NEWS ROUND-UP

NEHL rounds two and three – Druridge and Lambton
 
With the fields that are normally reserved for car parking at Druridge Bay unusable due to last week’s heavy rain, the scheduled North East Harrier League country fixture at the venue was sadly cancelled three days before the weekend. To many close to the park this seemed a little premature, with some fine days to come, but it was out of the league’s hands and down to the park management.
 
Hopefully, Lambton will be on THIS SUNDAY (it’s always been a Saturday there previously), though flooded car parking is what led to the cancellations last year. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
 
If you ran at Thornley, please remember your number; if you’re running for the first time, please check you are registered by looking at the NEHL website > Runner Info > list of this season’s packs > Morpeth Harriers. (There’s still time to register if not: contact the club via [email protected])
 
Directions on the dedicated NEHL Facebook page here: Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League | Facebook or on our own. Direction links here: DH3 4PW (what3words, oval.words.pull)
 
Alwinton Show
 
Thankfully, the Fell Race at the Alwinton Border Shepherds’ Show went ahead on Saturday, where once again it was Morpeth Harrier and Rothbury resident Bertie Marr who took the spoils.
 
Now studying in his first year at Sheffield University, Bertie made the journey back north up the A1 in the hope of defending the title he’d won last year but only succeeded this time after a close race with club colleague Tom Prentice, with Bertie clocking 19 minutes 27 seconds over the sharp, three mile up and down course and Tom 19:47. Rob Balmbra battled with blisters to come home fourth.
 
Experienced Northumberland Fell Runner Karen Robertson was 1st woman in 24:46, with Morpeth’s Robyn Bennett 2nd in 25:36, and Rachel Smith, a member of Cambridge and Coleridge AC - who’d come even further than Bertie to take part - in 3rd.
 
Lee Bennett was 14th and 2nd O/50, ahead of serial fell runners Gary Mason (30th) and Fran Naylor (51st).

Bertie Marr with his trophy

Leeds Abbey Dash

The following day saw the 38th running of the popular Abbey Dash in Leeds over the traditional fast and flat, out-and-back route from the city’s Victorian Town Hall to Kirkstall Abbey with over 5,500 finishing.
 
The men’s race was won by James McMurray of St. Albans AC in a time of 28 minutes 58 seconds in a sprint finish with Charlie Brisley of Newham and Essex Beagles one second behind.
 
There were equally fast times recorded in the women’s race, where Herne Hill Harrier Georgie Grgec clocked 31:36 and Cambridge and Coleridge’s Hannah Irwin 31:52.
 
Some seven Morpeth Harriers formed part of the field, with an in-form Carl Avery 6th and 1st Over 35 in 29:12 and Finn Brodie 10th in 29:28.
 
Phil Winkler was 33rd in 30:41, young Joe Dixon 38th in a personal best of 30:44 for fourth team counter, Sam Hancox 57th in 31:07, Andrew Lawrence 141st in 33:39 and Rob Hancox delighted to cross the line well under the forty minute barrier in 39:09.

Berlin Marathon

New member Richard Deathe recently completed September’s Berlin Marathon, clocking an excellent time of 2 hours 41 minutes and 37 seconds for 187th place.