Distance Running News, 13-17 August 2019

18 August 2019

Beth Hawling continued her recent return to racing by breaking the Cheltenham Harriers 5000m record in the British Milers Club event at Eltham. Having not raced competitively since September 2018, last month Hawling finished as first lady at the Battersea Park 5k road race within a time of 16:48. Therefore, her previous track PB of 17:14 and the club record of 17:06 were within her reach. As one of only two ladies in the mixed B race, the England cross country international produced a strong run to finish tenth overall in a time of 16:57.89.

The previous evening saw George Watson and Jamie Harper line up in the 800m B race at the BMC meeting in Tipton. After going through the bell in 57 seconds, Harper hit the front and despite tiring in the home straight hung on to take the win in 1:58.54 as he lowered his personal best by half a second. Watson followed a second later to take fifth place in 1:59.56.

With a lack of weekend races the Harriers made great use of parkruns as part of their training for upcoming events and claimed eight first place finishes at a variety of locations. There was a Harriers one-two at the Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun through Dom James (15:22) and George Watson (15:51) before James Bingham (16:40) placed fifth and Stuart Baker (19:18) made his Harriers debut. James’ time placed him third on the event’s all-time list headed by clubmate Phil Beastall (15:01) as he moved Oli Mott (15:31) down a place to fourth whilst Watson’s time earned him eighth on the list.

Beth Hawling (17:32) meanwhile finished as first lady and third overall at the Mile End parkrun, with her time the second fastest parkrun of the day by a woman anywhere in the UK. In Cheltenham Alex Lee (16:34) claimed yet another first place whilst Jamie Penton (18:27) and Ed Bingham (18:30) finished fifth and sixth respectively before Clare Hawling (22:38) finished as third lady. Further afield Naomi Eaton (19:29) was the first lady at Bakewell whilst there were also first places for Dave Tomlin (17:26) at the Kingsway event in Gloucester, Eliot Taylor (17:44) at Haverfordwest, Charlie Jones (17:52) in Hereford and Luke Pennington (18:10) in Cirencester. Andrew Kaighin (18:16) placed fourth in Oxford whilst Ellis Woolley (22:47) was the eighth lady home in Gloucester.