It wasn’t all about London last weekend as we bring you a round-up from the endurance running scene around the UK
ADIDAS MANCHESTER MARATHON, April 27
Josh Griffiths came out on top of a close battle as this Northern marathon offered an alternative to the London event.
Along with Matt Sharp, Kevin Campbell and Seyfu Jamaal, the Swansea Harrier finished inside the 2:20 barrier with 2:16:56, a time some five minutes outside his 2022 personal best.
Second-placed Sharp was given 2:17:22 as third home Kevin Campbell massively improved his eight-year-old personal best to 2:18:03 and this follows a 48:37 ten-miler in the Tom Scott race in Motherwell.
Half-a-dozen runners had broken clear of the rest by the 10km mark, passed in 32:24 and this stayed the same through to the half-distance where Will Strangeway just showed in front.
Thereafter, Daniel Connelly began to fall back as Strangeway too lost contact by 30km.
This left Griffiths to narrowly lead Sharp, Campbell, and Jamaal though 30km in 97:33, before the final shoot out.
Tessa McCormick ran 2:33:45 in Valencia at the end of 2023 and here found 2:34:53 enough for a comfortable victory over Olivia Tsim, albeit by less than a minute at the line.
The pair had gone through 10km together in 36:19 before Tsim dropped back. McCormack then went on to go through the half-distance in 76:31, 22 seconds clear.
Third finisher Nia Griffith had lost contact before the 10km mark but held on well to finish in 2:36:46 and claim the W35 prize.
The mass start race was won by Jake Guest in 2:25:47 as Clare Frankland was top woman in 2:47:50
Overall (Elite): 1 J Griffiths (Swan) 2:16:56; 2 M Sharp (Ryde) 2:17:22; 3 K Campbell 2:17:38; 4 S Jamaal (Lon H) 2:18:03; 5 W Strangeway (Linc W) 2:20:07; 6 D Connolly (Mercia) 2:20:48
M40: 1 T Charles (Chorl) 2:28:07
M45: 1 A Wallace (St Cocas) 2:26:42
In Mass start
M50: 1 J O’Brien Ballymore) 2:40:38
M55: 1 M Lynas (Macc) 2:47:48
M60: 1 V McCaffery 2:57:45
M65: 1 R Whitelegg 2:57:08
Women (Elite): 1 T McCormack (Vale R) 2:34:53; 2 O Tsim (P’pridd) 2:35:43; 3 N Griffith (WSEH, W35) 2:36;46; 4 M Gibson (Ealing E, W40) 2:41:30; 5 L Hall (AFD) 2:44:00; 6 S Antell (Bide, W35) 2:44;32
W50: 1 A Granger (B&W) 2:59:45
In Mass start
W40: 1 J Hinton (Lon H) 2:52:08
W45: 1 K Kendall 2:53:25
W50: 1 A Donoghue (M’ton) 2:58:36
W65: 1 S Lockhart (Ips J) 3:40:11
BERKELEY 10km, Gloucestershire, April 27
English Schools steeplechase fourth placer Erin Musty won the women’s race in 36:35, as right at the top of the age groups, Sharon Smith went second on the all-time W75 age group listings with 48:36.
Overall: 1 M Kelly 32:10
Women: 1 E Musty (Chelt, U17) 36:35
W45: 1 S Voller (W’bury) 40:51
W75: 1 S Smith (R Somewhere Else) 48:36
COVENTRY HALF-MARATHON, Warwickshire, April 27
Overall: 1 A Hudson (S&D) 70:22; 2 J Bennett (B ir) 71:52
Women: 1 K Edwards (Leam, W40) 80:40; 2 N White (N’brook, W40) 80:58
FRIDAY NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS 5km, Battersea Park, London, April 25
The latest round of the evening races under the lights hardly needed them due to the longer spring evenings, but gave an opportunity to Newham & Essex Beagles’ Charlie Brisley to win the second race overall in 14:06.
The better women were spilt between race one’s wave 1 and wave 2 as Midland cross-country champion and one of the top British triathletes Olivia Mathias was best with a 15:46 clocking.
The Newark runner was followed home by a dozen or more men before Ellie Ravenscroft took second place among the women with a 15:59 clocking, some 26 seconds inside her previous best.
The next five fastest women were split from the wave 1 runners and placed in wave two, where Belgrave’s Ella Fennelly was first home with 16:26, narrowly ahead of Guildford’s Suzanna Monk, as three more Belgrave runners followed in close order.
