Richmond and Zetland Harriers

After the mass of races last week it was a select few that raced over the weekend.

On Sunday a few took the trip up to Hartlepool for the Marina 5 mile race. Shona Fletcher, Ken Harker and Jeremy Pattison represented the harriers and produced some fine performances.

Ken and Shona used this out and back 5 -miler as a training tempo run for their upcoming marathon. Both ran in a controlled fashion and held each other back to ensure that their competitive natures were kept in check when the urge did appear to race.

Ken was 27th and Shona 28th in exactly the same time (29:23) and both were in the medals. Shona was second lady and first North East Veteran and Ken was the second North East Veteran in his age category.

Jeremy, who was on the comeback trail from injury, finished in 30:40 and 50th place. Paul Cook a second claim runner at the club finished in 33rd place in 29:33.

Michelle Nolan also on the marathon trail used Northumberland half marathon as part of her preparations for London and as last week returned with another win in a steady 1:23.

On Saturday at the weekly parkrun in Darlington, Shona Fletcher ran 18:17, 6th overall and the first lady. Ken Harker was in hot pursuit in 7th and 18:19. Shaun Purkiss finished in 30th with a decent run in 20:56. Sparring partners Simon Withers and Andy Everard were next in 38th (21:25) and 39th (21:27). Mark Crawford improved on his PB in 27:52 in 152nd place. However, he still trailed his wife who also produced another fantastic PB in 151st and 27:51. Another mention to Lee Davies this week who forgot his barcode!

Further information on the club and training nights can be found on the website www.richmondzetlandharriers.co.uk

Crook and District AC

The club was well represented at the annual Hartlepool Marina 5 mile road race last weekend, where Chris Auld ran superb time of 27.55 to come seventh overall.

Wayne Pearson was next in 42nd place with a time of 30.18 following his injury battles. Geoff Hewitson came next in 33.25 to come 102nd while Richard Bond claimed 164th spot in 36.07 and Helene Pratt followed in 166th in 36.10. Natalie Mulholland ran a time of 36.21 in 174th place while Jayne Henderson ran the out and back route in 38.08 to come 211th. Malou Lonsdale clocked a time of 39.38 in 246th position while Gemma Henderson claimed 270th spot in 40.36.

At the Cowpen Bewley Stockton Trail race fixture last Sunday Paul Smith was first back for the club in 23.02 coming 13th overall. Michael Dufton wasn’t far behind in 16th spot with a time of 23.27 while club chairman Graham Laverick ran 25.09 to claim 24th place. Steve Manifold was 31st in 25.46, Lynsey Manifold ran 26.28 to come 34th and Matthew Hargraves finished 61st in a time of 30.12.

A busy morning for our parkrunners saw Kevin Saville claim 22nd spot at Durham in a time of 21.01 while Paul Smith came 30th in 21.38.

Sam Beckett had a good run at Riverside parkrun in 17.11 to come third while Jason Allison was eigth in 19.04. David Goodfellow completed the course in 22.09 to come 40th with Steve Manifold finishing 82nd in 24.18, Daughter Lynsey just behind in 87th spot with her time of 24.29 while Michael Lloyd followed in 91st place having ran 24.47. Paul Brennan, Craig Downs and Chris Clynes ran together in 26.41 claiming 125th, 124th and 126th places respectively.

At Darlingtons South parkrun Rob Teasdale crossed the line in 18.07 to claim fifth spot while Caroline Teasdale completed the three lap course in 19.48 to come 15th and second female.

David Best finished first overall at Gibside parkrun in 18.53 on the undulating route.

Elizabeth Wood claimed second female and eigth overall at Hackworth parkrun with her time of 21.37 while Junior Matthew Brookes came 23rd in 31.01 and Veteran Allen Purdham was 24th in 31.14.

Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers

The fifth race in the Club Championship Series, the Hartlepool Marina 5, took place at the weekend.

The race was started by the distinctive cannon, which spurred runners on to some fast times - many improving markedly on previous results. Cameron Choules, going really well just now, finished 34th out of 516 in a superb 29.36, with Stephan Tomaszewski 45th, and 2nd M50, in 30.35, Ken Wood 75th in 31.54, improving with every outing, as is Rob Lickley, 81st in 32.16, Rob Burn 112th, and 2nd M60, in 33.54, Graham Robinson, also seeming to get faster, 135th in 34.34, Steven Scott 197th in 37.32, Helen Ashworth 205th in 37.52, Stuart Waters 208th in 37.58, Andy Butcher 212th in 38.11, Marc Davies 256th in 39.45, Brian Smith 279th in 40.46, Christine Burn 368th, and 2nd F60, in 45.38, Alison Butcher 404th in 47.37, Andrea Almack 406th in 47.29, (a quicker chip time than Alison, but lower down the order on gun time), Cath Lumb 448th in 50.11, Hannah Pollit 450th in 50.31, Ian Codling 469th in 53.15, Linda Simms, in her first ever race, 473rd in 53.20, Bev Davies 476th in 53.51, Marian Codling 502nd in 59.25 and Liz Stephenson 512th in 63.33.

