 Jane Hodgson with her trophy. Picture: Alnwick Harriers A warm and breezy Sunday morning saw the annual running of the Alnwick Harriers-organised Northumberland Coastal Run, with over 350 runners completing the course, surely one of the most scenic in the country, along the coast from Beadnell to Alnmouth. And there were victories for the club in both Men’s and Women’s races, with Andrew Lawrence, in his first ever run over the course, the overall winner in a time of 1 hour 21 minutes 3 seconds for the 14-mile course. Lawrence had been helped for much of the way by a previous race winner, club companion Ian Harding, who took the race out to well over half way and finished 2nd in 1:22:22, with a visitor from South Yorkshire, Thomas Shaw of Worksop Harriers, 3rd in 1:23:28. In a race she has very much made her own, and finishing this year 10th overall in a time of 1:32:48, Jane Hodgson was once again 1st Female, completing yet another victory to add to a remarkable list that goes all the way back to 2017 – some five victories in total, a record one imagines that is unlikely to be challenged in the foreseeable future. Claremont Road Runner Sarah Kerr was 2nd Female in 1:38:04 and Heaton Harrier Ellie Reed 3rd in 1:39:40. There was further success for Morpeth with Tayla Douglass 5th Female in 1:48:19, Anna Wright 2nd Over 40 in 1:48:47 and training companion Jane Kirby likewise 2nd O/50 in 1:53:18. Meanwhile evergreen veteran Gavin Bayne, who will be travelling to the World Masters Championships in Gothenburg in August, warmed up by coming home 27th overall but 1st O/65 in 1:41:27. (There was further good news for Gavin the following week with news he’d been selected for England in the 2025 International Representative Masters in 2025.) John Clark was the club’s final finisher, sneaking in under two hours (1:59:32) in 113th place. Numbers across the event seemed markedly down, however, with places still available the week before the race – a big change from the days when it was a rapid sell-out, although spiralling costs have probably put some people off, one imagines. For full results and more pictures visit the Alnwick Harriers website. Andrew Lawrence crosses the finishing line 49th Snowdon Race The previous day saw the challenging 49th Snowdon Race, the Castell Howell International Ras Yr Wyddfa taking runners all the way from Llanberis to the summit of the highest mountain in Wales and back in an event the organisers rightly describe as ‘one of Europe’s toughest endurance challenges.’ Not to be deterred, there were some 461 finishers which included many of the best hill runners from across the Home Counties with a visiting team from Italy also. Morpeth’s Macs were once again prominent, with Catriona picking up another Scotland vest and completing the race in 1 hour 26 minutes 54 seconds as Scotland’s 2nd counter behind fastest Female back, teammate Naomi Lang (1:15:48). Meanwhile Alistair had a remarkable run to finish ahead of everyone in his age category as 1st O/60 in 1:38:36 and 123rd overall. Not to miss out on the family outing, a determined Margaret also completed in 2:43:09. Fastest time of the day was by Joe Steward representing England, an extraordinary 1 hour 5 minutes and 41 seconds – can you even get the train up and down that fast?  Alistair collects his prize Wanda Diamond League, London
Scott Beattie and Rory Leonard were both involved in Diamond League action in London at the weekend, taking part in the elite 3000 metre Men’s race. Won by Swiss Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu in 7:27:68, Scott was first back in 16th, finishing in a new pb of 7:42:78, which is also a Morpeth club record for the distance. Rory was 19th in 7:56:52, also a pb. Comments are closed.
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