Saturday April 13th kicked off this years T&F season with events in Liverpool, Warrington, Trafford and the first meeting in the Mid Lancs League in Carlisle. Just coming out of the cross country season and only a week before the first UKYDL meeting, and with the County Championships and Inter-County Championships a matter of four weeks away.
Bottom of age U15 Jack Baranowski has opened his season in good style at Trafford (RESULTS) after running a 4.21.46 1500m at Trafford on April 1st. Dropping down to the 800m at the latest Trafford meeting, Jack won his race in a new PB time of 2.04.22 – and at this early stage of the season he is 4th in the 1500m national rankings and 3rd in the 800m. Another first year U15 – James Acton-Grieves – started off his season with three events – 100m, 300m and Long Jump. James clocked 14.57 in the 100m (4th), placed 2nd in the 300m with a time of 45.57 in his first ever attempt at the distance and finished off with a new PB in the Long Jump of 4.52m. Isabelle Pawson, again a first year U15 athlete, also took on three events, 100m, 200m and Long Jump. Isabelle had a very good day running a new PB of 14.87 in the 100m (4th), winning her 200m Heat in a new PB time of 30.39 which was a two second improvement and setting her third new PB of the day in the Long Jump with 3.63m in 3rd spot. The last of our first year U15 athletes – Millie Jordan – took on the 1500m and going into the race with a best of 5.24.4. She absolutely smashed that time by over 20 seconds setting a new PB of 5.02.91 and 3rd U15 Girl in a race which consisted of Girls and Boys.
Over in Warrington at the Open meeting hosted by Warrington AC (RESULTS) senior athlete Badr Alainzay was making his debut in T&F taking on the 2000m steeplechase in which he placed 2nd in a time of 7.09.65, just two tenths behind the winner. Prior to that he lined up in the 800m as well, clocking 2.06.45 in 3rd place to make it a pretty good debut on the track for him. V40 Rebecca Ward ran in the 800m featuring five U17W and three Senior W – Rebecca running a new PB time of 2.37.83, an improvement of close to two seconds.
In Carlisle, at the Sheepmount Stadium, home to Border AC, the wind blew, the rain came, and the sun peeped out at the Mid Lancs first fixture of the season (RESULTS). Just one athlete here from Blackburn Harriers – first year U15 Eliot Unsworth – who had never raced on the track previously and only ever run one race which was a Lancashire Schools cross country championship in February 2024. Running into a savage headwind twice doewn the back straight, Elliot ran 2.30.9 to take the win which was a real confidence boost for the young athlete.
Eliot Unsworth leading into the 2nd lap in the 800m
On to the Road and this weekend saw the running of the Manchester Marathon (RESULTS). Tom Blaney kocked over three minutes of his best time to come home in 52nd spot running a new PB time of 2.37. 56. Speaking to the Club after his race, Tom told us “As usual I had a minor injury/ niggle at the start of my training in 2023, since the start of this year I’ve had a really good block training leading into the marathon. On the day the weather was great and the pace I set out felt comfortable, when I saw 59 mins at 10 miles I did fear what mile 20 would be like as I’d never run at that pace for that distance before. I tried to forget about it and just focus on consistency with energy and water intake. I still felt pretty good at mile 23 however everything changed so quickly in the last 3 and it was damage limitation at that point. Gritting my teeth I crossed the line with a 3 minute PB, a performance I was very surprised and pleased with. Well done to all the Harriers who ran on the day.” V45 Chris Davies also had a good run with his time of 2.51.35 in 378th spot and told the Club that ” I have the Good for Age time. Hopefully I can use that and go to Berlin next year.” Blackburn Harriers third athlete in the race was Paul Bradshaw. On the 17th May 2013 Paul ran 1.47. 75 in the 800m in Los Angeles. Eleven years later, he was running in the Manchester Marathon having run in four previously. In this race, he missed a new personal best by two minutes when he crossed the finish line in a time of 3hr 04.33 (1388th) having previously clocked 3hr 02 in the Amsterdam Marathon. Our final athlete racing on the day was Charlotte Atkinson who finished with a time of 3hr 44.28 in 6481st position.
♥
