Great North City Games – Gateshead

It was one final meeting before the end of the season for two of the Harriers international athletes – Alison Leonard and Holly Bradshaw – as they participated in the Great North City Games on the weekend of the Great North Run.

RESULTS

Alison took on a pretty impressive field in the One Mile which featured Laura Muir, Katie Mackey (USA), Laura Weightman, Elish McColgan, Steph Twell, Sarah McDonald (Australia), Genevieve Lacaze (Australia), Rosier Clarke and Zoe Buckman. Alison had a great run coming home in 2nd place with a time of 4.34.32 behind the winner – Laura Muir who posted 4.33.99, just three tenths ahead.

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Meanwhile Holly competed in her final Pole Vault fixture of the year which didn’t go as well as she expected, coming off the back of a victory in Poland where she cleared 4.76m and commented afterwards that “My season has officially ended! Its been a year of highs and lows but 2016 has been another brilliant year! I am now gonna take 3 well earned weeks off… where I will be either lying on my sofa or on a beach doing nothing.With the world champs being in London next year, 2017 is going to an exciting year… Can’t blinking wait!”

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Blackpool Open Medal MeetingSeptember 11th

As the Track & Field season comes to an end, athletes are still chasing PB’s at Open Meetings and this was the case for Blackburn Harriers at Blackpool on Sunday.

RESULTS

U13 Myah Booth claimed two new PB’s, competing in the U15 75m Hurdles she came 2nd in a new PB time of 13.1. Her second new PB came in the U13 Shot Putt where she threw 8.34m for another 2nd place and rounded her day off with an 8th placed 20.53m throw in the Javelin.

U13 Christie Sturgess who had run in the North West Relays on Saturday took on three events setting a new PB in 70m Hurdles with a time of 12.4 in 3rd place. She then won the 100m in 15.0 and topped off the day with a 5th placed 31.8 in the 200m no doubt feeling the efforts of the two days. Emily Raine returning from her holiday, set a season’s best in the U15 100m with 13.8.

In the Throws it was five athletes, six events, five wins and a 2nd. In the Hammer U20 Rebecca Orrell won her event with a throw of 41.69m, followed by wins for Charlotte Williams in the U15 (54.93m) and Jacob Roberts (U17) with a throw of 67.49m. Simon Brown took a double win in the Senior Shot Putt (11.33m) and the Discus with a throw of 38.86m. U15 Cameron Harris placed 2nd in the Javelin (600g) with a throw of 28.47m.

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Swedish Masters Pentathlon – September 10th

Vet 70 Mike Hazlewood set out to break the British Record in the Swedish Championships held last weekend, winning the competition, and told the Club afterwards that he did the Swedish Masters Throws Pentathlon, on Sat 10th, came 1st but failed to get the GB record by 90 points. Unfortunately my hip did not like me running with a javelin in my hand!! I managed 3839 points nevertheless. The weather was perfect so no excuses – My rotation events were ok – just shot & jav let me down! It is just fantastic to see Mike competing at this level as a V70 and still being determined to try and break the British Record. A real inspiration.

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Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon – September 11th

This very popular Half-Marathon held on a great course around the Lake saw one thousand, three hundred and forty three runners finish the Race and among them Ben Fish and Rachel Jones who runs for Blackburn on the Track.

 RESULTS

It’s not often that athletes are disappointed with a 2nd place in a big race but Ben was after placing 2nd in 69.56 behind the winner Ryan Holroyd (67.59). After the Race, Ben spoke to the Club and told us “Well done to Rachael, great win. I struggled in that, was challenging the leader Holroyd, but was really hanging on after 5 miles, by 7.5 miles I lost contact and got progressively slower. 69:56 was disappointing, wanted to be at least two mins faster”.

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(Photo courtesy of Mick Hall)

Rachel – (running for Salford) – as Ben said, had a great Race in a time of 80.32 finishing 37th and Women’s Winner. Rightly so, Rachel was really pleased as she prepares for a forthcoming Marathon and told the Club Great day at Lake Vyrnwy half marathon on Sunday was disappointed to not break 80 mins but am pleased with the win and am now looking forward to hopefully breaking 3 hours at Chester marathon!”

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Great North Run

Chris Davies has been in very good form with consistently good training behind him as he went to do the Great North Run in expectation of a new PB and in coming home in 76th in a time of 75.33 he certainly delivered. There is a Marathon PB coming in 2017!!

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Behind Chris came Paul Clarke in 6759th position in a time of 1hr. 52.29 and Paul spoke to the Club later on that day to tell us 1.52.29 official time, disappointed with that. I was going well until mile 10 but it was just too hot and I felt sick, also it was very congested which is to be expected but the heat was a killer for me today. A great race and the atmosphere is fantastic. Well done also to Christopher Davies on a PB and Michael Anthony Sharp on completing the race with an injury”.

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Paul Wilkinson came home in 10437th place under his target time which was a good effort given that he hasn’t been able to do much training – Paul told the Club after the Race that he Was up for Great North Run again for the 16th time. Having not done much running lately due to a back problem I set myself a time off under 2 hours and just got under in a time of 1.58.57. My back held up but lack of training showed at the later end. It was meant to be last North Run but enjoy the weekend with family and atmosphere so much that I probably will book on for next year. It was good to see Chris Davies who had a fantastic run and Mick Sharp and family after the race. Well done guys”.

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Claire Bridge was all smiles on the day coming in 15204th in a time of 2Hr 07.29 and quipped after the Race that she was Narrowly beaten by Mo Farah! Disappointed I didn’t get a PB. Lovely to see a few fellow Harriers out in the Tyneside sunshine”.

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And then there are those days when it just doesn’t go for you no matter what you do. That’s what happened to Michael Sharp who showed real courage in actually finishing the Race and told the Club “Just back from a great weekend in Newcastle and South shields.The kids did us proud on Saturday in their runs and we also watched the city games which featured some great athletes,including Holly Bradshaw and Alison Leonard from Blackburn Harriers. I had an eventful day at the GNR. Just got in my starting pen with minutes to spare. On the run itself after not much training in the last month i decided to run just at a steady pace and was through 7 miles on the hour mark, looking to get 1:50-1:55. Got to 9.3 miles and starting feeling my left hip and at 10 miles that was me done on running, hip knackered for the day. Walked in the last 5k, stopped twice to help 2 distressed runners.The first guy was a real mess, didn’t have a clue where he was. Led him down feet up, called for the medics. Just hope he was ok. They were dropping like flies today, never seen so many runners like that. Saw the kids and Lorna and the Davies family and Jayne Clarke with 800m to go. Managed a little shuffle to the finish and also got a cracking tan. Crossed the line in 2:13:59. Well done Christopher Davies, fantastic time. Well done Paul Clarke, Paul Wilkinson and Claire Bridge. Also bumped into Paul Wilkinson after and had a beer with him to end an eventful day”

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And the youngsters enjoying themselves and getting some cracking ‘selfies’ with the world class athletes……………..

My mate Saul

My mate Saul

Hannah and Lulu

Hannah and Lulu

With Greg Rutherford

With Greg Rutherford

With Holly Bradshaw

With Holly Bradshaw

With Turunesh Dibaba

With Turunesh Dibaba

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Helen Leigh is back on song and demonstrated that with a win in the From-Hel-Back Race in Scotland at the weekend finishing 13th overall in a time of 58.42. With a big Race coming up for her soon, this is a confidence boost after a bout of injuries.

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