silver for johnson as tynedale 10 returns

Richard Johnson was a runner-up in the Tynedale 10 mile race, while fellow Morpeth Harrier Gavin Bayne ran the fastest time for an Over 65 in the country this year, with the club’s Senior Men also picking up the team prize.
 
Resuming on Sunday August 21 like so many other local races after a two-year break, the Tynedale 10 has always been seen as a good preparation race for the forthcoming Great North Run in September and this year was no exception.
 
The out and back course from Ovingham Middle School  heads West along the banks of the Tyne through Bywell, before climbing sharply almost as far as the A68 Corbridge road only to turn back itself for a faster second half.
 
Carl Smith, running these days for North Shields Polytechnic Harriers, was the overall winner in a time of 52 minutes 13 seconds with Johnson chasing him all the way back to finish in 54m 45s. Heaton Harrier David Young was 3rd in 55:37.
 
Two other Morpeth runners made the top ten, with Andy Lawrence having a good run back from injury in 57:48 and Mark Snowball not far behind in 58:19. With three in the top ten, Morpeth were comfortable winners of the three to count team prize.
 
Young’s fellow  Heaton runner Danielle Smythe was 1st woman home in 1 hour 4 minutes 14 seconds with Elswick’s Amy Fuller 2nd in 1:04:44 and Claremont’s Sarah Kerr 3rd (1:06:49).
 
There were some six other finishers for the club with a number picking up age category prizes.  Anthony Liddle was 22nd in 1:03:53; Andrew Hebden 23rd and 3rd Over 40 in 1:03:56; Dave Stabler 28th and 2nd O/45 in 1:05:01; Shaun Land 29th in 1:05:02; Gavin Bayne 32nd and 1st O/65 in 1:05:37 and Mike Winter, 72nd and 3rd O/50 in 1:12:10.
 
Gavin’s performance deserves a special mention. Having represented Great Britain with distinction in the World Masters Championships in Finland last month – where he finished 4th for his age and took a share of a team Silver – he has been in fine form all Summer, and his time represents the best run for the distance nationally by an athlete in his age category by a margin of nearly thirty seconds.