Well over 60 Harriers were out competing this past weekend (May 4th-6th) at a host of events covering both road races and track and field. There were well over 30 competing at the local fun runs at Glastonbury, with a handful at the bigger Bristol 10k race and another squad at the North Dorset Marathon. On the track, Harrier athletes travelled to Guildford for the Southern Men’s League and to Bath for the Youth Development League, as well as competing closer to home at Millfield track on the Monday for the prestigious British Milers Club middle distance meeting.
At Glastonbury on the road, Harriers won all of the various races with Nathan Young sweeping to victory in the 10k race with 32.40, ahead of his brother some 2 minutes back and Harrier Paul Maskell in 3rd with 35.08. In the 5k race Josh Boon won as part of his Millfield House in 18.45. For the 3k two harriers finished 1-2 with Alex Williams first home in 10.55 and Dylan Dukes 2nd in 11.37. Finally in the shorter fun run Luke Macpherson was first in 5.58. Harrier teams won both the men’s and women’s team prizes.
At the North Dorset Villages Marathon Samantha Baker completed the 26.2 mile race in 3.58 despite the heat. A Harrier relay team consisting of Sharon Bowles, Mary Harrington, Emma Jupp and Jacqui Rusca also completed the course, each covering just over 10km each and finished in a great 4.01.
Meanwhile at the Bristol 10k the Harriers had two of its internationals out competing. Frank Tickner, recently selected for TeamGB at the World XC Championships could only finish 4th here in the heat with 30.21 having gone through 5k in 14.5, whilst fellow international Adrian Marriott was 38th (1st V40) in 31.45. Janet Menzies finished in 60.27 to complete the Harriers team competing in the really big field of well over 9.000 runners.
At the UK Youth Development League match for u13s/u15s at Bath on Saturday the Harriers provided a great squad of athletes to augment those from Yeovil Olympiads. In the 100m, Year 6 Luke Macpherson ran a great 14.4 for 100m before recording a pb over 1500m with his 5.26 and a 5.03m for the shot put. Not to be outdone Dylan Dukes also ran a nippy 31.9 for the 200m and then a pb of 2.34 for the 800m and a 3.34m Long jump. Both Luke & Dylan then featured at the Glastonbury Fun runs on the Sunday (see above). Joshua Thorne ran a great pb of 2.29 for 800m - though this best only lasted 2 days when he then went and demolished it on the Monday evening at the BMC meet. (see below). Josh also jumped out to 3.50m in the long jump on Saturday.
Also at Bath, Jessica Cooksey ran a pb over 1200m with her good time of 4.21, and also gained valuable points in the High jump with her 1.10m. From the same Monday juniors training group Bradley Seager ran an excelent 4.55 for a pb over the 1500m and went out to 4.46m in the Long Jump. Johnny Ellis's 5.04 for the same 1500m distance was also a pb.
Meanwhile at the Southern Mens League Div 1 held at Guidlford on Saturday the combined Yeovil & Wells team competed hard. Sam Harding ran an excellent 53.1 for 2nd in the 400m and then ran 2.04 for the 800m. Matthew Cole ran 55.3 over the same 400m distance. Luke Prior ran a great personal best of 2.12 for the 800m and Simon Prior ran a solid 19.00 for the 5000m. Luke subsequently ran well again on Monday eve (see next).
At the track on Monday at the British Milers Club organised event attracting talented juniors from across the south-west region and beyond, almost 20 Harriers competed with virtually all of them achieving personal bests in the paced races. In the 3000m races Oliver Fox set a new personal best with an excellent run in 8.46 which takes him to 3rd nationally for the u17 age group; whilst team-mate Matthew Dickinson also ran a Pb in 8.50 and 15 year old Luke Prior did likewise with a 9.38.
In the 1500m races, fastest amongst the Harriers was Sam Sommerville with a pb in 4.11, just 4 seconds off his target for the season which is the qualifying mark of 4.07 for his age group at the English Schools Championships with Oliver Dickinson 4.44, Emily Smith, 4.46, Lilly Hawkins 4.46, Charlotte Baker 5.00, Lucy Baldwin 5.13, and Elise Thorner 5.24.
In the 800m races Sam Bedford set an early season mark of 1.55 as he looks to get into shape to go to English schools again this year. Charlie Martin also looked good with his 2.09 over the same distance. In the younger age group, Josh Thorne ran from the front with 2.22 and could probably have gone quicker with better pace judgement, whilst Ollie Thorner and Luke Baker both crossed the line in 2.31. For the girls Amy Darcy set an early season mark of 2.30 with Harriet Fox in 2.41 and team-mate Kirsty Jenkins in 2.42.
The junior Harriers next competition evening will be Monday May 20th as many of them prepare for the Somerset County Track and Field championships to be held on Saturday May 25th. The deadline for entering the County Championships is this coming Friday May 10th - please let Paul know by Thursday eve if you want to be on the Club's entry.
Harriers are also reminded that entry forms for the Wells Fun Run on Sunday May 26th are now available on the website. all members are urged to run if they are not marshalling.