Rachel Wood is pounding out the miles in preparation for this years London Marathon and her latest Race – New Balance Stafford 20 – proved she is in very good nick.

Full Results HERE

According to the Race Photographer the “Conditions for the 2015 New Balance Stafford 20 were difficult! So much so that the race photographer had to abandon his position: “It is the first time in 12 years of Race photos that I have had to abandon taking photos and sit in the car.  The umbrella was useless, the driving rain was blowing straight on the lens of the camera at one point.”

IMG_20150308_135836Rachel in her first ever attempt at the 20 mile distance in a Race was first Woman home in a splendid time of 2.15.02 especially so given the weather on the day. She was delighted with her Race, telling the Club that “I really enjoyed running the Stafford 20 mile race at the weekend. I ran the race to see what kind of shape I was in for the London marathon in April. The course consisted of 3 loops around the Staffordshire countryside with the start and finish at the university. I had hoped to go at my possible marathon pace but went through the first 5 miles quicker in 32.40 and through 10 miles in 66 mins . In the second half conditions deteriorated but I still hit 15 miles at 1.40. It was undulating with a few testing climbs and very wet! I crossed the line in 2:15.02, a time that I am happy with”.

At the Trafford 10k on Sunday there were excellent results for the Harriers. The Race  had 51 runners under 32 minutes with the winner – Jonathan Davies – coming home in 29.18.

Full Results HERE

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Ben Fish finished 10th in 30.05 and said afterwards that he “far better than I expected. Didn’t go off my watch, just focused on being competitive and was happy with where I finished”. Rob Warner  set a big new PB when he placed 42nd in 31.43 which was over two minutes faster than his previous best and he said that “Conditions were quite tough today and was starting to hurt with 3k to go but very happy with a huge pb!” Andy Heys took 238th place (38.10) in a Race field of 840 finishers.

Kaylie Panaro earned a big PB when she ran at the Oulton Park Half-Marathon at the weekend which attracted 674 Runners.

Full Results HERE

Kaylie finished 158th in a time of 1.41.24 which meant that she had chopped off six minutes from her previous best and was really pleased telling us “‘Really enjoyable half marathon today, a different but interesting course of 6 laps of Oulton Park race track. Very pleased with my time and the PB!”.

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Meanwhile, down in Wales, Beckie Taylor competed in the Râs Moeltryfan Fell Race and took the 1st Woman’s prize coming home in 18th overall in a time of 38.50.

Full Results HERE

Elsewhere on the Fells, the Harriers were competing at the Stan Bradshaw Round Race and produced some excellent results, none more so than Shaun Livesey.

 Full Results HERE

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One hundred and eighty runners completed the Race on Saturday 7th March and Shaun took 2nd place overall (71.44) with a cracking run and just 24 seconds behind the winner – Paul Crabtree from Wharfedale. The Harriers had eight athletes out on the day and had four of them inside the first twenty runners home. Michael Toms finished 11th in 76.33 – Gary Pearse came 14th in 78.38 and Chris Barnes 17th in 78.59.

Tom Cubbon followed next in 52nd with a time of 86.55 and then came Sarah Toms (59th) in 88.35 and took the Women’s !st prize which was an excellent result for her. Richard Taylor who is building up the mileage again took 126th place in 1.41.38 with John Orrell close behind in 132nd (1.42.47).