Distance Running News, 25-29 December 2019
30 December 2019
James Bingham ended his year on a high with a superb victory at the Hereford Couriers 10k. The veteran athlete finished tracked Worcester’s Malachi Cashmore in the opening stages before pulling clear of his younger rival on the testing climb at around 2.5 miles. Extending his lead to 95 seconds Bingham completed the hilly course in an impressive time of 33:12 to take his first ever road race win.
Teammate Chris Cleary crossed the line in 36:40 and Jo Wilkie continued her return to fitness with 44:00 to finish as sixth lady and third LV40 athlete home.
The Gloucester 10 mile road race saw all five Harriers in action setting new personal best times. Amber Bullingham impressed as she finished as sixth lady home in 66:34, just ahead of Marie Brush who took seventh place as second LV40 runner in 67:00.
Dan Schofield led the Harriers men home as he posted a time of 60:11, before Mike Hughes recorded 60:50 and Jonathan Floyd completed the full house of PBs with 65:19.
Earlier in the week Floyd also placed sixth in the Pinewood Trails Boxing Day 5k in Buckinghamshire with a time of 18:45 whilst Russell Forsbrook recorded 25:32 at Clevedon Boxing Day 4 mile road race.
Christmas Day parkruns saw James Bingham (16:55) finish first from the 677 participants circumventing four laps of Pittville Park lake at the Cheltenham event where John Parker (17:23) placed fourth and Henry James (18:42) was tenth man home. Matt Lambourne (19:40) the followed before Georgia Palmer (22:46) finished as seventh lady. Those who thought that Cheltenham event was busy might wish to note that Dan King (17:31) finished ninth of the 1345 parkrunners at Poole’s Christmas morning event.
The weekend’s parkruns then saw first place finishes for Chris Booth (17:13) in Tring, John Parker (17:21) at the Pennington Flash event in Greater Manchester and Dave Tomlin (17:53) at the Kingsway event in Gloucester. Georgia Palmer (20:44) was first lady in Cheltenham where James Bingham (17:42). Ed Bingham (18:23) and Simon Critchley (18:26) placed second, fifth and sixth respectively. Ellie Hathaway (21:29) was second lady and third overall in Newent, Ian Giles (18:41) placed fifth at the Gloucester City event and Ellis Woolley (21:32) was the fifth lady at the Severn Bridge parkrun.