We’ll start this week’s update close to home as Tipton Harriers hosted the Railway 5k, taking advantage of a new tarmacked section of the railway walk between Himley and Wombourne taking in all of the newly laid surface on an out and back course, although the council could have dropped a couple more wheelbarrow loads as runners did run out of tarmac at both ends and were on loose gravel. For only £5 a head the event was very well supported with almost 230 toeing the line. As expected there was a huge contingent from W&BAC with Rocco Hawley leading the club home in 11th place in a rapid 16.30, Luke Maskew was 12th in 16.34, Ben Foster placed 21st in 17.15, Oliver Jones 25th in 17.25, Derrick Milligan 31st in 17.51, Tom Pryor 33rd in 17.57, Lee Pearson 45th in 18.47, Paul Marson a place and a second behind in 46th in 18.48, Steve Newman clocking the same time in 47th place, Alex Kelly was 48th in 18.49 and Alex Blair completed that little cluster in 49th also in 18.49. Tony Cheema was 55th in 19.07, Jay Patel 60th in 19.44, Darren Owen-Jones 63rd in 19.50, Serge Guy 73rd in 20.31, Sabrina Thomas 77th in 20.47, Mark Illidge 78th in 20.54, Stu Whitehouse 79th in 20.55, Mark Judge 82nd in 21.07, Maria Calleia was 96th in 21.56, Nico Campbell 107th in 22.50, Mark Perry 112th in 23.20 and Anna Moore finished in 123rd place in a time of 23.54.
There was more track action at the weekend in Birmingham at the England Athletics Senior &U20 Championships where La-Taunya Samuels ran 12.07 in her heat over 100 for a new PB, Lattie also ran 25.23 to take 5th in her heat over 200. Isobelle Jones clocked 4.20.47 to take 3rd place in the U20W 1500 and Ethan Kendrick recorded a throw of 56.69 to take 5th place in the U20M hammer.
Our marathon couple were in action again on the tarmac, and this time it was German tarmac for the Konigsschlosser, (or Kings Castle), marathon in Füssen where Dave Joynson placed 56th in 3.25.43 to place 1st in his age group and Gill Mitchell was 539th in 5.54.14 for a 5th place in her age group.
There was some midweek action in Nuneaton in the Night of Endurance PBs meeting with the following races all over the 1500 distance. Maria Calleia placed 9th in her race in 5.24.57, Nahum Worrall was 3rd in 4.46.58, Grace Hendy was 6th in 4.52.87 and Megan White placed 7th in 4.56.88 in the same race. Seb Palmer was 11th in his race in 4.52.82, Gary Worrall was 8th in his race in 4.29.27.
We also had a lone representative in the Run Media City Races in Salford where Joe Marples clocked 39.10 to place 17th over the 10k distance.
And let’s just finish off with the incredible news that Isobelle Jones has been selected to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the U20 European Championships in Tampere, Finland, taking place from 7–10 August where she will be racing over 1500.
Congratulations and we wish her all the very best.
Dave Norman