(Above: Race Director Stephen Nicholls gives final instructions to the runners)
There was another good turn out of runners for the 194th edition of the Street 5k races. This was in spite of the cold conditions of late and the other distractions in the run up to Christmas.
First home out of the 72 finishers in the 5k race was the Harrier’s Alex Coombs in a nippy 16.30 with Sophie Nicholls first home for the females in 17.08 & 1st junior. New age group course records by Sophie (u18 record) & Len Horlock (V80 record).
In the accompanying 1k and 2k races for juniors, we had winners Ed Salter & Eva Wait in the 1k and Oskar Beck & Elspeth Perkins in the 2k race.
It was great to see a healthy contingent of runners from Avon Valley Runners, a group from Cardiff (first-timers all) and a useful looking squad from North Somerset AC alongside many who we see on a regular basis.
Meanwhile last Sunday a useful squad of senior Harriers raced at one of the fastest 10k races on the circuit when it was the England 10k Road Running Championships at Telford and personal bests were achieved even though conditions were tough (Below ; Chris Green & Zak Hurrell lead out on wave 2 on the Telford 10k - both achieved pbs). Well done to our very own Jon James for being crowned England 10k v55 champion.
Read on for fuller reports, more photos and the Street race results, plus a final call for entries to this Sunday’s Harrier supported Baltonsborough 5 mile Christmas Pudding road race, and to the South West XC Championships (entry deadline coming up).
Street 5k & Junior races – Wednesday 14th December
This was edition 194 of the 5k races. There was some discussion in the Harrier camp last week about what might happen if England were playing in the Semi-Final of the World Cup on the same night? – would anyone turn up to run? ; would the volunteers be suddenly unavailable? Anyway, that dilemma was sorted when France beat the England team last Saturday.
The only worry then was how many folk would want to run the event when the weather brought sub-zero temperatures. Of course we know that when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and racing….The answer was 72 in the 5k and 11 in the junior races – well done all. We’ve only ever had to postpone one race over its 33 year existence due to icy conditions (we held it the following week) and we’d like to keep that run going….
The 5k race saw the Harrier’s Alex Coombs and Chard’s Wayne Loveridge battle it out over the 5 laps before Alex opened up a good gap in the final 500m or so. Sophie Nicholls chased hard in 3rd place and her time last night lowers her own Street u18 course record. Gill Pearson was 2nd female home, 1st F45. Len Horlock lowered his very own V80 course record when he ran 26.57.
Below: Junior race start- several of this group were also out training in sub-zero temperatures on Monday evening too! - well done all
Ed Salter again won at the 1k distance and edged himself even closer to the course record - running 3.30 this time chasing the 3.28 record set by the Harrier’s Curtis Stevens back in 2006. We hope he can crack it next time out. For the girls we had a first time winning run by Eva Wait in 4.07.
In the 2k race the Harrier’s Oskar Beck tackled the course for the first time and won in 7.24, whilst team mate Elspeth Perkins was 1st girl in 8.30. Well done all!
Our thanks as ever to all the volunteers who make the races go as smoothly as they can.
Below are the provisional results - if you spot any errors - e.g. spellings; Club name; etc then let us know for corrections. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We will try and get them corrected before confirming them for power of ten.
Street 5k results for December 2022
Street Junior 1k & 2k results for December 2022
Course Records as revised December 2022
Please support our sponsors/supporters of the Series races & shop local this Christmas. The Hecks shop in particular is like an Aladdin’s cave of local goodies!
- click on their links....
Hecks Cider & Apple Juice (Street);
The Somerset Cheese Company (Phil Rainbow at Ditcheat); &
5k Age category winners - December 2022
F35Hazel Shears (Bow Street Runners) 22.12
F45Gill Pearson (Running For Time) 18.49
F55 Charlie Spencer (Maiden Newton Runners) 27.09
F65 Karen Shears (Wells City Harriers) 28.06
V40 Chris Walker (Wells City Harriers) 17.44
V50 Marko Nurminem (u/a) 17.48
V60 Rob Moore (Wells City Harriers) 22.47
V70 Nigel Baker (Running Forever) 25.38
V80 Len Horlock (SW Veterans) 26.57 (new age category record)
On the age graded basis F45 Gill Pearson again takes the plaudits with her 87.7% whilst best for the men was V50 Marko Nurminem’s 83%.
If you didn’t pick up your prize then please collect next month. Have a great Christmas and we will see you again at edition 195 on Wednesday 11th January 2023.
Below: Winners Alex Coombs and Sophie Nicholls, Further below see F65 Karen Shears, V80 Len Horlock, and V40 Chris Walker
Telford 10k – incorporating the English Road Championships -Sunday 11th December
Jon James reports:
“5 Harrier athletes made the journey to participate in the Telford 10K last Sunday - a trip worth making at it is statistically reckoned to be the quickest, most competitive 10K in the country. This year it was also hosting the English road 10K championships. The journeys there and back might have proved tougher than the race as only 10 miles from Telford there was heavy snow on the M54. However, the 2 lap course in Telford was relatively clear, and although it snowed throughout the races, and the temperature was well below zero (the narrow nature of the course means the race is held in 3 waves), conditions were good for quick running.
Chris Green and Zak Hurrell made really good use of those conditions, both running 10K pbs: Chris tantalisingly close to breaking 32 minutes, with 32.00, a time that would win most local races in Somerset, but such was the quality of the field here that he only came 125th! Zak ran a really well-controlled race knocking 10 seconds off his pb running 32.22, finishing 135th. New first claim member, Mark Duffet, was just 10 seconds off his pb running 32.53, while Jon James (34.01 to finish in 245th), although disappointed with his run, won the M55 age group. The club are really pleased to have Anna Hughes-Davies back running for us, and she ran well to secure 3rd place in the W40 age group, running a time of 37.24. “
Well done all - that's some great running.
Coming up:
Last call for Baltonsborough Christmas Pudding 5 mile road race - enter online (preferred) or on the day. Race starts at 11.00am. Proceeds to charity. enter on line following the link here
Don't miss the entry deadline for entries to the SW XC Championships (8th January at Ilton, near Langport) - entry link here: Sign up for the SW XC Championships
Chard Flyer 10k race will start the Somerset Series 2023 - New Year's Day
Last Harrier training session of 2022 next Tuesday 20th December followed by Curry night - see you there....
More Street 5k photos
