Martin Cortvriend leads UK National Rankings for 5k in a weekend of personal achievements for Harriers
Martin Cortvriend leads our report this week after running his best 5K time in years at the Wirral Seaside 5K Series on Wednesday. Martin finished the race 49th and 2nd M60 in 19:41. Only beaten in his category by a man 5 years younger, Martin’s run puts him top of the 2018 M65 UK rankings and the only M65 this year to get under 20 minutes over the 5k distance.
It wasn’t just Martin achieving great personal records. Closer to home at the Llandudno Prom Easter 5K, there were some great runs in wet and windy conditions with some of the runners even getting an unexpected shower from the waves crashing over the sea wall. This did not stop Craig Jones from achieving a spectacular personal best in 18:50 and first time for Craig under 19 minutes he continues his running development. Elen Baugh 23:03 also got a personal best taking 35 seconds off her 5K as she shows great signs of improvement too. David Baugh 21:23 was the 1st M55 just ahead of Katy Baugh 22:38 who is now tapering her training in readiness for her first Marathon at London later this month.
On the hills it was the Black Mountains South Wales 38th Llanbedr to Blaenavon Fell Race and first Counter in this year’s Welsh Fell Championships. Participants in the series have to do one “long” category race as a Counter and with this the only one Vic Belshaw and Emma Collins are able to race in this season, despite the harsh conditions, they had to turn out. The cold conditions – both during and after the race – meant the tough 15.8 miles / 4500 feet ascent race didn’t deliver personal results as in previous years but the series is still in sight with both Vic and Emma achieving what they set out to do and more or less did their anticipated times. In a field of 121, Vic came in 42nd in 2hr59, Emma 83rd in 3hr31.
Elsewhere on the hills, the Joe Brown Midweek Fell Series kicked off this week with Jon Fleming racing for the first time in (his words) a long time. It was flat out, 2 miles up and around hills in Llanberis with Jon delighted to come 32nd in a field of 90+ in 16:35.
It was a quiet weekend at Parkrun for the Harriers with Chris Baldwin the sole runner in a packed field and very wet Penrhyn finishing 77th in 24:34..
Results
Wirral Seaside 5k Martin Cortvriend 49th & 2nd M60 19:41
Llandudno Promenade Easter 5k Craig Jones 17th 18.50 PB, David Baugh 1st M55 38th 21.23, Katy Baugh 54th 22.38 12th Female, Elen Baugh 60th 23.03 PB 17th Female
Black Mountains South Wales 38th Llanbedr to Blaenavon Fell Race Vic Belshaw 42nd 2hr59, Emma Collins 83rd 3hr31
Joe Brown Midweek Fell Series Jon Fleming 32nd 16:35
Parkrun Penrhyn Chris Baldwin 77th 24:34
