Highlights from a busier weekend in athletics

On what proved to be a busier weekend for events in the UK, the Podium XC also took place and a report on that action can be found here. Other recent highlights are below.

PB 5km Winter Series, Ardingly, Sussex, December 13

Despite 15mph-plus winds on the predominantly flat exposed Showground, there were two competitive cracking races and 70 athletes under 17 minutes did set PBs.

Most competitors also got well over 5km on their measurements but that was probably due to the 20-plus tight corners in the race and runners having to take a wider line than measured on the very wet and slippery bends.

British Championships 1500m finalist Ian Crowe-Wright used his speed to slip past Joe Wigfield in the last 20 metres to win in 14:23. Surprisingly, it was his first ever listed 5km on the road. Fellow 1500m star Wigfield (3:40.85 PB) was also effectively debuting as his pre-race best was just 16:09.

Robbie Fitzgibbon made it a hat-trick of metric milers and the 3:36.97 man did have a proper PB (14:15) but here ran 14:29.

Henry McLuckie, himself a 3:42.16 performer, was first under-20 in fourth in 14:30 but well down on his 14:13 PB set in better conditions.

English National and UK Inter-Counties cross-country champion Lewis Sullivan was first under-17 in his debut in 15:05.

English Schools cross country champion Benjamin Peck also debuted and was first under-15 in 15:57.

The women’s race also went to the wire with Izzy Fry just edging Beth Kidger with both getting times of 16:24.

English National under-20 runner-up Fry has run a 16:06 (and 16:02.00 on the track) with British Championships 1500m finalist Kidger closer to her lifetime best of 16:18.

Hannah Irwin was third in 16:39 and Holly Dixon fourth in 16:50 but both were well short of their bests.

Harriet Bloor was first under-20 in her race debut in 17:00.

Clare Elms, the first woman athlete aged over 40 who was denied an age group lead a few days earlier due to a missing permit, did achieve a W55 2020 best with 18:18 in her third race in a week though was over 20 seconds down on her Wednesday time.

Mallory Park 10km (Incl. Leics & Rutland 10km Championships), Kirkby Mallory, December 13

Jess Judd won the women’s race in a fast 32:30, just 14 seconds short of her best ever time.

Triathlete Sophie Coldwell followed her home in 33:25 in her debut at the distance.

Juniors dominated the men’s race with Luke Duffy narrowly winning in a PB 30:15 from Matthew Stonier (30:16) and Rory Leonard (30:18), who also set PBs, as the top 10 broke 31 minutes.

Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon, December 13

Jordan Clay was an easy men’s winner in 68:40 for his first sub-70 performance.

Alicia Lacey was fastest woman in 80:48 which is nine minutes quicker than her listed PB.

Essex Remembrance Races, Saffron Walden, December 13

Ryan Burling won the 10km in 30:15, just three seconds up on Jonathan Escalante-Phillips.

International marathoner Tracy Barlow was fastest woman in 36:19.

The 5km event saw 2018 European under-18 champion Thomas Keen set a new PB of 14:44 as 2017 European under-20 800m champion Khahisa Mhlanga debuted on an official 5km when taking the women’s section with 17:09 though she has a 17:00 parkrun PB.

RunThrough Chase the Moon Olympic Park 10km and 5km, December 9

2:23 M40 marathoner Ben Shearer won the 10km in 32:10 while Natasha Sheel was quickest woman in 36:35 on a four-lap circuit surrounding the London Stadium on a flat course in excellent conditions. That was her first sub-40 but it won’t count as an official PB or for ranking purposes as the race only had an ARC licence rather than a UKA one.

With the short laps, the leaders had to negotiate many backmarkers on a narrow course in the 10km while the 5km runners had to get round tail end of the 10km on both of their two laps.

It did not stop Hannah Viner (16:24) smashing what would have been her PB. Clare Elms thought she had achieved her second UKA W55 lead three days after her Goodwood 10km on Sunday but likewise her 17:57 is not eligible for the rankings.

