Firstly, Happy Easter! Depending on where you are reading this from, hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the good weather over the past three days and, regardless of location, enjoyed an Easter Egg or two. Some have even had time to fit a race or two in, and James Rhodes brings you the best of the long weekend’s racing.
Fast Fives
It isn’t often that the round up starts with races over 5k. Athletes made the most of the excellent conditions that came to the Bristol Track Club 5k. The event, sponsored by On Running, saw good fields assembled for both men and women. It was a double Irish victory, thanks to Efrem Gidey (13:49) and Ciara Mageean (15:24). The latter improved her 2019 PB by twenty seconds.
The men’s race podium was completed by Zakariya Mahamed (13:57) and steeplechase specialist Will Battershill (14:05). Both set lifetime bests, with Zak running under 14 minutes for the first time. There was an Ellie Wallace (15:50) was just two seconds shy of her best, set last year in Cheshire, with Philly Bowden (16:03) third.
Steph Twell raced her first 5k (excluding Parkrun) since 2017 at the EY Guernsey Easter 5k. The Olympian and four-time World Championship representative clocked 16:05 for a Course Record. It was a clear win ahead of last year’s winner Elle Twentyman (16:35) and Guernsey’s Sarah Roe (17:09). There was home victory in the men’s race thanks to Richard Bartram. He passed Joe Morwood in the closing metres to win in 15:08, with Morwood second (15:09). George Rice completed the top-three (15:11).
The top three at the Llandudno Easter 5k all finished in under 15 minutes. They were led by Dion Griffith (15:46) ahead of Noa Vaughan (15:53) and Tomos Land (15:54). Just four seconds separated Gemma Moore (18:50) and Olivia Ashton (18:54), with Amy Mckechnie (19:42) third.
Rounding out the 5k results. The Leominster 5k went to Eric Apperley (16:32) and Donna Morris (18:27), whilst Lauren Cooper (16:55) and Matthew Brunnock (15:15) took the Hereford Couriers 5k Series. Madison Hughes (18:43) and Aled Breeze (16:36) won the excellently named Newton Chocoholics 5k.
Moving Up
A flurry of 10k’s took place over the long weekend. The fastest may well have been the Salford 10k, where the top four finished inside 31 minutes. Led by Adam Barber (30:46), ahead of a close battle between Joseph Moores (30:51) and Mark Walsh (30:54). It feels fair to mention Alex Ediker‘s sub-31 performance (30:55) that saw him just one second shy of the podium. Sarah Potter (35:08), who’s sister Beth won the Arena Games Triathlon in London over the weekend, won the women’s race. The top-three was completed by Dionne Allen (35:18) and Emma Clayton (35:52).
Katie Knowles (36:46) and Jim Cole (32:08) won the Fast Friday 10k in Exeter. Podium spots also went to Nikki Kelly (36:52), Amy Jones (38:36), Simon Fox (32:13) and Ben Neale (32:38). Heading to Staffordshire now. Bethany Thompson (41:18) and Pravesh Patel (34:33) took the honours at the Chasewater Easter Egg 10k. Racing over half the distance, Vicky McKay (18:52) and Ashley Atkinson (18:05) won the associated 5k.
Not too far away, Arun Dight (31:54) and Donna Sherwin (37:07) took the honours at the Crewe 10k. Second place went to Robert Weston (33:00) and Hayley Gill (38:12), with Samuel Crozier (33:19) and Isabelle Shaw (39:20) third.
Finally, there were wins for Rebecca Flaherty (40:58) and Dominic Coy (34:22) at the Guiseley Gallop 10k, and Laurence Griffin (34:15) and Becky Penty (38:04) at the Helmsley 10k. The North Highland Harriers Easter 10k was won by Robert Turner (35:39) and Jayne Klimas (46:06).
RunThrough Round-Up
Unless both 10km World Records were broken, the results for RunThrough’s Dorney Lake 10k are not quite correct. Assuming the first two actually ran the 5k, it would suggest Alex Adams (32:34) and Georgie Furze (40:47) were the actual winners. The associated 5k went to Lieben Dickens (17:48) and Connor Morgan (16:53).
