Distance Running News, 11-15 September 2019

15 September 2019

Chris Booth took his excellent track form onto the roads as he won the Harfield 5k with a new personal best. Lining up at the Welwyn Garden City Runners organised event with a track PB of 15:51.47 set at Milton Keynes in July, Booth followed Ware’s Michael Waddington from the gun as the pair pulled clear of the field and ran together until the 4km mark. The Cheltenham athlete then made his move and opened up a gap which he held until the line to take a four second win in an impressive time of 15:45.

Joe Turner continued his build up to the Frankfurt Marathon with a pleasing fifth place at the Bristol Half Marathon where he stopped the clock at 70:00, just sixteen seconds outside his PB from the Marugame Half Marathon in Japan earlier this year. Fellow Harriers competing in Bristol were Dan Schofield (84:31), Ella Burfitt (93:43) and Leah Hopton (1:45:48)

At the Worcester City 10k Eliot Taylor showed that he is on the way back towards his best shape with a pleasing time of 32:52 for fifth place, as he finished one plave and nineteen seconds clear of teammate Charlie Jones. Jon Barnes then placed twelfth with 34:19 and Gareth Edwards recorded a time of 37:15 whilst Phil Brush completed the accompanying half marathon event in 87:07. In the wheelchair races Ed Grazier won the 10k in 33:19 and Les Hampton was third in the half marathon in 1:41 11.

The weekend’s parkruns saw Dom James (16:19) finish first in the Cheltenham event where Beth Hawling (17:47) was first lady in fifth overall before Dan Minors (17:59) and Simon Critchley (18:23) placed sixth and eighth respectively. Kaitlyn Sheppard (19:37) was third overall in Tewkesbury as she and sister Chloe (22:14) were again the first two ladies home. Alice Stalberg (22:26) was the first lady at the Gloucester North event whilst Matthew Dwerryhouse (17:33) was second at Gloucester’s Kingsway parkrun. Meanwhile, the launch of Cheltenham’s second parkrun at the KIng George V Playing Field saw Steve Hall (18:17) finish fourth and Matt Lambourne (18:33) follow him across the line if fifth position.