There were mainly excellent performances by the 25 Harriers out competing at the Yeovilton Easter Bunny 10km road race on Monday

Harriers tune up for the London Marathon: Easter Bunny & Taunton Half report

There were mainly excellent performances by the 25 Wells Harriers out competing at the Yeovilton Easter Bunny 10km road race on Monday. Pete Grist was pipped in the final 100m but nevertheless improved his time from last year at this race by over 40 seconds to finish in 32.10 just a few seconds behind winner Michael Johnson of Cardiff AC. Tracey Halliday was first home for the Harrier women in 45.06 in 18 place amongst the women. Many of the Harriers competing were using the race as their final hard effort before the London Marathon due to take place on Sunday April 22nd.

Father and son duo Les and Tom Lock once again had a race-long tussle to see who would come home first. At the previous weekend’s Taunton Half marathon, Les’s experience at the distance had paid dividends when he passed his son with 3 miles to go. Here Tom was always out in front and it stayed that way with Tom finishing in 18^th place overall, 2^nd junior athlete in the race, in a time of 35.43 and Les finishing in 36.05 for 21^st place and 1^st V50 prize.

Pete Darton led home the contingent of Harriers that have a date at London in a few weeks time and ran 37.35 which suggest that he is on target for a sub-3hr run in the Marathon. Karl Watts is also going at London and ran 41.16 here to follow up his 90 minute clocking from Taunton. Debbie Keeble also used the race in preparation for London and was home in 52.06.

Other Harrier positions and times in the field of 198 men and 101 women:

Women: 30^th Carole Buckland 47.03; 53^rd Alice Knight 52.03; 55^th Pat Challis 52.26; 57^th Jane Middleton 52.36; 85^th Kay Franklin 57.08

Men: 24^th James Hardy 36.22; 26^th Dickie Wythe 36.37; 47^th Dave Stanfield 38.33; 74^th Paul Chadwick 40.07; 77^th Alan Hunter 40.19; 97^th Stuart Clowes 42.33; 116^th Alastair Middleton 44.15; 117^th Nick Edwards 44.20; 126th Mike Scadding 44.41; 132^nd Andrew Pate 45.30; 142^nd Ian Roberts 46.29;183^rd Terry Exell 51.27.

Other Harrier Times from the Taunton Half marathon:

3^rd woman Jenny Moore 83.23; Alan Hunter 88.14; Ben Cane 1.41; Carol Buckland 1.45; Pat Challis 2.09; Haydn Davies 2.17; John Russell 2.21;