Daniel Melling and Ross Charlton each produced personal best performances of 2m01.37s, and 2m01.81s, when finishing first and second respectively in the fourth fastest 800m race at the opening BMC Meeting for 2019, held at Chester Le Streets Riverside track, on the evening of Monday 20th May. Other Morpeth Harriers in action at the event were Adam Pratt, who finished second in the third fastest 800m, posting a seasons best of 1m59.75s, and Rhiannon Hedley, who posted a time of 2m25.22s in the sixth fastest race, finishing seventh. Two athletes from Morpeth Harriers took part in the annual Loughborough International on Sunday 19th May 2019.
After making a great deal of early pace, eventually Rory Leonard eventually finished ninth in a field of twenty-three in a very talented mixed age 3000m field, posting a seasons best time of 8m21.32s. In the Field Events, Senior Throws specialist Craig Charlton marked his long-awaited debut for Scotland by finishing fifth in the Men’s Shot Putt, with a best effort of 14.87m. On Saturday 18th May 2019, leading NEFRA runner and Morpeth Harrier John Butters undertook the hugely challenging Bob Graham round of 66 miles over 42 Lake District summits, incorporating 27,000 feet of climbing,
at the weekend. John’s meticulous long-term preparation, assisted by many friends from within the fell-running community and Morpeth Harriers, certainly paid off as he completed the round in a fantastic 19 hours and 12 minutes. Some achievement: Well done John. There were over 400 finishers at the Clive Cookson 10k on Wednesday 15th May 2019.
The race was hosted as usual by North Shields Poly, over the traditional two lap course from Monkseaton High School, although if anything the even hotter evening mitigated against pbs. Gus Withers of Gateshead Harriers was 1st male home in 32m 11s and Birtley’s Tracey Millmore 1st female in 37m 55s. Some four Morpeth athletes took part, with Tom Innes having another fine run to come in in 7th place in a time of 34m dead. In his first outing back in a Morpeth vest, Gary Jones, now an O/35 veteran, ran 35m 59s in 19th place. Eric Adams (who had the unenviable distinction of having to carry the number ‘1’ bib) was 124th in 42m 28s and Jim Alder ‘the younger’, at last on the comeback trail, 6th O/55 and 140th in 42m 49s. There were twelve Morpeth Harriers among the 164 finishers at the Les Allcorn 10k race held
on Tuesday evening (14th May) in the scenic grounds of Hulne Park, Alnwick. The women’s race was won by Rachelle Falloon, sixteeenth overall, in a time of 40 minutes and 6 seconds, and with her clubmate Hannah Rank 2nd female in 44m 20s and young Gracie Hufton, in her first ever 10k, 4th in 45m 13s, the women were a convincing first team home. In a race won by Gary Wallace of Blackhill Bounders in 34m 21s with home club Alnwick’s Over 40 veteran Steve Carragher 2nd and Blyth’s Scott Povey 3rd, Carl Donaldson was Morpeth’s first finisher in 7th place (38m 4s). Paul Banks, getting London out of his legs, made the top ten with a time of 38m 38s and Jamie Johnson one place behind in 11th (39. 19s). Other Morpeth finishers on a hot and dusty evening were Mike Winter, 21st in 41m 58s; Richard Kirby, 26th in 44m 2s; Mike Steven, 37th and 1st O/60 in 45m 54s; Nobby Clark, 63rd in 46m 54s; Jilly Bell, 70th in 50m 56s; Lizzie Rank, 68th overall and 6th senior woman; and Lizzie and Hannah’s Mum, Shuna, 71st in 51m 2s. In the 67 strong field for the popular Junior 3k run, meanwhile, Joe Dixon lost out narrowly to Alnwick’s Oliver Telfer by some 18 seconds, with James Tilley in 10th place. |
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