KOTH Hong Kong Mountain Marathon
Bob Shorrock has been in fabulous form over the Hills and Mountains this year. His latest run saw him take on the Koth Hong Kong Mountain Marathon where he finished 4th overall and yet again, 1st V55 in a time of 3hrs.14.06 which broke the Course Record by a huge 23 minutes. The official report of the Race had this to say about Bob’s run “M55 Bob Shorrock found his new age category to his liking. He came in 4th overall (3:14:06) in a time that was 23 minutes faster than the previous age group course record. I’m pretty confident that Bob would have set a record today on the old course as well”.
Results HERE
Bob told the Club after the Race that “We had the first King of the Hills at the end of November. I had a good run – finished 4th overall and first in the V55. It was a beautiful day low to mid 20s and dry trails – the course starts and finishes on a beach – so a couple of beers with some fellow runners after the race – absolutely wonderful! The next race is 3rd January”. Bob will be back in the country at Christmas and will be running in the Ribble Valley 10k.
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Longridge Christmas Pudding 7
As with Races generally in this recent period, conditions weren’t brilliant but 252 runners turned up for the event and among them three Blackburn Harriers.
Full Results HERE
First home for the Club was Chris Davies in 4th position overall in a time of 41.59 and he commented after the Race that he “Came up against three very good runners today at the Longridge 7. Finished 4th, best I could have done. Smashed my course PB on Longridge by 2 mins 20 seconds. 41:57 finishing time. Run it how I wanted to so looking good and feeling confident for Ribble Valley”.
V55 Martin Kerry who ran 3.19 in the London Marathon this year was next in (64th) with a time of 51.06 with Bryan Searby who is in just his second year of training and racing and has come on hugely, finished in 74th place with a time of 52.17.
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Gwent League Cross Country
Paul Bradshaw was out on the Cross Country and Indoor Racing as well recently, putting good performances in both.
Results HERE
In the Gwent League Race there was a very big field of 392 runners with Adam Bowden winning the Race in 32.21. Paul had a very good run to finish 54th in a time of 37.34.
The week after saw Paul entered the 3000m Indoors at the Cardiff Met GPI – Christmas Classic.
Cardiff Met GPI Results HERE
Here Paul had another good run, knocking six seconds of his previous best set in 2014 when he finished 5th in a new PB of 9.12.01. Paul told the Club that he “Ran 9.12. Six seconds quicker than last year and a PB. Wanted slightly quicker but not too bad”.
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Park 5k Runs Round Up
The conditions last weekend – 12th December – for the Park 5k Runs were pretty atrocious and explained why the turnout wasn’t as high as normal. Nevertheless, 106 runners had a go at Witton Park and a 150 at Preston, both Runs being won by Blackburn Harriers.
Witton Results HERE
Chris Davies set off a double header racing weekend (he did the Longridge 7 on the Sunday) with a first time run and a win in the Witton Park race with a time of 18.10. Not far behind came Mark Almond who set a new PB of 19.55 in 5th place overall. Amy Davies finished 9th and was first Junior Girl in the 11 – 14 age group and first female home in the Race. Oliver Gill was first home in the JM10yrs age group (36th) in 26.04. George Woodburn set a new PB of 26.37 in 40th place followed by David Billington in 43rd (27.29) and Lindsay Davies 45th in a time of 27.54.
Over in Preston on the same day Joe Monk was the sole Harrier in the Preston 5K Park Run winning in a new PB time of 16.47, an excellent time given the weather.
Preston Results HERE
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Turkey Trot
The accent on this Race organised by Chris Barnes is fun and lots of it with athletes dressed up in all kinds of costumes, allegedly reflecting a Christmas look. Jack Hindle heads the field out at the start in what might be called the ‘minimalist look’ – a Santa Hat for comfort!
Full Results HERE
Two Hundred and Eight One runners finished this Race with eight Blackburn Harriers among them. Jack Hindle came 3rd overall (30.28) and was the 1st Junior Male. Shaun Livesey was one place behind in 4th (31.40) and was 2nd V40 on the day. Next in for the Harriers came Liz Greenwood in 16th (34.26) and she was 1st Junior Female and 2nd Female overall. Allan Hartley placed 27th in a time of 36.11 with Paul Wilkinson 65th in 41.53. Daughter and Mum combo Katie Buckingham (73rd) in 43.08 and Jan Buckingham (122nd in 48.58 were followed home by David Morris (197th) 62.30.
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