The Leeds Abbey Dash 10k took to the streets again on Sunday November 30th with thousands of runners signed up for the Run For All Race – won by St Albans James McMurray in a time of 28.52, followed in by Aldershot’s Joshua Grace in 2nd (28.56) and Leeds athlete Ollie Lockley in 3rd (29.01). The Women’s race was won by Melissa Coutney-Bryant (31.37) with Samantha Harrison in 2nd (32.18) and Louise Small in 3rd (33.32). Rob Warner-Judd had a very fine run, setting a new PB of 29.16 in 6th place overall and breaking the existing Club Record by four seconds held by Daniel Bebbington.. (RESULTS). Speaking to the Club after the race Rob told us ” Very pleased with the 10k today! Training with Jess for her marathon build had gone really well so felt I could have a good run. It was a bit cold and breezy on the way out so wasnt sure if a PB was going to be on but managed to split 14:50 for the first 5k and 14:26 for the way back so very pleased with the run and to get a PB and I believe have finally managed to snag a club road record!” Dexta Thompson was making his debut over 10k on the roads, having never been further than 5k – and what a debut he had, running 30.29. We spoke to Dexta after the race, asking how his debut went and he told us that he was “Trying to do something different today in Leeds and just get uncomfortable…and I definitely felt that only about 3km in! Split the race up into segments and just kept moving, finished strong the last km and enjoyed the race“; And there were new personal bests too for V40 Dominic Bretherton whose previous best time – 40.59 – at Wilmslow but not recorded on P10 – was just outside that in running 41.26, as well as Liberty Thompson who ran a new PB of 49.30 which was over two and half a minutes faster than her previous best. (RESULTS)
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One thousand eight hundred and four runners completed the RunThrough Blackburn 10k held on Sunday Novermber 30th, the rain of the previous days managing to hold off. Callum Davidson won the race in 31.12, followed by Joseph Moores in 2nd (31.18) and Sprincean Mihail in 3rd (31.22). Blackburn Harriers V40 Ben Fish was the first Harrier through the line in 5th spot running 31.36, was 1st V40 which places him at number 11 in the V40 National Rankings. This was Ben’s fastest 10k run in the last three years and proves what a remarkable athlete he is. Next home for the Club came V45 Chris Davies running 36.23 in 47th place and 2nd V45. Maddie Elliott had a good run as she came home the winner of the Women’s Race in a time of 38.23 from Sophie Pilkington in 2nd spot (38.47). Taking 4th place in the Women’s Race was Leah Hoole running a time of 39.26 which was a massive new PB by over 4 minutes. Just behind came Danny Maynard in 139th place running 39.36 and in 190th place running 41.15 was U17 Thomas North running really well in only his second ever individual race for the Club and taking 3rd spot in the U17 age category. V60 Gary Pearse – 11th in his age category – ran 47.38 (488th) followed by 400m hurdler Keira Booth who was the 1st U20 woman in the race, running 48.10. New member Lily Croasdale was making her racing debut finishing as 2nd U17 woman in a time 50.33 with our final runner of the day – V50 Lindsay Davies – running 55.31 and 12th in her age category. (RESULTS). Sixty four youngsters took part in the Junior Race and the Harriers had three home in the first seven places which saw Oliver North win the race in 2.23 followed by Harry Holden in 3rd (2.52) and Ethan Piprani in 3rd (3.09).
Ben Fish
Maddie Elliott – Winner of the Women’s Race
Oliver North – Winner of the Junior Race
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This years Sale Indoor Winter Series started on Sunday November 30th at Sportcity with its first of six meetings, and all scheduled to be at the same venue as usual including athletes from Blackburn Harriers making the trip to the meeting. George Camara who is in his first year as an U20 took on the 60m Hurdles and 300m – clocking a new PB time of 9.02 in his hurdles race, the hurdle height increasing from last year, but nevertheless running a slightly quicker time; And then in the 300m – his first time over the distance in over two years – he clocked a new PB of 39.11. Another first year U20 – Matthew Haxton – was also there in the 600m race – going in with a pervious best of 1.30.37, Matthew ran a new PB time of 1.28.71, a one and half second improvement. A big shout out to first year U17 Imogen Cripps who in her first competition for the Harriers, went and won the Shot Putt with a throw of 9.41m. First year U17 Kai Addison had a good first indoor competition of the season too setting a new PB in the 60m with his time of 7.83, which was a two tenths improvement before going on to win his 300m Heat clocking 40.26. First year U15 Noah Briscoe also took on the 60m & 300m for the very first time and clocked 8.80 in his 60m Heat (2nd) followed by a 45.49 clocking in the 300m, winning the Heat. That wasn’t the end of his day as Noah then competed in the Long Jump reaching out to a distance of 4.10m.Taking on the 60m were U13’s Maizie Cooke and Mia Logan – Maizie placing 3rd in 9.31 and Mia 4th in the same Heat clocking 9.96
George Camara – (Photo from Krista Camara)
Matthew Haxton (124) – (Photo from Krista Camara)
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The second of the Nothern Athletics Indoor T&F Series took place on Saturday 22nd November at the EIS in Sheffield. Making the trip over there – Blackburn Harriers U13 Maizie Cooke ran her first competitive race for the Club and clocked 9.29 in the U13/U15 Boys & Girls mixed 60m race. Bottom of age James Acton-Grieves also made the journey over and set a new PB in the Pole Vault, clearing 2.40m in 5th place out of a pool of fourteen vaulters. Not done there, James went on to make a leap of 10.11m in the Triple Jump in a pool of athletes covering U17, U20 and Senior athletes. (RESULTS)
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Back on the road and this time at the popular Wesham 10k run on Saturday November 29th and featuring two hundred and ninety one finishers. The race was won by Belgrave Harrier Benjamin Tucker in 33.21 with St Helens athlete Thomas Griffiths in 2nd (33.35) and Wesham Road Runners Adam Wilding in 3rd place (33.53). Blackburn Harriers duo Mark Almond and Craig Greenhough went in this one – Mark posting a time of 39.27 and 2nd V55 along with team mate Craig running 43.29 in 62nd spot.