Chris Rainsford was fastest man in 15:15.

Exeter Fast Friday 10km, December 13

Ben Neale (32:06) and Kirsteen Welch (35:14) both set PBs in winning an event that despite its title, following postponement, was held on a Saturday.

Run Aintree Half Marathon, 10km & 5km, Liverpool, December 13

In the men’s 10km on the circuit around the famous race track, Chris Williams narrowly got the better of top master Andy Norman in 31:07.

Leanne Jones was first woman in 36:31 as Sophie Wood won the half-marathon distance in 78:17, just one second outside her best though the event did not have a UK permit so times won’t count for ranking purposes.

Dorney Lake Half Marathon, 10km and 5km, December 13

The best performance came from Alex Miell-Ingram who was fastest in the 5km in 15:13 from his 16-year-old younger brother Rowan (15:24).

NECAA Relays, Thornley, December 12

Gateshead showed their dominance in the under-17 men’s race with their A and B teams heading the opposition.

David Race brought them home a minute clear, having taken over in second half a minute down on their B team.

The fastest though was Adam Russell with 10:50 in a solo run for Darlington.

Houghton Harriers won the under-17 women’s race by a minute from Birtley though it was Gateshead’s Ines Curran, who was their only runner, who was easily fastest in 12:21.

North Shields Poly won the under-13 girls’ by two minutes from Elswick.

They also won the under-13 boys’ but only by 21 seconds from Gateshead.

Gateshead were first in the under-15 girls’ with Elswick chasing them home.

Morpeth matched Gateshead’s under-17s for their only victory, with their A team over two minutes clear of their B squad.

Derby Runner Real Races, December 13

The Potter twins were back running together but were split by Derby’s W40 Chrissie Dover, Martin Duff reports.

While Juliet has been a regular racer, third-placed Jane has only run once in then past two years, when she made an outing in the English National.

The junior races saw Inter-Counties U15 bronze medallist Alex Adams score a comfortable win over Ruben Snelson.

Thames Hare & Hounds Alumni Race, December 12-13

Joe Morwood clocked the fastest time in the Thames Hare & Hounds Alumni Race, which was held as a virtual 5-mile event this year due to the pandemic.

With a history dating back to the early 1950s, it usually takes place on Wimbledon Common with runners representing their old school.

Representing RGS Guidford, Morwood clocked 25:03 for five miles in his personal time trial. A 2:20 marathon runner and husband of Steph Twell, Morwood was 27 seconds faster than his nearest competitor, Samuel Jinks from Oundle School.

10km du Circuit Automobile d’Albi, France, December 12

Morocco’s Abdelaati Iguider won the 10km road race in windy conditions in 28:21, one second ahead of European 10,000m champion Morhad Amdouni.

Britain’s Andrew Butchart clocked 28:52.

Meraf Bahta ran 32:12 ahead of her Swedish compatriot Sarah Lahti with 32:16 to win the women’s race.

Launceston Running Festival, Australia, December 13

Brett Robinson and Andrea Seccafien won the half-marathon in respective times of 61:38 and 71:38.

Steeplechaser Genevieve Gregson won the women’s 10km in a PB of 32:00, while Jack Rayner won the men’s race in 28:48 ahead of Jordan Williamsz in a 28:57 PB.

Bragança Paulista, Brazil, December 11

Paulo Andre Oliveira ran 10.13 (-0.3m/sec) to win the 100m after a 10.12 (+1.4m/s) semi-final. Felipe Bardi was second in 10.18 but ran a 10.11 PB (+0.1m/s) in the semi-finals.

Vitoria Rosa won a close women’s 100m in 11.405 ahead of Ana Carolina’s 11.407.

Aleksandro de Melo leapt 8.16m (+1.1m/s) to win the long jump.

Pretoria, South Africa, December 9

Namibian 17-year-old Beatrice Masilingi won the 200m in a national senior record and African under-18 record of 22.94 (+1.8m/s).