:59, with their coach Andrew Dippie 100th in 22:16.
 
There were just over 200 finishers in the night’s following elite race, with no less than 11 blue and white vests on the start line.
 
This time the race was won by young Houghton Harrier Chris Coulson in an impressive time of 14:26, with Morpeth’s Finn Brodie, some 11 seconds behind, collecting NECAA and Northern Athletics Silvers, and visiting runner Edward Leech, of Forest of Dean AC, 3rd (14:44).
 
Peter Smallcombe was 4th for the club in 14:51, but did have the distinction of picking up a Northern Athletics Bronze medal, with Leech ineligible.
 
Three more Morpeth athletes made the top ten, with George Lowry 5th in 14:55, Connor Marshall 8th in 15:02 and Will Cork 10th in 15:03. Young Elliot Kelso, in his first race with the Seniors, was 15th in 15:26, with Morpeth inevitably picking up the Men’s team award.
 
Visting Gala Harrier Darrell Hastie recorded the fastest Over 40 time of the evening of 15:01.
 
Rob Balmbra was 32nd in 15:59 (and got the drop on Jordan Scott to boot), Bertie Marrone place behind in 16:01, Andrew Lawrence 44th in 16:08, Dave Stabler 97th in 17:21 and Shaun Land 107th in 17:28. 

Results