PB’s a plenty for the Harriers this weekend
On Saturday, the toughest race of the weekend saw 3 Harriers heading for the 3 Peaks fell race joining 800 runners for the 23.5 mile race dubbed the marathon with mountains in the Yorkshire Dales. The race climbs Yorkshires three highest peaks: Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. the race has strict and challenging cut-offs in three places which pulls runners out of the race if they fail to reach the cut-off point in time – an extra pressure. Victoria Whitehead running her furthest distance to date had a superb run to finish in 4 hours 54 minutes, David Baugh suffering from a lack of training and longest run of only 13 miles this year completed the race in 5 hours 6 minutes. Menai Baugh had a great run going through two of the three cut-offs to run 16.6 miles in 3 hours 52 minutes.
Also on Saturday andt the second counter in the North Wales 2018 Fell Series, five Harriers turned out on our local hills for this well established race. A great result for Ceri Belshaw saw her first lady home. Ceri also took a minute out of the ladies course record set by herself in 2017 coming in 23rd in 49:11. Emma Collins comfortably took the ladies over 50 category and 31st 53:42. The mens over 50 category was fiercely contested between four competitors with the lead switching several times and all finishing within 43 seconds of each other. Vic Belshaw took the lead on the summit of Moel Famau but was pushed back to third on the final run in but with encouragement from fellow Harrier Tony Wood 18th 45:19, Vic managed to take second place on a sprint finish and finish 17th overall 45:16. Our fifth Harrier taking to the hills for his first fell race of 2018 was Tony Benton 36th 54:49. Emma and Vic are leading their respective age categories in the series after two races.
Over in Chester on Sunday, there were perfect conditions for the Chester Half Marathon which saw 17 Harriers out on the course. After the unseasonable hot race at London last week, Shaun Hughes and Joe Welch were both back out racing, Shaun finishing in 1:19:31 a few minutes off his PB but well ahead of his target of 1hr 25 for the race. Joe was further back in 1:48:34 and running with a friend.
The big story of the day are the sheer number of PB’s and first time running a half marathon though. PB’s achieved include Phil Hayes 1:35:11 taking 1:14 off his previous best, Hywel Roberts 1:42:38 1:40 improvement, Paul Goffey 1:42:48, first half in 4 years 1:41 off his previous best, Alaw Evans 1:46:55 taking a whopping 5 minutes of her previous best, Rob Parry 2:02:11 course PB, Sian Pritchard 2:06:19 also taking a whopping 5 mins off her previous best and Lisa Dafydd 2:12:30, 59secs improvement.
Joining them were a number of first time runners with Claire Spencer 2:11:08, Ceri Boyd 2:18:49 and Angharad Gilbert 2:24:39 all in their first race at this distance. Elsewhere on course and not far off their PB’s were Ian Jones 1:50:34, Dan Schraibman 1:52:31, David Spencer 2:02:09, Kath Evans 2:08:27 and Caroline Parry 2:11:35 following a 40 mile bike ride the day before as she trains for a half ironman.
At parkruun this weekend , over at Rosliston (Derbyshire), Martin Cortvriend was 23rd over the finish line, in a time of 23:57. In Conwy, Julie Roberts managed to break the 30 minute barrier again, with 29:55. At the notoriously hilly Wepre course, Sarah Bayliss ran 5 seconds off her PB 28:02, and was second lady.
Midweek there were four Harriers in disguise in the last of the Borders league series at Deeside (five races out of six to count) running for their second claim clubs. Emma Collins showed further improvement and comfortably won the series ladies V55 Category with a time of 33:23; Tony Benton pulled off another strong run in 32:27; Vic Belshaw made it home in 29:12 securing second place in the series men’s V55 category; and Craig Jones had a very fast run, beating his 5k PB whilst on the 4.65m course, in 27:48.
Results
3 Peaks Fell Race Victoria Whitehead 4hr54, David Baugh 5hr06, Menai Baugh 2 Peaks & 16.6 miles 3hr52
Llangynhafal Loop Vic Belshaw 17th & 2nd VM50 45:16, Tony Wood 18th 45:19, Ceri Belshaw 23rd, 1st Lady & Lady’s Course Record 49:11, Emma Collins 31st & 1st VF50 53:42, Tony Benton 36th 54:49
Chester ½ marathon Shaun Hughes 1:19:31, Phil Hayes PB 1:35:11, Hywel Roberts PB 1:42:38, Paul Goffey PB 1:42:48, Alaw Evans PB 1:46:55, Joe Welch 1:48:34, Ian Jones 1:50:34, Dan Schraibman 1:52:31, David Spencer 2:02:09, Rob Parry Course PB 2:02:11, Sian Pritchard PB 2:06:19, Kath Evans 2:08:27, Claire Spencer PB 2:11:08, Caroline Parry 2:11:35, Lisa Dafydd PB 2:12:30, Ceri Boyd PB 2:18:49, Angharad Gilbert PB 2:24:39
Parkrun Rosliston (Derbyshire) Martin Cortvriend 23rd 23:57, Conwy Julie Roberts 29:55, Wepre Sarah Bayliss 2nd lady 28:02
Border League Craig Jones 27:48, Vic Belshaw Series 2nd VM55 29:12, Tony Benton 32:27, Emma Collins 1st FV55 & Series win VF55 33:23
