Roundup of Club Endeavours across the Country

Another Report, catching-up with those Richmond and Zetland Harriers whose endeavours had escaped the Publicity machine, starting in Wakefield and ending in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Brogan Fraser, a 12-year old from Danby Wiske, only joined the Club this summer; she made her competitive debut at the NYSD T&F Meeting at Shildon in July and ended her T&F season on Sunday 19th September at an Open Medals Meeting at Wakefield. She competed in the 100m; she won the first heat with a PB 14.0 and then won a Silver medal in the final with a time of 14.1. Brogan ended the season ranked number one Under 13 Girl in the Club in three out of four sprint distances with PBs of 10.7 for 75m, 14.0 for 100m, 21.6 for 150m and 29.8 for 200m plus a long jump best of 3m17.

Karlene Scott is another newcomer who made her debut for the Club but in an altogether different fashion. Karlene has been running for some time, coached or coaxed by her partner Dave Cardus and earlier in the year had completed the Nottingham Half Marathon, but chose possibly the most demanding Marathon in this country for her first attempt at the distance. The Snowdonia Marathon encircles Snowdon, Wales' and England's highest peak and provides a spectacular route: the race was won by Dennis Walmsley of Bourton in 2:41:54 and Alison Sedman of Belle Vue Racers was 1st Female in 3:11:59 - compare that to Paula Radcliffe’s World Best of 2:15. Karlene finished 38th Female and 6th F45 in 4:09:08 and said, “I felt really good on the day thanks to all Dave’s good advice and training - not bad for a first one eh!”

Neil Piper

On the same Sunday, the 2004 Inov-8 Durham Dales Fell Challenge Series concluded with the Ayhope Skyline Fell Race, 9 miles and 2155 feet of climbing from the Grove Car Park, Hamsterley Forest. Series leaders Paul Brittleton and Karen Robertson both competed and each turned in winning performances to claim both the race and the series in their respective categories. Neil Piper finished a little way behind and “although still cannot find any details of my wayward run (he admits to missing a few way markers along with several others and running quite a bit further than anticipated) all I know is that the winning time was about 58 minutes, there were half a dozen were inside the hour, and I was 21st out of 25 starters in a time of 1:33:18.” Neil had better news the following weekend when he completed the Kilburn Kanter, a mere 30-miler, and unofficially finished in 3rd place in 5:47.

Sunday 7th was also the date for the Ronhill Derwentwater Ten, the 45th running of this ever-popular race around the lake from Keswick School in Crosthwaite. Steve Hepples, running for Loftus was this year’s winner in 50:16 and Catherine Scott of Wigton was 1st Female in 75th place overall in 65:14. Dave Cardus, back in training after a 2-year break, suffered a calf strain around the halfway mark (when a sub 60 mark might have been on the cards) and struggled back in 77th place in 65:36. Tony Hewson had spotted the red and white Club vest earlier but, despite making inroads, couldn’t make up the gap and finished 119th in 68:31. Third Harrier of three was Karlene Scott, showing she was over her Marathon, with a 79:59 clocking for 296th place.

Page 38 of last week's Athletics Weekly reads: Saturday 13th November, English Schools X-C Cup, Region B, Allertonshire School, Northallerton, Inter Boys 4 J Miers (Northallerton College) 16:16 but doesn’t tell the whole story.

There were five Harriers in three school teams that had reached the regional finals of the X-C Cup and this by itself was an achievement. Rory Wadsworth ran in the Junior Boy’s race and finished 17th; in the Inter Girl’s race, Rosie Adams finished 9th, Katie Roberts was 16th and Jo Adams, finishing a little way behind after suffering cramp in her calf muscles, showed the determination that has characterised all her running. Josh Miers ran in the Inter Boy’s race and finished 4th, just 9 seconds behind the winner, and adds, “YES! I get to go to the National Finals in Oswestry, it will be an awesome experience and I’m aiming for a top ten finish.”

AGM and Presentation Evening Saturday 13th November at Bedale

The Harriers had their Annual General Meeting and Presentation Evening on Saturday 13th at BASA. Bob Pocklington, relinquished the post of Chairman after ten successful years and, as a reward? was booted upstairs as President. Mike Brooks was elected Chairman in his place. Dr Graham Purvis remains as Hon Secretary, Coaching Secretary and Development Officer; Ian Hepworth remains as Treasurer; Fiona Hughes continues to Manage most of the T&F and X-C teams with support from two Senior men, Chris Peacock and Ken Harker; Neil Piper remains as Fixtures Secretary and Road Race Manager and Lee Broadway takes over as CPO. The Committee welcomed three new faces: Sue Fraser takes over as Membership Secretary and Sarah Gregory and Shirley Mathurin join Paul Roberts as Adhoc Members. The AGM was followed by a splendid buffet and the Presentation of Club Awards, Cups, Shields and Plates - details of which, along with photograph(s), will follow next week.

After the Presentation there was a Disco and the evening became morning for several Harriers and their families. Edd Richards was one of the owls but, despite getting home about 1.00 am, he was up at 7 and drove to Newcastle. He admits to getting a bit lost finding the Town Moor but eventually found it, in time to compete in the 5K for Under 20 and Under 17 Men, part of the Heaton Harriers Memorial Races. He did pretty well too, finishing 3rd in 17:24 on a very windy day and picked-up a £10 prize for his efforts.