Distance Running News, 23-24 February 2019

24 February 2019

Tara Grosvenor was in impressive form with a fine second place and new personal best as Cheltenham Harriers won both the ladies and men’s team prizes at the Bourton 10k road race. In third place after the initial two kilometre laps of the village, the ironwoman triathlete went through halfway in second place in an unofficial 5k PB of 18:15. She then held position of the remainder of the race to stop the clock at an excellent 37:01 as Shaftsbury Barnet’s GB international Rachel Felton took the win in 34:21 and Headington’s Diane Foster placed third in 37:44.

The successful morning for the Harriers ladies continued with Naomi Eaton picking up places as she moved up from tenth at 2km to finish fifth in a new PB of 38:00.

Fee Maycock then completed the three to score team as she finished as tenth lady and first LV50 runner with 39:28. Ella Burfitt was then the leading under 20 with a PB of 40:05 before Roxanne Jones recorded 42:04 and Caroline Cotterell posted 42:12.

For the men it was 2017 race winner Alex Lee that led the Harriers charge, but any hopes of him repeating this achievement were quickly dashed as Bristol’s GB international Dan Studley sped off from the start on his way to an excellent 30:06 victory. After passing 2km in sixth place in 6:19, Lee moved up to third by halfway in 15:55, but was unable to make ground on Calne’s Simon Nott as he finished 24 seconds adrift of second in 31:58.

In the four to score team competition the Harriers were again clear winners with Charlie Jones ninth in 33:31, Joe Willgoss excelling with a 33:51 PB in thirteenth and James Bingham running well for 34:19 and third veteran in fifteenth.

Mark James (36:01), Dan Schofield (36:53) and Dave Rantell (38:25) then followed before Jonathan Floyd marked his first outing in a Cheltenham vest with a PB of 39:50. Wheelchair athlete Les Hampton meanwhile completed the course in 39:36.

The previous day a small group of Harriers made the trip to Leeds for the National Cross Country Championship held over a testing 12km course on the Harewood House estate. In his first race at this level in a field of over 2000 runners, Dom James showed good form for 67th place before Dan Owen had his highest national finish in 107th. Luke Pollard claimed 150th and Liam Roarty was pleased with 267th before Matt Evans completed the club’s contingent in 1340th. Earlier in the day George Watson finished 69th in the under 20 men’s race. Back on the roads Chris Booth lowered his personal best to 75:08 at the Wokingham Half Marathon.

Many Harriers also enjoyed weekend parkrun success with Tommaso Migliuolo (17:46) the first across the line in Cheltenham where Rachel Underhill (19:10) waseventh. Gareth Edwards (19:14) finished eighth before Amber Watson (21:03) and Millie Foster (22:20) were second and fifth ladies respectively. Kaitlyn Sheppard (19:18) was the first lady and second overall in Tewkesbury, a position matched by Phil Beastall (15:57) at the Worcester Pitchcroft event. Marcus England (17:18) and Andrew Kaighin (18:18) placed second and third at the Gloucester City parkrun, Rachel See (19:45) was the second lady at the South Bank event in Brisbane and Matt Lambourne (18:45) placed seventh in Swindon.

(Photos from Barry Cornelius and Tony Stanton)