On the 25th January 1980, Michael Morton set Blackburn Harriers Club Record for the Indoor 3000m in Cosford at the National Championships, running 8.04.2. Some 45 years later, David Holman contested the 3000m indoors at Boston University Track & Tennis Centre on Saturday December 6th, finishing in 10th place with a new PB time of 8.00.68, breaking the Club Record which has stood for so long. Speaking to David after the race, he told the Club that he was “Happy with that after a tough week being ill. Frustrating race with having to take it on with 1200 to go but gave it a good go. Happy to break another club record and now hoping to improve further on this season“.
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Moving on to a different surface entirely – cross country – Dexta Thompson was out again running for Loughborough in the Birmingham & District Invitation Cross Country League Division 2. Dexta had won the first race and made it two wiins out of two races, running 31.21 to head a two hundred and thirty two strong field. (RESULTS)
Staying on cross country, this time at the final fixture in the Red Rose Cross Country League which was a joint fixture with the South East Lancashire League and held at Marl Pits, Rossendale. Now Marl Pits at the best of times is a tough course, and usually associated with lots of mud – but there is mud and mud!. In parts of the course it was difficult to even run through it and as the rain poured down on the Senior Men’s race, the conditions made sure that every runner had to have mental and as well physical strength to overcome it. Just six Blackburn Harriers athletes – braving he conditions – turned up for this one – and with the Lancashire Cross Country Championships just one week away, it was clear that many athletes were saving themselves for that.
All photos on Blackburn Harriers Fascebook Page – (HERE)
A big heart is needed by all those who ran yesterday, but special mention to U11 Harry Holden. Lining up in the U11 Boys race, Harry was pushing hard to get a good start from the off. Having won at the Leigh fixture already and finishing 4th at Heaton Park, he was looking to cement his position on the podium for the series. Harry got pushed over and in the melee of the start got trampled on, leaving him stopped in the middle of the field and clearly upset. Having lost close to a couple of minutes, he then decided to run and catch them up – and what a run he had, working his way through the field, overtaking 25 runners to finish in 12th place (9.27). It was fabulous to see and all credit to Harry for displaying the tenacity and resiliance to see it through.
Harry Holden
Next up was Benedict Raby in the U15 Boys race who was in 3rd place for the series after a 2nd at Leigh and 4th place at Heaton Park. Bendict had a fine run to take 2nd place and finish the Series in joint 2nd place. In the U17 Men’s Race Peter Sagar-Moss, Harry Yates and Liam Bennison made up the winning team, placing 3rd. 4th and 5th overall in the joint fixture and 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Red Rose League to take the win – Peter running 22.05, Harry in 2nd with 22.55 and Liam running 23.43. Just one athlete in the Senior Men’s race – V55 Mat Nuttall – braving the conditions to place 41st out of 116 runners in the race, in a time of 43.09.
Benedict Raby
Peter Sagar-Moss (497)
Harry Yates
Liam Bennison
Mat Nuttall (115)
