Clean sweep for Harriers at 5k race – July 2010 edition of the Yeovil 5k race

There was some excellent running once again by the Wells City Harriers at the July edition of the Yeovil 5km road race last Wednesday. There was a clean sweep of the top three positions by the men, and the first woman home was also a Harrier. Elliot Haimes did just enough to hold off the Club’s top veteran runner, Jon James, for the full honours in nippy times of 15.30 and 15.31 respectively. Tristan Cooper from our partner club, Yeovil Olympiads, was 3^rd in 16.10. For the women Jenny Moore once again carried off the women’s top prize with her 18.36 clocking.

There were 24 Harriers in the field of 139 finishers. Notable performances by juniors included that by Matthew Dickinson, aged 14, the first junior home, in a personal best of 16.52 some two seconds quicker than ever before. Matthew was 9^th overall here and just one place ahead of team-mate Andrew Deamer who was also 2^nd V40 in 17.06. Ben Armstead, aged 15, also ran a personal best with his 18.54 being some 15 seconds quicker than before. He is showing great improvements after just three months training with the Club. It was also good to see Robbie Hawkins back in the club colours with his 18.26 indicating that there is still some speed left in his legs.

Martin Bailey indicates that racing suits him with his third tough race in less than three weeks as he ran a 19.04 here to follow on from his 72.05 at the hilly Wellington 10 miler, and the previous weekend’s effort of 71.01 at the Charmouth Challenge Fell Race to the top of Golden Cap. Carol Buckland in 21.25 and Tracey Halliday in 21.40 were also out racing again after completing the Wellington race in 82.41 and 80.29 respectively. New member John Beveridge also showed his ability with a time of 21.56 just a second behind fellow team mate Simon Carr.

Other Harrier times:

Matthew Lewis 17.34; Dickie Wythe 18.17; Cameron Rafferty 18.59; Reuben Whitcombe 19.14; Jason Keast 19.50; Charlie Martin 20.06; Mike Brown 20.12; Rex Whitcombe 20.25; Lily Hawkins 20.56; Katrina Prior 20.57; Kay Franklin 31.13.

In the accompanying junior races held on the fields and jointly administered by the Harriers along with other parents the Harrier’s Luke Prior again won the 2 lap race (0.85m) and looks a cert to take the Series prize come September.

Many of the junior and senior Harrier road runners are now starting to use the training sessions and the monthly Yeovil 5k road races as preparation for the prestigious South of England Road Relays to be held on Sept 25^th and 26^th. All Club members interested in being part of one of the many teams should contact team managers by early September. The club has often been the top south-west club at these Championships, and the traffic-free circuit at the old Aldershot parade grounds offers a testing circuit against Clubs drawn from Cornwall to Norfolk and all parts in between.

Meanwhile on the track at the weekend a number of junior and senior Harriers have also been boosting the combined Yeovil and Wells teams at various League matches. The joint senior mens team lies 9^th out of 16 teams in the Southern Men’s League after the 4^th fixture of the season held recently at Basingstoke. In the individual match they were runners up to the host Club but finished ahead of Chichester and Plymouth. This team is effectively the ‘B’ string with the ‘A’ string competing in the national British Athletes League. We are also awaiting the confirmed results from the latest National Young Athletes League match this past weekend and will report when they are available.

Meanwhile at the UK Track Championships held at Gateshead, at the weekend, Laura Parker was 2^nd in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10.41, just off her best. Laura is one of the team of Harrier coaches now making the finishing touches to their two day Star Track programme of Running, Jumping and Throwing for juniors aged 8-15 which the Club are running once again at Millfield next Monday and Tuesday, July 26^th and 27^th.

Members are also reminded that entry forms for the new Cranmore Chase race, as well as the well established Baltonsborough and Shepton Mallet races are all now available on the Harrier website at www.wellscityharriers.org.uk. All three races have accompanying races for juniors and are supported in some shape or form by harrier members – please offer to help if you aren’t competing.