Darlington Harriers and AC

Darlington Harriers made a return to the Elswick Good Friday Relays.

The team made up of Darren Stockdale, Mark Tallon, Jamie Rutherford and Drew Inglis took a solid midfield place 33 out of 62 senior men's team in a race which, including veterans teams, saw 108 men's teams take part over the 2.2 mile course.

The team were brought home by Inglis with the fastest leg of 11mins 29. This completed a fantastic week of racing for Drew having finished second at the Hartlepool Marina 5 mile race the previous Sunday.

The wet conditions didn't prevent more Harriers PBs being broken at the Mermaid 10k race on the sea front at Marske. Paul Cook was the first Harrier to finish in a PB of 36:04, followed by Peter Armstrong in 39:13 - both looking on track with their preparation for London Marathon at the end of the month. Sue Phillips finished in 40:42 before Justin Hindmarch completed the next PB in 41:33. Fiona Dewar crossed the line in 43:43 ahead of Emma Morley in 47:43 before Jeff Miller finished in 48:46 with a spectacular dive across the line. Lesley Miller took well over a minute off her PB with a brilliant 48:47.

At the South Park parkrun in Darlington Simon Rogers blasted round in 17:55 with Bernadette Caygill behind him in 19:51. Other Harriers at the Parkrun were Juris Silovs 20:27, Katie Noble 20:30, Megan Noble 20:58, David McKenna 21:02, Sean Connolly 21:07, Linda Noble 21:10, Stella Jones 21:12, Jeff Miller 21:53 (No diving this time), Andrew Glencross 22:42 (PB), Dominic Colley 23:06 & Sarah Nicholson 37:04.

Later in the day Heather Mochrie (1hr 49) was second lady at the Reeth 20k race in Swaledale ahead of David McKenna in 1hr 52.

On Easter Sunday Darren Stockdale flew the flag for the club at the Guisborough Three Tops fell race completing the approx. 8 mile course in 1hr 45.

Crook and District AC

Crook had a healthy presence at the annual Elswick Good Friday Relays with two Senior and two Veteran teams on hand to do battle.

Some great performances saw a seventh place finish for our Senior A team while the Veterans A team enjoyed a fifth place finish.

Results: Senior Men 7 Crook A - 44.27. Wondiye Indelbu 10.31, Markhim Lonsdale 10.48, Dave Best 11.50, Carl Chapman 11.18. 23 Crook B - 48.55. Sam Beckett 11.24, Tony Murray 12.13, Graham Spowart 12.37, Liam Armstrong 12.35. Veteran Men - 5 Crook A - 51.31. Chris Auld 11.32, Jason Bridgewater 13.14, Wayne Pearson 12.48, Geoff Hewitson 13.57. 24 Crook B - 60.48. David Goodfellow 14.38, Gerry Hehir 14.53, Simon Fell 15.28, Graham Laverick 15.49.

Caroline Teasdale and Craig Downs took part in the Mermaid 10K at Marske on Good Friday. Craig came home in 29th place in 38.09 while Caroline celebrated a big personal best coming over the line in 39.38 to finish 48th and third female.

At the North Tyneside 10K on Easter Sunday Michael Dufton ran a new PB in 44.11 to come 277th while David Goodfellow crossed the line in 45.57 to place 349th.

Michael Lloyd and Neil Douthwaite took part in the multi terrain Helmsley 10K event where Michael posted a time of 50.52 in 124th place while Neil was 143rd in 52.44.

Elizabeth Wood was on her travels at the weekend to Preston parkrun where she enjoyed a time of 21.03 to place 39th and sixth lady.

Also on an away day was Kevin Saville at Wanstead Flats parkrun in London. He posted a time 21.39 to come 16th on the muddy course.

Closer to home at Durham parkrun Graham Laverick placed 50th in 23.32. Steve Manifold and Jessica Hague ran together in 29.54 to place 182nd and 183rd respectively while Lynsey Manifold and Chris Clynes also crossed the line simultaneously in 30.26 to place 195th and 196th overall.

At Sedgefield parkrun Michael Lloyd ran a time of 24.10 to come 41st while Jayne Henderson clocked 24.37 in 47th place while Gemma Henderson continued her return from injury by running 24.53 to come 50th.

At Riverside parkrun Craig Downs kept up his consistency by running 18.18 to place third with Jason Allison just a position behind in a time of 18.39. Jason Bridgewater came ninth in 19.17 while Craig Wren claimed 22nd spot in 20.14. Helene Pratt came fourth lady and 33rd overall in 21.19 while Paul Brennan continued his return to fitness with a time of 23.37 in 72nd place. Elizabeth Allison was 196th in 31.21 with Alfie Allison not far behind in 31.27 coming 199th.

David Best was at Fell Foot parkrun in the Lakes and posted a time of 18.29 to come home in second place.

At Croxteth Hall parkrun Paul Smith completed the 5K route in a time of 21.29 to come 19th.