Sticking with RunThrough and moving to the Victoria Park 10k. Ben Gillham (32:45) was fastest on the day, finishing almost a minute clear of Scott Burrell (33:41) and Phil Dickens (33:49). It was an even larger margin of victory for Helen Cooper (37:08) who finished over two minutes ahead of Laura Collier (39:42) and Kathryn Griffiths (40:06). The associated 5k went to Briony Walsh (20:58) and Liam Holbrook (15:38).
Marathoner Norman Shreeve (68:32) was a comfortable winner of the Victoria Park Half Marathon. Kent’s Che Compton (71:44) finished second, with Patrick Bell (74:01) third. It was a great day for Caoimhe Nic Fhogartaigh (80:09) as she finished almost five minutes before Francesa Allard (84:52) and Teresa Murphy (87:42) reached the line. Maeve Kenny (84:07) and Simon Millett (71:43) took the Dorney Lake Half Marathon.
Ten Miles Too
Friday was evidently a popular day for athletes to take to the roads for ten miles. Dean Lacy (51:40) and Helen Gaunt (58:13) made the most of good conditions on the perfectly flat course of the Folkestone 10. Further north, it was the turn of Sophie Delderfield (60:13) and Liam Busby (52:30) to take wins at the longstanding Maidenhead 10.
Even further north, Lancashire to be precise, and the Caldervale 10. There it was Rob Grantham (59:28) and Jamie Robinson (67:23) who went quickest. The Teifi 10 provided wins for Owain Schiavone (56:33) and Lauren Cooper (60:39).
Halving the distance, Liam McCay (25:29) and Carmel Edwards (31:39) were victorious at the Hale Village 5. Charlotte Dillon (27:53) and James Oldfield (26:59) took the New Marske Easter Coast 5. There were wins for Jack Mudd-Bowes (27:12) and Rhona Marshall (31:42) at the Bridlington Easter 5, whilst Daisy Glover (27:37) and Jake Hayward (27:19) won the Sudbury 5.
Great in Greece and Gabon
Two countries not usually seen together! Calli Thackery ran her second half marathon in as many weeks, winning the Patras Half Marathon in 70:23. That is the fastest time recorded by a female on Greek soil over the half marathon. Mo Farah, meanwhile, raced at the Gabon 10k, finishing in 30:41. He races next at the London Marathon in a fortnight.
From the Shortest Road Races…
It was a busy but successful couple of days for Sparrow Morley. Firstly, he won the South Shields Monthly Mile on Wednesday (4:41) alongside Darcey Tullis (6:04). Two days later, he took a second victory at the DK Mile in Blyth, joined by Lauren Barrett (6:00) on the top spot.
In Scotland, Martin Mueller (9:18) and Jennifer Elvin (10:13) took the top spots at the Metro Aberdeen Proms 3k.
To the Longest
Given the length of the race, it was a comparatively close finish between Leo Loughran (5:53:19) and Matthew Field (5:57:25) at the Manchester to Liverpool Ultra on Friday. Kelsey Wiberley (7:04:23) was the fastest female on the fifty-mile course.
Sticking with fifty miles but heading to the South Downs Way 50. The Centurion Running event saw Lewis Ryan (14:42:16) finish almost half an hour before second placed Liam McIntyre (15:10:15), with Marius Posa (15:13:05) third. Rebecca Di-Luzio (15:45:27) was the fastest female in the race, finishing ahead of Jennifer Wood who just dipped inside sixteen hours (15:59:58). Charlotte Baker (16:34:14) was third.
In Wales, athletes had the choice of 40, 20 and 10 miles at the Beast of the Beacons. Paul Fernandez (7:06:51) and Melissa Venables (8:28:20) were quickest over the longest distance, whilst Kate Jacobs (3:30:28) and Jerome Edwards (2:55:23) won the 20 mile distance. The shortest race over ten miles went to Nicole Frisby (1:52:39) and Lucian Chiroiu (1:49:26).
Ending this weekend with the the 10 Bay Challenge, taking place over 15 miles. It was won by Peter Hogden (1:34:35) and Brittany Crombie (2:00:07).