Records fall at Street Races

Report of the December 2009 edition

Race number 123

 

The latest edition of the Street 5k races saw the women’s race record fall and for the first time ever an outright woman winner when Gemma Turtle and her training partner Roseanne Galligan of Gloucester AC made the trip down the Motorway to take part. Gemma was timed at 16.32, with Roseanne at 16.38 for the 5 lap circuit. For both Gemma and Roseanne it was their second running of the race as they had both tried the event a year ago as part of their training programme. Gemma is the leading u23 5k runner in the country this year.

 

This was the 123rd running of the races since its inception back in 1988. The races are held on the second Wednesday of the months from October to March and are organised by Wells City Harriers to encourage some friendly competition and give those taking part the chance of a monthly fitness time trial. The races have attracted some very fine runners over the years and the Club’s own quintet of TeamGB athletes has often used the races as a quality run out. 

 

The previous women’s record at Street was the 16.44 by the Harrier’s Amber Gascoigne in February 1998. Amber went on to represent Britain at the World XC Championships the following month in Morocco.

 

Last Wednesday, Gemma’s team-mate Roseanne Galligan used the Street race as a quality session before taking part in the European XC Championships at Dublin on Sunday. She finished 15th in the u23 women’s race there, leading home the Irish team. Meanwhile at the weekend Gemma used her 5km road race pace indoors in Cardiff where she ran 9.12 for 3000m.

 

Also at Street there were a number of other notable performances. Two of the Harriers top juniors ran excellent times. Oliver Fox clocked 17.32 which will be one of the leading times for a 13 year old in the country, and Emily Smith lowered her personal best to 19.35 for one of the leading times for a 14year old girl. Another good Harrier performance amongst the 27 members out of the 83 competitors was recorded by Dickie Wythe, 1st V50, in 17.36. See full results for all performances and take a look at the Street 5k records.