Richmond and Zetland Harriers

Another fantastic weekend of racing was produced by Richmond and Zetland Harriers athletes with PBs tumbling coinciding with the upturn in the weather. At the Mermaid 10k Ronnie Corbett led Harriers home with a storming run and a new PB by 27s. He finished in 24th place and 4th in his age category with a time of 37:38. Lee Davies also broke 40 minutes (39:23) and another PB in 43rd.

On Easter Sunday with the lure of Easter eggs as prizes a few insane runners took the trip out to Helmsley for their 10k 'multi-terrain challenge'.

Andy Everard mastered the course and came home in 49th and a fantastic new PB of 44:36, taking 25 seconds off his old mud running best.

Mark Fletcher on his yearly 10k race, found the going to his liking and dipped just inside the top 100 with another PB by six secs (48:56). Another that tackled the course was Michelle Withers and ran an excellent 1:00:06, for 246th and inside the top 300 to guarantee an Easter egg!

Harry Robson was just too young to compete in the seniors so had to settle for first in the Under-14s race.

At the weekly Darlington parkrun Richmond was well represented. Luke Hack was second, just three seconds outside his PB.

Shona Fletcher was again first lady, 4th overall in 18:14 and just behind was Ken Harker in 18:15 and 5th. Dave Hack was next in 7th (18:30) and Jeremy Pattison 8th (18:57). Issie Starkey was the 4th lady and 20th overall in 20:40, she was closely followed by Shaun Purkiss in 21st and 20:46. Tony Ditchburn was 106th in 24:25.

From May 25-29th, Shona Fletcher will be completing the arduous challenge of biking Coast to Coast from St. Bees Head to Robin Hoods Bay in a day and then running back to St Bees over the next four days.

The 300 mile round trip involves 4500m of ascent in each direction. This is a 150 mile cycle followed by nearly six hilly marathons!

Shona has been moved by the courage of a boy called Roscoe Tulloch. Roscoe and his brother, Finbar, were born 11 weeks premature in July 2010. After receiving lifesaving care at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton and James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, Roscoe was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual impairment.

Roscoe is now four-and-a-half and looking forward to starting school in September. He cannot speak and so can only express his needs through smiling and laughing or crying.

Roscoe was lucky enough to access an assessment which showed that he had the potential to use “Eyegaze” technology (a computer based system that detects eye movement) to allow him to communicate and learn. Unfortunately, there is no funding for this package which would transform his and his family's lives. By undertaking this challenge Shona hopes to raise £10,000 to allow Ross the chance to receive this life changing equipment helping him learn and interact when he starts school.

Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers

A busy weekend for Harriers saw 18 of them at Fountains Abbey for the parkrun, and their best result in April will count towards the Club Championship.

Dan Holdsworth led the way, second in a new personal best 17.24 with Greg MacDonald 4th in 17.41, Cameron Choules 5th in 17.44, his first time at this event, and his best time over this distance for years, Olivia Mullholland 23rd in an new PB 19.51, Rob Burn 28th in 20.33, Lorraine Hiles, a first timer, 47th in 21.55, Steven Scott 60th in 22.52, Stuart Waters 67th in a new PB 23.13, Rebecca Burgess 89th in 24.18, a new PB, Geoff Bullock 119th in 25.41, Faith Coy 133rd in 26.18, both of those last two first timers, Louise Thompson 156th in a new PB 27.24, Chris Wordsworth, a first timer, 158th in 27.27, Sarah Jones 166th in a new PB 27.53, Christine Burn 167th in 27.58, Andrea Almack 170th in 28.18, Alison Butcher 176th in a new PB 28.29 and Liz Stephenson 287th in 37.26, another new PB.

On Good Friday, five Harriers were among the 210 finishers of the Mermaid 10k at New Marske.

The course runs from New Marske to Redcar along the coast and back, with a loop in between, and the morning there was perfect for running for once, without the usual wind.

Bryan Miller came 60th in a very good 41.32, Graham Robinson 72nd in 52.56, Claire Gillan 136th in 49.43, Ian Codling 201st in 65.54 and Marian Codling 209th in 75.21.

The race probably took its toll on some of those who also did the Helmsey 10k Challenge on Easter Sunday.

Julian Norton had a good run to finish 10th, and 2nd M40, in 39.31, Rob Lickley 28th in 42.17, Bryan Miller 31st in 42.31, Paul Atkinson, in his first race this year, 54th in 45.07, Charlotte Wilton 91st in 48.21, Peter Richardson 128th in 51.11, Claire Gillan 158th in 53.24, Ian Codling, nursing an injury, 307th in 74.40 and Marian Codling 310th in 84.30.

Walter Busuttil tested himself at the recent Stokesley Duathlon in preparation for representing Team GB in the M50 category of the forthcoming European Sprint Duathlon Championships in Madrid next month.

The Stokesley race involved a 5k run, 35k cycle and another 5k run. Walter finished 51st out on 275, and 3rd M50, in 1.39.36, 30 seconds quicker than last year.