Wells City Harriers provided both the winning male and winning female at Sunday’s Sturminster Newton Half Marathon. Frome’s Carl Morris and Ansford’s Jenny Moore were far too good for all of the other 300 competitors with each finishing some 4 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals. Whilst at last Wednesday’s Yeovilton 5km race the Club’s winning steak continued with Peter Grist outgunning the 139 competitors to come home 25 seconds ahead of the second placed runner.
Carl, along with Peter, is one of the Harrier’s successful road relay team, and his win at Sturminster follows on from similar victories in a large number of the local road races on the Dorset & Somerset circuit. Carl’s time was 71.19, with his nearest rival back in 75.19. For Jenny Moore it was her second victory in the week following on from success at Haselbury Plucknett. This time she finished in 87.19 for the 13.1-mile distance with the second woman home in 91.09.
At the August edition of the Yeovil 5km road race, there were 18 Harriers toeing the line. Peter Grist started comfortably and ran away from the field by halfway with his impressive 15.31 clocking for the full distance. Dickie Wythe, fresh from his recent efforts at the European Track Championships, also managed a top 10 finish in 16.44, whilst the Harriers also provided the 3rd and 4th best junior times of the evening with Tom Lock (aged 16) and Ben Venus (15) finishing in 16th and 17th positions with 17.17 and 17,34. For both Tom and Ben these were personal bests over this distance.
For the Harrier women, Kyra Hawkins picked up 1st junior female award for her 20.58 and Pat Challis was 1st F55 home in 25.56. Well done to all!
Other positions and times:
26th Dave Stanfield 17.59; 27th James Hardy 18.01; 29th Les Lock18.06: 50th Paul Chadwick 19.16; 51st Ed Tickner 19.16; 54th Tim Hamblin 19.34; 57th Gary Tubridy 19.38; 65th Alastair Middleton 20.00; 83rd Ian Roberts 21.17; 94th Carol Buckland 22.27; 125th Kay Franklin 27.13; 134th Corinne Hawkins 30.16
Meanwhile at track and field competition the Harriers had 3 of its top athletes competing at the Manchester Sports City Arena on Saturday in the BMC endurance event. U’15 Alex Wiltshire, despite being the youngest in the field, and up against athletes sometimes 5 years older that himself ran a creditable 5.00.36 in the Peter Coe Mile race. GB international Ben Tickner ran 4.05 in a tight race at the same distance where the winner was just a second ahead; and his brother, and fellow GB international, Frank Tickner was 3rd in the 300om Steeplechase event with 8.52.
Junior training continues throughout August every Monday, apart from Bank Holidays, at Millfield track starting at 6.00pm.
Fixtures:
Sunday August 20th Dennett Trophy Meeting at Yeovil track; Wed August 23rd Crook Peak Fell Race (7.00pm) from Cross, near Axbridge; Sunday August 27th Battle of Sedgemoor 10km race; Monday August 28th Baltonsborough 5m road race and junior races (11.30am); Wednesday August 30th Pub Run