Distance Running News, 13-17 September

18 September 2017

There was a win for Phil Beastall as Cheltenham Harriers runners put in some pleasing performances at the Worcester City 10k. Beastall hit the front after 2km and soon pulled away from the lead group as he remained unchallenged at the head of the field. Stopping the clock at 31:18 the Gloucestershire Cross Country champion enjoyed a 19 second victory over Danny Hallam (Owls) with third placed Adrian Holliday (Tipton) a further 21 seconds adrift. Charlie Jones and Eliot Taylor went through halfway together before Jones pulled clear of his training partner to set a new personal best of 33:19 on the twisty course that is not renowned for fast times. Taylor finished one place and thirteen seconds later as he took eighth position before Tom Lowe made a rare race appearance after recent injury problems with 35:08. Naomi Eaton then finished as third lady with 39:15 in race where Worcester’s GB international Jenny Nesbitt led the way with 34:26. Harriers wheelchair athlete Les Hampton meanwhile posted a time of 47:26.

Elsewhere there was a win for Graham Rush at the Tadcaster 10 mile road race in Yorkshire where he recorded a time of 52:48 for a victory margin of almost two and a half minutes. Even further afield there was a win over the same distance for Alex Bampton who won the Ciutat de Mao 10 mile road race in Menorca by nearly two minutes as he posted a time of 54:34. Back in Gloucestershire Dan Thomas showed good form at the Cirencester Park 10k where he posted 34:07 to finish second behind the host club’s David Bell (32:55) whilst Dave Aubrey finished third in the Mic Morris Torfaen 10k in a personal best 32:30 as he took advantage of the net downhill course. Midweek action saw Mark James finish as the first veteran at the final Yeovilton 5k where his 16:23 clocking earned him eighth place overall. Meanwhile at the World Triathlon Championships in Rotterdam there was an excellent fourth place for James Chantler-Mayne in the junior race with the 17 year old just missing out on a medal by a mere six seconds. Weekend parkruns saw Dan Owen (16:30) take the win at the Cheltenham event in Pittville Park where Gareth Edwards (19:41) also had a run out. Andy Gardiner (17:07) finished second at the Kinsway parkrun in Gloucester whilst Fee Maycock (19:53) was fourth overall and the fisrt lady home at the Gloucester North event.