News 02-03

The races for the 2002 -2003 Grand Prix season are listed below. The event is scored by counting the best 9 from 12, from all categories. Click on the races in the chart to go to the write-up and results.

The first race of this year’s Grand Prix was the Keswick Half Marathon and out of a field of over 400 runners twenty were from Blyth. On a difficult, hilly course the weather conditions were kind to the runners and the race was won by Ray Ward of Sheffield, while the first Blyth runner back was Andy Brown. Andy has previously won this race in 1996 and managed to finish in ninth position this year with a time of 80 minutes. The next two Blyth runners both finished in the top thirty, with Robbie Barkley beating Gareth Hope by four seconds. Malcolm Derbyshire followed up his 3 hours 14 minutes for the London Marathon to be the first runner back in Division Two, while Dave Hendry was the first runner in Division Three. The first Blyth Lady to finish was Anne Potts, who was also the first finisher in Division Four, while Michael Brown was the first finisher in Division Five.

Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.	Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.
1	9	Andy Brown	1:20:09	6:07	1	13	12	178	Terry Hart	1:43:47	7:55	3	8
2	29	Robbie Barkley	1:26:28	6:36	1	12	13	183	Steve Walker	1:44:15	7:57	1	10
3	30	Gareth Hope	1:26:32	6:36	1	11	14	188	Steve Nendick	1:44:42	8:00	3	7
4	98	Malcolm Darbyshire	1:35:57	7:19	2	11	15	200	Cath Young	1:45:33	8:03	-	-
5	111	Ralph Dickinson	1:37:40	7:27	2	10	16	210	Mark Martin	1:46:45	8:09	3	6
6	123	David Hendry	1:38:59	7:33	3	11	17	241	Michael Brown	1:49:50	8:23	4	13
7	135	Steve Gillespie	1:40:20	7:40	2	9	18	250	Angie Brown	1:51:03	8:29	5	6
8	136	David Cox	1:40:27	7:40	3	10	19	294	Dave Kitching	1:56:00	8:51	4	12
9	148	Anne Potts	1:41:12	7:44	4	14	20	313	Pauline Cunningham	1:58:25	9:02	5	5
10	167	Aynsley Herron	1:42:48	7:51	2	8	21	372	Rob Bradley	2:11:46	10:04	5	4
11	168	Kevin Westwood	1:42:49	7:51	3	9

For a while it looked as if we were going to get a good soaking, as in the 2001 race, but in the end it was a welcome drizzle from start to finish. Most people I spoke to after the race were quite pleased (and relieved) at the conditions. First home for BRC was Andy Brown, (who pulled a calf muscle just after the finish) and Helen Morris was first BRC lady, exactly as last year. In the prizes were Bob Soulsby (1st M75), Katie Seccombe (1st L75), Ian Richardson (4th M50). Andy and Angie Brown placed 4th in the "Me an' Wor Lass" category. Not prizewinners, but top ten in their own categories were: Denis Moss (5th M70), Trish Goodwin (9th L50) and Helen Morris (10th L35). And Joe Frazer's picture made the back page of The Journal's race results supplement! 68 BRC runners took part from the 3,371 finishers, against 70 from 3,100 in last year's race.

Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.	Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.
1	41	Andy Brown	31:13	5:27	1	13	35	576	Ron Ingram	40:37	7:05	3	4
2	45	Elliott Makin	33:19	5:49	1	12	36	578	David Roe	40:38	7:05	4	12
3	92	Adam Robinson	33:31	5:51	1	11	37	601	Helen Morris	40:53	7:08	4	11
4	96	Robbie Barkley	33:46	5:54	1	10	38	611	Michael Brown	40:57	7:09	4	10
5	102	Dale Smith	33:58	5:56	1	9	39	658	David Hendry	41:24	7:14	3	3
6	107	Gareth Hope	34:03	5:57	1	8	40	689	Steve Bangs	41:38	7:16	4	9
7	127	Ian Richardson	34:41	6:03	1	7	41	739	Clinton Young	42:04	7:20	3	2
8	141	Steve Gillespie	34:58	6:06	2	11	42	745	Terry Sanderson	42:06	7:21	-	-
9	185	Steve Walker	35:54	6:16	1	6	43	746	Keith Willshire	42:07	7:21	3	1
10	195	Michael Stott	36:04	6:18	1	5	44	756	Angie Brown	42:11	7:22	5	6
11	220	John Bryan	36:25	6:21	2	10	45	793	Mick Rainbow	42:31	7:25	-	-
12	237	Malcolm Darbyshire	36:49	6:26	2	9	46	794	Brian Hedley	42:31	7:25	2	3
13	248	Martin Gaughan	36:56	6:27	-	-	47	798	Ken Illingworth	42:32	7:25	4	8
14	264	Joe Frazer	37:10	6:29	1	4	48	959	Alan Bosworth	43:55	7:40	4	7
15	277	Phil Dickinson	37:23	6:31	3	11	49	982	Dave Kitching	44:06	7:42	4	6
16	280	Dale Stafford	37:26	6:32	1	3	50	1004	Sharon Percy	44:15	7:43	4	5
17	287	John Miller	37:35	6:34	2	8	51	1058	Pauline Cunningham	44:31	7:46	5	5
18	289	Geoff McLane	37:39	6:34	-	-	52	1069	Martin Barnfather	44:37	7:47	-	-
19	312	George Young	37:57	6:37	-	-	53	1130	Dickie Cole	45:12	7:53	5	4
20	355	Aynsley Herron	38:23	6:42	2	7	54	1355	Tricia Goodwin	46:40	8:09	-	-
21	365	Steve Nendick	38:31	6:43	3	10	55	1360	Cath Young	46:42	8:09	-	-
22	388	Dave Cox	38:45	6:46	3	9	56	1406	Dave Bradley	46:58	8:12	5	3
23	391	Ian Cansfield	38:46	6:46	2	6	57	1419	Suzanne Humphrey	47:04	8:13	-	-
24	412	Ralph Dickinson	39:00	6:48	2	5	58	1489	Jocelyn Smith	47:31	8:18	-	-
25	418	Kevin Westwood	39:04	6:49	3	8	59	1629	Christine Firth	48:27	8:27	-	-
26	432	Wayne Rice	39:11	6:50	3	7	60	1781	Denis Moss	49:25	8:37	-	-
27	463	Mark Martin	39:30	6:54	3	6	61	1809	Christine Willshire	49:36	8:39	-	-
28	464	Terry Hart	39:31	6:54	3	5	62	1985	Dawn Martin	51:07	8:55	-	-
29	477	Brian Smith	39:40	6:55	-	-	63	2564	Eileen Cox	55:38	9:43	-	-
30	508	Terry McCabe	39:58	6:58	4	14	64	3048	Bob Soulsby	1:00:58	10:38	-	-
31	533	Dave Brown	40:12	7:01	-	-	65	3070	Margaret Dickinson	1:01:21	10:42	-	-
32	543	Rob Marshall	40:17	7:02	-	-	66	3071	Susan Walker	1:01:21	10:42	-	-
33	548	Eddie Stott	40:20	7:02	2	4	67	3267	Katie Seccombe	1:08:14	11:54	-	-
34	569	Eddie Woods	40:35	7:05	4	13	68	3320	Sylvia Hart	1:12:31	12:39	-	-

Nice course this one, after being cancelled last year due to FMD it was nice to see the turnout holding steady at 223 - two years ago they had 218 finishers. I know the organisers were a bit worried in case the rush of entries on the night meant they might not have enough goody bags for runners after the race. The weather was fine and dry, if a little hot, but you can't have everything! First home for BRC was Andy Brown in 10th place overall, and making it a family double was his wife Angie who was first BRC lady, continuing her excellent recent form. Many thanks to Frank Watson of Elswick Harriers who took the time to read me the results over the phone, which you can see in the table below:

Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.	Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.
1	10	Andy Brown	37:28	5:44	1	13	19	95	Dave Cox	45:30	6:57	3	8
2	13	Elliott Makin	38:23	5:52	1	12	20	99	Clinton Young	45:44	7:00	3	7
3	19	Robbie Barkley	38:52	5:57	1	11	21	103	Rob Marshall	46:15	7:04	-	-
4	23	Ian Richardson	39:55	6:06	1	10	22	106	Wayne Rice	46:22	7:05	3	6
5	27	Adam Robinson	40:18	6:10	1	9	23	109	Ron Ingram	46:31	7:07	3	5
6	29	Gareth Hope	40:32	6:12	1	8	24	110	Michael Brown	46:33	7:07	4	14
7	41	Steve Walker	42:01	6:25	1	7	25	114	Aynsley Herron	46:43	7:09	2	6
8	49	Joe Frazer	42:51	6:33	1	6	26	122	Eddie Stott	47:17	7:14	2	5
9	50	John Bryan	42:55	6:34	2	11	27	127	Eddie Woods	47:43	7:18	4	13
10	65	John Miller	43:43	6:41	2	10	28	130	Dave Hendry	47:46	7:18	3	4
11	69	George Young	44:06	6:45	-	-	29	139	Steve Bangs	48:31	7:25	4	12
12	76	Phil Dickinson	44:25	6:47	3	11	30	141	Dave Brown	48:46	7:27	-	-
13	77	Allan Kenny	44:32	6:49	-	-	31	150	Angie Brown	50:05	7:39	5	6
14	79	Steve Nendick	44:41	6:50	3	10	32	154	Dave Kitching	50:33	7:44	4	11
15	83	Malcolm Derbyshire	44:54	6:52	2	9	33	159	Dave Bradley	50:54	7:47	5	5
16	84	Kevin Westwood	44:58	6:53	3	9	34	166	Alan Bosworth	51:39	7:54	4	10
17	86	Ian Cansfield	45:12	6:55	2	8	35	173	Dickie Cole	52:09	7:58	5	4
18	93	Ralph Dickinson	45:28	6:57	2	7	36	187	Pauline Cunningham	54:22	8:19	5	3

Another nice course this one, along country roads and paths on another warm evening. First home for BRC was Andy Brown in 13th place overall, and first lady back was Cath Young, who also was 3rd LV45. Also in the prizes (or placed anyway) were: Anne Potts (2nd LV45), Dave Cox (3rd V55), Helen Morris (4th LV35). The men's team were 3rd (Andy, Gareth and Adam) and the ladies were 2nd Vets (Anne, Cath and Helen). Michael Brown, John Bryan and Wayne Rice all recorded pb's, well done to them. Other top ten category placings were: Joe Frazer, Ken Illingworth, Angie Brown, Suzanne Humphrey, Pauline Cunningham and Tom Waiton. Thanks to Michael Brown and John Bryan, who were first and second in their respective divisions, after agreeing to be promoted following the first three races. I hope they both continue their improvement in the faster company they are now keeping.

Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.	Pos.	Pos.	Name	Time	Pace	Div.	Pts.
1	13	Andy Brown	34:33	5:34	1	13	22	182	Rob Marshall	43:38	7:02	-	-
2	18	Elliott Makin	35:12	5:41	1	12	23	190	Steve Bangs	43:59	7:06	4	13
3	40	Gareth Hope	37:24	6:02	1	11	24	193	Eddie Stott	44:05	7:07	2	6
4	49	Adam Robinson	38:05	6:09	1	10	25	206	Anne Potts	44:32	7:11	4	12
5	50	Dale Smith	38:07	6:09	1	9	26	208	Catherine Young	44:35	7:11	-	-
6	78	Martin Gaughan	39:32	6:23	-	-	27	213	Aynsley Herron	44:44	7:13	2	5
7	83	Steve Walker	39:44	6:25	1	8	28	223	Eddie Woods	45:00	7:15	4	11
8

1	Keswick 1/2m	05/05/02	7	Tynedale 10m	15/09/02
2	Blaydon Race	09/06/02	8	Club Handicap 8m	22/09/02
3	Newburn River Run	19/06/02	9	Brampton 10m	16/11/02
4	Tynedale 10k	03/07/02	10	Brass Monkey 1/2m	26/01/03
5	Coastal Run	21/07/02	11	Best 4 Winter Series	Nov-Feb
6	Morpeth 10k	06/08/02	12	Redcar 1/2m	09/03/03