Race Report 10 - 11 June: Harriers Vs Heat, Hills and Horses

Good Afternoon Race Report fans from a very sleepy Bates household. I hope you have managed to enjoy the hot weather, even if it did make for some challenging running conditions.

First of all, I wanted to look back to a result which I managed to miss from last weekend. Maddie Hughes successfully defended her position as European Age Group triathlon champion in Madrid, in a total time of 1.01.30 in a sprint distance run-bike-run event. Well done, Maddie!

Moving back to this weekend, we’ll start with the track, with both Richard Slade and Harry Cox in action in the Britsh Milers’ Club Loughborough Grand Prix yesterday. Both were second in their respective heats for the 5000m (Richard) and 1500m (Harry), clocking blistering times of 14.42.45 and 3.47.07.
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As for parkrun 5ks, there were all-time PBs for: Felix Danielli (19.40), Charlie de Sousa (20.11) and Fiona Kelleher (20.17) - all at Rickmansworth - and ac course PB of 24.18 for Phil Lovelace at Church Mead.

Chiltern had brilliant showings at local road races this weekend. Yesterday saw the latest running of the fabulous Penn 7 event. Official results are not yet available, but unofficial, strava times show some great running by Harriers. Aran Davidson came home in 1st position, in a time of 41.46, joined by: Ed Wright (52.46), Tom Wright (55.42), Matt Channer (56.36), Glen Martin (1.00.38), Matt Lawrence (1.01.08), Victoria Lucas (1.10.17) and Alan Crozier. It looks like the post-race hydration options were up to scratch too :-)  This morning in St Albans, Mike ‘Tiny’ Turney was 1st in his age category in a time of 1.29.12, and was joined by: Mairead O’Rourke (1.46.45), Grant Whitaker (1.47.29), James Grant (1.53.45), Jonathan Coutts (2.05.25), Rik Edwards (2.07.51) and Kate Paxton (2.15.21). Well done, road runners!

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Meanwhile on the trails yesterday there were some properly brutal events going on. Hywel Thomas was sadly forced to pull out of the South Downs Way 100 mile event by Centurion, after more than 12 hours of running and 54 miles. On such a scorching day, it’s perhaps not surprising to see that almost half of those starting pulled out partway through. Huge respect to Hywel for toughing out 54 miles. In mid-Wales Claire and Nigel Dickinson were in action against four-legged friends in the Man V Horse race - a trail run that takes in some 22 miles and 3,800ft of elevation from Llanwrtyd Wells. According to strava, Claire came home in 5.02.52, beating a few horses along the way (and managing to fit in some exciting celeb spotting too!)​

If you want to send me a result to include in Race Report, please do! (If only because it makes my work a lot less difficult). You can email me at [email protected]

COMING UP LOCALLY: Cliveden 10k, the second and third Southern Athletics League match of the season, Misbourne Trail Run, the Thame 10k, YDL Upper and Lower Age Group matches, Last Friday of the Month 5k and the Bradenham Blast. Check out the Club Calendar for details of these races and more.

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