Overall Race 1 Wave 1: 1 E Hanton (Belg) 15:09; 2 J Latanzio (Belg) 15:15; 3 D Bolt (VP&TH) 15:19
M40: 1 G Wilkinson (Orion) 15:44
M50: 1 C Blackburn (Holl Sp) 15:47; 2 S Combes (herne H) 16:133 G Towers (Eton M) 16:28
Women: 1 O Mathias (Newark) 15:46; 2 E Ravenscroft (Soton) 15:59; 3 E Carroll (TVH) 16:43; 4 I Pickett (THH) 16:45; 5 G Jones (Soton U) 17:08
Race 1 Wave 2:
Selected Men
M50: 1 N Shasha (Orion) 16:40
M55: 1 J Reid (HW) 17:02
Women 1 E Fennelly (Belg) 16:26; 2 S Monk (G&G) 16:27; 3 I Wolsey (Belg) 16:27; 4 K Popaditch (Belg) 16:30; 5 E Bradley (Belg) 16:37
W40: 1 E Willmers (Win RC) 17:03; 2 L Biemolt (Herne H) 17:41
W45: 1 N Hornsea (Strag) 18:21; 2 B Whitfield (Hill) 17:26
Overall Race 2 Wave 1: 1 C Brisley (NEB) 14:06; 2 H Hart (Belg) 14:15; 3 H Smith (Soton) 14:24; 4 A Lennan (Soton) 14:27; 5 R Richmond (Bide, M40) 14:27; 6 S Winters (Bed C) 14:35; 7 T Jones (S’end, U20) 14:40; 8 J Attwell (Soton U) 14:40; 9 S Knee-Robinson (Bed C) 14:42; 10 D Lewis (High) 14:46
M45: 1 J Cieluszeck 15:19
U17: 1 C Wilson (Win RC) 15:23
Raif Serif
LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km, Hyde Park, London, April 25
Belgrave Harrier Raif Serif, an England Athletics under-23 1500m finalist, used his sub-3:50 speed to win by over a minute in 15:06 in his event debut at Hyde Park, Steve Smythe reports.
The women’s race was a lot more competitive and won by a runner almost 40 years Serif’s senior, multi world masters champion Clare Elms.
In warm sunny conditions with a breeze down the long stretch beside the North Carriage Drive, the 61-year-old won by nine seconds from Holly Wilkinson.
Her time of 18:32 on the far from flat course, was just 10 seconds down on the UK W60 best but it was her twelfth overall win in this event and came 15 years after her first in 2010.
Former European 800m masters W50 champion Nikki Sturzaker was fourth woman in 19:05 for her fastest time since pulling her hamstring badly while battling for gold in the European Masters 3000m over a year ago.
Second W60 in the race behind Elms was the 2022 World Masters steeplechase champion Lisa Thomas, as W75 Ros Tabor, a multi world masters medallist in Florida, strengthened her hold on third place in the UK ranking with a 26:26 clocking.
Overall: 1 R Serif (Belg) 15:06
M55: 1 D Gillett (S Lon) 17:41
M60: 1 S Corfield (SoC) 18:10
M70: 1 M Millward (Fulham) 21:06
M80: 1 T Rea (H’field) 26:20
Women: 1 C Elms (Kent, W60) 18:32
W45: 1 H Wilkinson (Ealing E) 18:41
W50: 1 N Sturzaker (Herne H) 19:05; 2 G Stoneley (Rei P) 19:33
W55: 1 A Critchlow (W4H) 19:41
W60: 2 L Thomas (HW) 20:50; 3 L Woolhouse (Vets) 21:21; 4 P Major (S Lon) 22:54
W65: 1 L Wilson (ESM) 23:59; 3 A Sanders-Reece (Serp) 25;20
W75: 1 R Tabor (Dulw R) 26:26; 2 M Raynor (W4H) 28:08
W80: 1 P Rich (Worth RA) 33:07
Clare Elms
MOTA-VATION SERIES, Race 1, Charlton-on-Otmoor, Oxfordshire, April 24
Overall (5M 346yds): 1 D Bunn (Abing) 26:22; 2 M Shantry (Head RR) 26:24; 3 C Jardine 26:30
M50: 1 J Bolton (W’stock) 28:06; 2 P Fernandez (Abing) 30:03
M60: 1 N Bunn (Tring) 33;35
M70: 1 B Vaughn (Oxf C) 35:46
TEAM (6 to score): 1 Headington RR 75; 2 Abingdon 85; 3 Witney 217
Women: 1 E Dickens (Head RR) 31:20; 2 E Butcher (High) 31:24
W50: 1 S Davies (Oxf C) 34:15
W60: 1 V Woodward (Abbey) 37:05; 2 K Angwin (Head RR) 37:42
TEAM (6 to score): 1 Headington RR 54; 2 Oxford City 99; 3 Witney 163
BAY ROAD 5km, Derry, Northern Ireland, April 23
Overall: 1 K Kelly (Raheney) 14:41; 2 D Mooney (L’kenny) 14:44; 3 M Grennan (L’kenny) 15:26
M40: 1 M Cox 15:29
M50: 1 P Horan (N Belf) 16:41
M55: 1 M Smith (Mallusk) 15:39
M65: 1 L Johnston (N Belf) 18:47
M70: 1 B Stewart (N Belf) 21:16
Women: 1 C O’Connor (E Down) 17:10
W50: G Queeney (B’mena) 20:33
W55: 1 S O’Kane (Lagan V) 19:22; 2 F Prue (S’well) 20:06
Calum Johnson (David Hewitson)
QUAYSIDE 5, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, April 23
Calum Johnson followed on from his fastest lap in the Elswick Relays a few days earlier with a run-away victory on the banks of the River Tyne.