The Fountains Abbey parkrun saw Laura Bosomworth 34th out of 217 in 21.48, just pipping Charlotte Wilton, 35th in 21.49, Steven Scott 58th in 23.25, Nigel Morgan 103rd in a new personal best 27.11 and Paul Adams 141st in 29.31.

At Darlington, Greg MacDonald and Steve Middleton were in fierce competition, Greg getting the edge to come 2nd out of 242 in 17.26, with Steve 4th in 17.45, Malcolm Aitken 92nd in a new PB 24.44, and Brian Smith 205th in 33.10.

Pete Wilkin was in an altogether different type of race, 25 miles at Blubberhouses with 2904 feet of climb. The race took in Bolton Abbey, Fewston Reservoir and Beamsley Beacon and Pete came 25th out of 174 in an excellent 4 hours.

Fran Jeffery could top that, as she completed the Hardmoors 55. Setting off very early, the race is based on Guisborough and takes in the Cleveland Way, Roseberry Topping and Little Roseberry, Captain Cook's Monument, Kildale, Clay Bank, Carlton Bank, Black Hambleton, by which time head torches were needed, Boltby Forest and Kilburn Woods before returning to Guisborough in under 15 hours, an incredible time and achievement. There were some seriously steep climbs and descents along the way in amongst all that.

A couple of weeks previously, Danielle Donohue was at the Spen 20, coming 159th out of 233 in 2.56.20, and on the same day, Steve Middleton, in a fine vein of form, was 6th out of 117 in 2.04.29 at the more local Locke Park 20 at Redcar.

Again on the same day, John Yates, on the far side of the world, came third overall in the Run for Leprosy 10k in a time of 40.59, his best time for ages, and his best time ever in South East Asia.

Darlington Harriers and AC

Three seniors braved the blustery sea front to take part in the Hartlepool Marina 5-mile race last weekend.

Simon Rogers finished 24th in 29 mins 18 secs, nine places and 15 seconds ahead of Paul Cook. Sue Philips was FV50 winner in 94th place with a time of 33:02.

On the previous day, Simon and Paul tackled the South Park 5k parkun and crossed the line in an identical time of 19:02 for ninth and 10th places. Juris Silovs was 19th in 20:23 and James Roberts was 21st in 20:24.

Jeff Miller was 45th in 21:46. Dave McKenna was 46th in 21:47 and Shirley Gibson was 229th in 37:13. Karen Jones was 234th in 38:21.

Aycliffe Running Club

The Hartlepool Marina 5 attracted a good turnout from Aycliffe Running Club. This race also incorporates the Northeast Masters 5-Mile Road Race Championships.

There were some notable performances from the club. Judith Porter was 1st F/60 in the time of 43:09 and Dave Mackenzie was 2nd M/70 in 41:38. In the NE Masters Championships Alan Wilks was placed 3rd in the M/65 category finishing in 36:55.

Leading the way home for the club was John Surtees, 23rd in 29:14 and a PB, followed by Graham Atkinson, 77th in 32:07, PB and Tracey Surtees 113th in 34:00, PB. Next to cross the line was Dave Blewitt, 116th in 33:58, followed by John Burnside, 121st in 34:16 and Steve Smith, 134th in 34:34. Sandra Collins was the 2nd lady home for the club, 171st in 36:22, followed by Jodie McMasters, 181st in 36:58 and Rob Nicholson who also got a PB, 191st in 37:16. Gary Minns was the next finisher, 220th in 38:34, followed by Mike Brunskill, 227th in 38:47 and Geoff Miles, 241st in 39:26. Viviane Pow, recovering from a recent marathon, still managed a good race finishing 253rd in 39:44. Paul Stretton finished 300th in 42:05 and Yvonne Williams was 461st in 51:47.

Eight ladies from the club travelled north to compete in the Northumberland Half Marathon.

This race started and finished in the grounds of Kirkley Hall near Ponteland. Cold weather with short sunny spells and heavy showers made it quite challenging at times, but the route itself was pleasant enough.

Relative newcomer Christine Mudd was first home for the club in 1:43:07, followed by Shelley McCormack, 1:47:14, Wendy Bake, 1:47:37, Susan Cranswick, 1:48:02, Trish Kay, 1:48:12, Carla Morton, 2:18:01 and Susan Clark, 2:18:12.

Cowpen Bewley was the venue for the last race in the Winter Stockton Trail series and probably because of races elsewhere attracted a much smaller field of runners than usual.

Susan Milburn battled the muddy conditions to finish 35th in 26:34 and not far behind was Kevin Greenall, 40th in 27:17.

Series winners were as follows:- Graham Atkins V/50, Peter Milburn V/55 and Alan Wilks V65.