A lot of PB’s have been set by members of the Harriers this year and none more so than by Rob Warner. He has set new personal bests already this year at 800m, 1500, 3000m and 5000m and with sizeable margins too. At the BMC Gold Standard Races – Trafford July 1st – Rob took nearly a second and a half of his existing 1500m best in finishing second with a time of 3.54.87 with some really good athletes behind him. The Club asked him for his thoughts after the race and he said that he “Felt really happy with the race, I went off quite quick and was hurting after about 800 so thought it definitely wasn’t going to be my night, but i stuck in there and grinded out a very pleasing pb! Had an incredible season so far, managing to pb in every race so far! Now just to see how long i can keep it going and if i can go any quicker!”
Michael Toms entered the Welcome Tavern 5k Race – June 24th and finished 9th overall winning the V50 Age category to boot in a time of 18.06 and in the process set a new PB by 24 seconds. There was a welcome return at the Lancaster 5k – 28th June for Tom Blaney who hadn’t raced in three months due to injury and he came back with a bang finishing 11th overall in a new personal best time of 16.55, some 22 seconds quicker and after which he said ” “First race in 3 months, Very pleased!” One place in from of Tom was Chris Barnes (10th) in 16.43 which isn’t far away from his PB and shows he is is in good nick. David Morris who is working really hard to get his times down finished 81st in 26.29 and is slowly but surely knocking the seconds off. Down on holiday, U17 Joe Monk entered the Runfest Rhyl 5k – June 29th – and had a really good run finishing 17th in a field of 141 and took the first prize in the U20 Category with a time of 16.45, just four seconds outside his PB.
One hundred and twenty one runners lined up in the Burnley Boys 5k Race – June 29th – won by Jimmy Craig in a time of 16.09. Shaun Livesey headed home the Harriers in 5th place overall (17.03) cutting twenty four seconds off his PB and won the V40 Category. Michael Toms was next home in 12th spot (18.15) and he like Shaun won his Age Category V50. Louise Barnes was back in action finishing 75th in a time of 22.43.
The Sotos 10k Race at Fleetwood won by David Rigby in 32.52 – June 29th – had three Harriers out competing in the 272 strong field. John Cookson was first home in 80th place in a time of 44.34 followed by Kaylie Panaro in 110th (47.30) and Carol Cookson (173rd) in a time of 53.44 which knocked a minute off her previous best to set a new PB.
A good turn out of 346 runners in the Rochdale 10k Road Race – July 1st – and won by David Proctor in 34.15, had Blackburn Harrier Laura Hesketh competing and finishing 74th in a time of 42.27 on this tough course. John Sutton took on the Badger 10k Trail Race – July 3rd – and finished an impressive 3rd out of a field of 191 runners and in a time of 37.58.
July 2nd saw the latest round of the Astley Park Trail Series. The highlight of the Harriers performances on the night was undoubtedly the winning of the Women’s Team Prize. Helen Leigh ran herself into the ground to finish 21st in 28.31, followed by Sam McCreadie who had a stormer knocking 38 seconds off her previous best on this course to place 23rd (28.36) and a solid run by Louise Barnes in 81st (35.30). Great result. First Harrier home on the night with a strong run was Chris Davies in 7th place (26.10) followed home by the much improved Allan Hartley in 19th spot (28.16). Prolific racer John Cookson finished 59th (32.39) a little down on his previous time at the Race and he was chased in by V45 Richard Taylor 64th (33.04). V55 Michael Nolan wasn’t far behind in 66th (33.36) which was a ten second improvement on his previous race at the this venue. George Woodburn back training and racing took 74th spot (34.30) – a minute and fourteen seconds faster than in the first Race of the series and also won the V60 Category – Legend. Louise Barnes in her third race in quick succession finished 81st in 35.30. Not far behind Louise was Kaylie Panaro in 84th (36.04) and final Harrier home – V60 Peter Lynch 91st (38.31).