The Gateshead Harrier, who won this event in 2022 in 14:12, went faster this year with a 14:06 clocking 45 seconds clear of second placed Joe Wilson. Johnson was also first home here in 2019 and 2021.
The women’s race was much closer as, again, just as in the Elswick Relays the previous weekend, it was Sophie Pikett, who got the better of Lydia Turner. There was just one second between them in those relays, but here Pikett came home 15 seconds to the good in 16:22, a time just three seconds outside her best, set back in 2021.
Quayside 5km (David Hewitson)
Overall: 1 C Johnson (Gate) 14:06; 2 J Wilson (NE Proj) 14:51; 3 L Davis (W Tempo) 14:52; 4 L Creasey (Manale) 14:53; 5 K Walker (NE Project) 14:55; 6 J Tilley (Morp) 14:55
M45: 1 A Heppell (Gosf) 15:51
M50: 1 D Milligan (Elvet) 16:47
M60: 1 R Andrew (Alnw) 18:11
Women: 1 S Pikett (Elsw) 16:22; 2 L Turner (Birt) 16:37; 3 K Maltby (Border, W35 16:54
W50: 1 D Foster) T’dale) 18:58
W55: 1 W Chapman (Sund) 19:26
Sophie Pikett (David Hewitson)
SPRING COAST ROAD 5km, Redcar, North Yorkshire, April 23
Overall: 1 L Gamble-Thompson (N Marske) 15:09
M55: 1 M Murray (N Marske) 18:05
M60: 1 M Forrest (R&Z) 18:05; 2 R Williamson (Loftus &W) 18:17
Women: 1 C Williamson (Loftus &W, W40) 18:05
W50: 1 P Speedie (M Marske) 20:52
W60: 1 L Eadon (R&Z) 21:59; 2 K Bentley (Birt) 23:22
W75: 1 C Gale (N York M) 25:21
DALGETY BAY 10km, Dalgety Bay, Fife, April 27
Overall: A Thomson (Fife) 32:32
M60: Graham Breslin 41:00
W50: J Menzies (PHRC) 42:32
RUN BALMORAL STENNA DRILLING 10km, Balmoral, Deeside, April 26
Overall: 1 S Chalmers (A’deen) 30:55; 2 A Odentz (A’deen) 33:36
Women: 1 Louise McKenzie 38:39; 2 N MacDonald (Metro) 38:43; 3 R Pinder (Metro) 39:05
RUN BALMORAL HARBOUR ENERGY 5km, Balmoral, Deeside, April 26
Overall: 1 S Chalmers (A’deen) 14:19; 2 F MacKenzie (Metro) 15:24; 3 A Odentz (A’deen) 15:29; 4 C Richardson (Metro) 15:49; 5 J Waldie (Perth R) 15:59
M60: R Holland (Metro) 19:08
U20: N Lawson (A’deen) 16:10
Women: 1 F Brian (Metro) 17:25; 2 J Bannerman (I’ness) 17:48; 3 D Greig (Metro) 18:17; 4 N MacDonald (Metro) 18:23; 5 N Gauld (Metro, W40) 18:51
W50: H Cameron (Forres) 20:20
W60: A Webster (Rebel) 22:21
W70: L Hadden (Metro) 28:40
SCURRY AROUND THE HELIX 10km, Falkirk, April 26
Overall: 1 S Burton (RTCW) 34:07; 2 M Euston (Penic) 34:16; 3 G MacGregor (RTCW) 34:23
M50: J Lawson (P’bello) 36:10
M70: J McFarlane (Wee C) 47:01
Women: 1 Rachel Harman 37:08; 2 F Matheson (Falk VH, W60) 41:08; 3 Y Thandraven (P’bello, W50) 42:20
RON’S RUNNERS SPRING 5km, Irvine, April 24
Overall: M Monachello, Kil’k, U20) 16:31
Women (all Kil’k): 1 L Haggarty (W40) 18:16; 2 L Baird 18:57; 3 K Kelly (W40) 19:22
Multi-terrain
DEVIL O’ THE HIGHLANDS, Tyndrum to Fort William, April 26
Overall (42M): 1 G Irvine (Pyllon, M40) 5:20:05; 2 P Peciura (W’lands CC) 5:31:08; 3 K Wilson (G’nock) 5:37:18; 4 A Christie (Metro, M40) 5:44:16; 5 J Bakker-Dyos (Navy) 5:46:18; 6 A Davis (PHRC, M40) 5:56:06
