Schools Inter Counties Cross Country - York 7th February 2004

The Schools Inter-Counties X-C fixture, North Yorkshire versus Humberside, was staged on Saturday 7th over a surprisingly hilly course at York Racecourse. For some of the younger members of Richmond and Zetland Harriers this was their fifth race in six weekends (with more to come) and for two of the eight taking part, this was their most important race of their winter, so far. Places in the County team at the English Schools X-C Championships at Maidstone, Kent were at stake as the first six across the line at the North Yorkshire Schools at Scarborough earned automatic places and a further two were selected from the results of both fixtures. There were six races for eight age groups at the Inter-Counties; Junior Boys and Girls, Inters and Seniors combined for Boys and Girls - all looking to progress, and Year 7 Boys and Girls keen to show how much earning their County colours meant. Rory Wadsworth and Tom Osborn competed in the Year 7 Boys race, finishing 15th and 19th respectively and Humberside won by the closest of margins, 103 points to 107. North Yorkshire were convincing winners of the Junior Girl’s race, scoring 40 points to 109 but Rosie Adams, who was unwell and missed the County Championships, was a little off the pace finishing in 12th place and out of contention by 42 seconds. Philip Fitzpatrick, Simon Pinkney and Harry Atkinson were 3 out of 34 runners in the combined Inter/Senior Boys race; North Yorkshire won the race by 28 points and Philip finished 5th, confirming his place in the Inter Boys team. Simon finished 15th Inter and Harry was 10th Senior, 7th for the County and has the consolation of being named as reserve. Leah Jackson was the second of two Harriers to book a place on the coach to Maidstone when she finished 7th Inter Girl in the combined Inters/Seniors race. In the same race Mally Dolphin finished 4th Senior and, although almost a minute behind the last girl selected, was unfortunate not to be named as reserve. The Club will now have six athletes at the English Schools X-C Championships with Philip and Leah joining Douglas & Jessie Roberts and Scarlett Gray to run in the North Yorkshire team and Nick Zissler competing for County Durham.

London Marathon Training News

On a weekend free of senior competition, those Harriers aiming for the London Marathon in April had the opportunity to put in another long training run. Jon Orange is presently turning-out 100 miles plus every week as he chases another sub 2:30 clocking and the M40 Veteran prize; Mike Brooks daren’t predict a time as he is likely to figure as a runner in the Harriers Sweepstake but his training is going well; Tony Hewson is also going well and determined to erase last year’s 3:45; Mark Mullin has had training interrupted by an impending birth but says he is still confident of getting round “in close to 3 hours”; Colin Sewell is still training for the big day despite not having a confirmed place and may have to tread the Charity Road - unless somebody out there knows better; Sarah Gregory ran her first marathon last year in 4:15 and, given her recent 1:37 clocking at the Brass Monkey Half Marathon, that time is in for serious revision; the Rev Bill Simms has a different schedule to most other runners as Sunday is his busiest day-of-the-week but isn’t deterred in his quest for a sub 4:30 time and, last-but-never-least, Grete Buck is back from her skiing holiday and equally determined - not to be the last Harrier to finish!