Whilst Team Goldsmid are going for Gold at the Somerset Race series, Team Dickinson & Prior have been competing hard at various races, clocking up personal bests on the track and road. In addition we've had the fell running squad out competing, and more juniors setting personal bests on the track.....and then there's the plans for Club La Santa....
Race reports this past week....(June19th-26th)
Graham Goldsmid will be doing an update report on the Somerset Race Series so far.. but last Wednesday (June 19th) he & Cath and a number of other Harriers raced at the Tin Tin Ten, over 10k, starting and finishing in Tintinhull. In very muggy conditions, Philip Bridge continued his good run of recent form when he finished an excellent 3rd overall in a nippy time of 38.15 for the undulating multi-terrain course. Then came Graham in14th place, 41.32, followed by Chris Kelsey, 30th in 44.27, and Colin Williams, 49th in 47.31, followed by Cath Goldsmid 69th in 52.23. There were 139 finishers in total in the main event, which was also Race 9 in the Somerset Race Series 2013.
In the accompanying junior event one of the Harriers regular Monday juniors, Year 6 Luke Macpherson ran away from the field in the 2km race finishing first in a nippy time of 7.42.
Overall in the Somerset Series, sponsored by M5 Glass, Cath Goldsmid leads the way for the women, with Rebecca Carver, Hayley Carver and Katrina Prior also in the rankings. For the men Graham Goldsmid lies in 2nd place overall (1st V50) with Colin Williams 6th (1st V60). Damien Pick & Rick Dukes also feature in the rankings. full standings and more details as usual at http://www.somersetseries.co.uk/
On Saturday (22nd June), Luke Prior, Oliver Dickinson and Katrina Prior ventured to South Gloucestershire, for the St Mary's 6k road race at Yate. Luke set a new junior course record by 39 seconds in 19min 03 and also 2nd place on the day behind the winner David Glover from Westbury Harriers who ran 18.57. Oliver Dickinson ran well for his 21min 00 sec giving him 3rd junior and 6th overall, whilst Katrina Prior was 4th lady but 1st veteran in 24min 13sec.
On Sunday (June 23rd), Matthew Dickinson also had a great day at the u20 South of England track Championships at Watford. Matthew was running in the 5000m which was a mixed race with the senior men. With a strong run Matthew set a new personal best for the distance in a time of 15.40 and this was good enough for him to take silver.
Staying on the track, on Tuesday (June 25th) there were a number of Harriers setting personal bests at the BMC meet at Exeter Arena. Sam Harding set a new pb for the 800m in 2.00, whilst Oliver Fox did likewise in 2.01 and Luke Prior (again) in 2.09. At the same meet Harrier Fox ran 2.34 for the same distance, just outside of her best.
Also on Tuesday (June 25th) some of the Harriers fell running squad were out racing at the Beacon Batch Fell Race held on the Mendips. Running from near Langford to the highest point on the Mendips, the trig point on Black Down at 1066 feet, and back down again, the race sees a total height gain of 1,000 foot over the five mile race distance. In the field of 114 runners, the Harriers had 5 of its team members out. First home for the team was one of the Club’s current long distance specialist, Ollie Frost, who finished in 17th place in 40.06. Dan Humphries was next in 24th in 40.31, then Chris Kelsey, the only Harrier to compete a ‘Bob Graham round’ in 47th, 44.31, and Paul Chadwick, 51st in 45.44, Simon Carr, 64th, 47,18, and new member Dominic Cooper in 109th 57.45. Ollie, Dan, Paul & Simon were all using the race as a sharpener for the forthcoming 103 mile Cotswold way Relay race this coming Saturday (June 29th). Good luck to the 20 senior Harriers who will be making up the two teams there.
More results to follow from last weekend’s track fixtures, including the Youth Devt league match for u13s/u15s at Telford.
CLUB LA SANTA TRAINING WEEK: February half-term 2014
Simon Prior will be leading a group of all ages to the Club la Santa facility in Lanzarote as a half-term training week. Perfect for juniors looking to prepare for the 2014 track season, as well as for the marathon runners looking to get a bank of miles behind them in preparation for a spring race, this is the training week to consider. Feb 15th for 7 nights approx costs £550 inc flights.. please contact Simon direct on 07980 289547 for further information and to express an interest as the earlier a booking is made the better the price.Details of the Club La Santa complex are here http://www.clublasanta.co.uk/?gclid=CJmK0ufkgrgCFa7JtAodrUAA1A