M50: I Collins (W’lands CC) 6:25:41
M60: I Burdett (Hadd) 7:52:17
M70: R Livingstone (Perth R) 9:38:21
Women: 1 A McGill (Fife, W40) 6:18:49; 2 Alice Baird 6:50:19; 3 C Newman (C’thy, W40) 7:15:14; 4 C McWhirr (Metro, W40) 7:27:17
W50: Marlene Baillie 7:42:45
W60: Sian Morgan 8:31:31
BRISTOW TRAIL 15, Balmoral, Deeside, April 26
Overall: 1 Ruairidh Gollan (E Suth) 85:45; 2 K Greig (Alford B) 87:47; 3 A Odentz (A’deen) 90:22
Women: 1 D Greig (Alford B) 1:45:04; 2 Rachel Smith 1:54:38; 3 J Scott (Insch TR) 2:00:19
Fell running
THE FELLSMAN, Ingleton to Threshfield, April 26-27
Overall (62M/1100m): 1 Anna Llewellyn 10:18:16; 2 Evan Allan 10:43:04; 3 Daniel Weller 11:43:37; 4 Michael Odell 12:02:22
M50: Matt Neale 12:40:25
Women: 1 Llewellyn 10:18:16; 2 Despena Berdeni 12:40:26; 3 Katherine Klunder 13:52:24
W60: Karen Nash 16:07:54
THREE PEAKS, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, April 26
Overall (24M/4500ft): 1 B Rothery (Ilkley) 3:00:00; 2 C Chaverot (Inov8) 3:07:32; 3 A Brownlee (Bing) 3:08:00; 4 N Yannick (Inov8) 3:08:37; 5 L Taylor (Leeds C) 3:11:44; 6 B Townshend (Kesw) 3:16:21; 7 H Ruddell (P&B) 3:16:37; 8 R Lightfoot (Ellen, M40) 3:21:40; 9 Timothy Johnston 3:25:24; 10 W Barton (Amble) 3:26:23
M50: J Hunt (Dark Pk) 3:40:54
M60: D Prosser (Kesw) 4:05:02
M70: Graham Barnes 5:10:35
TEAM: 1 Dark Pk 126; 2 Sett 162; 3 Kesw 205
Women: 1 N Jackson (Kesw) 3:45:55; 2 V Wilkinson (Bing, W40) 3:47:24; 3 L Eloy (Inov8) 3:47:34; 4 Hannah Russell 3:51:56; 5 M Browne (Wharf) 3:54:27; 6 A Watkinson-Powell (Dark Pk) 3:54:59
W50: R Thackray (Bing) 4:21:22
W60: A Duckworth (Clay) 4:41:21
TEAM: 1 Inov8 11; 2 Bing 28; 3 N Leeds FR 65
SLIEVE MARTIN, Rostrevor, April 24
Overall (4.25M/1740ft): 1 A Crutchley (Newc) 34:44; 2 J Macatee (Mourne) 36:32; 3 J Scott (Mourne) 37:24; 4 M Stephens (Mourne) 37:40; 5 Paul Rooney (M40) 38:27; 6 Michael Patterson 38:31
M45: David Mcneilly 39:43
M50: W Fleck (B’mena) 42:35
M55: N O’Gorman (Annad) 43:12
M65: D McGreevy (Newc) 46:33
M70: M Morrow (Drom) 64:37
M80: J Adgey (N Down) 67:16
Women: 1 E Dickson (Newry) 42:50; 2 K Wilton (Jog Lisb, W50) 43:27; 3 T Cumming (Newc, W40) 43:38; 4 M Hell (N Belf, W40) 45:50
W55: D Wilson (Drom) 46:20
W60: A McNeill (Drom) 56:29
W70: M MacKin (Drom) 57:23
TRUNCE SERIES, Oxspring, Sheffield, April 21
Overall (6.4km/208m): 1 T Power (Hallam) 25:06; 2 R Cottam (P’stone FPR, M40) 27:06; 3 J Ellis (Denb DT) 27:26; 4 G Parr (P’stone FPR) 27:47; 5 K Ryder-Brown (Clowne) 28:27; 6 J Street (Clowne) 28:53
M50: D King (Hallam) 30:20
M60: C Earl (K’worth) 30:44
M70: C Horsfall (Hands R) 40:33
Women: 1 L Clarkson (Barns H) 33:15; 2 M Kunicka (Dark Pk, W40) 33:31; 3 S Cromwell (Holm) 34:42; 4 H Ilsley (Holm, W40) 35:01
W50: A Marsden (K’worth) 36:56
W60: S Braddock (Steel) 43:12
W70: B Hinchliffe (Holm) 42:07