Race Reports, September 2007

Great North Run, 30th September

The results below are partial at best. The GNR website does not list clubs and so it is difficult to differentiate between runners with the same name. The results are based on self-declared times and John Hutchinson's search of the results. Clarifications and corrections gratefully received.

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 Martin Lel 1:00:10
47 Kara Goucher 1:06:53
955 Shaun Roberts 1:32:37
6074 Alan Smith 1:50:01
8107 Stephanie Barlow 1:54:08
9224 Barrie Evans 1:56:03
9229 Christine Farnsworth 1:56:04
11246 Dave Robson 1:59:09
19663 Margaret Thompson 2:14:08
20278 Jackie Smith 2:15:14
20921 Mike Kitson 2:16:29
Jim Nicholson 2:16:48
23355 Emma Thompson 2:21:09
26890 Ann Rush 2:29:26

35,358 finishers

Thropton Show Simonside Fell Race, 15th September

Colin Blackburn

Another Saturday, another country show race. Thropton is pretty village nestled on the edge of Simonside just beyond Rothbury. The latest outbreak of Foot & Mouth in Surrey once again meant a show without livestock but all the usual attractions were there and there was a good selection of produce on show. On the drive up from County Durham the rain started but by the time we got to the show the weather was glorious. After registering in the back of a horsebox there was time for a quick warm-up before a prompt if slightly unexpected start.

The start and the finish take the runners right through the showfield to the applause and bemusement of the visitors. After a jog through the village the route goes off-road alongside the river before the runners are forced to cross the River Coquet, only knee-deep thankfully. There's then a mix of fields, tracks and roads leading to the gradual climb through the the forest on the slopes of Simonside. Emerging from the forest reveals the rocky summit of Simonside itself and a realisation of the sharp climb ahead. After struggling through the heather "foot hills" the real clim begins as we all end up on hands an knees as the slope bites. The final scramble through a gap in the crags brings us to the summit for a very brief flat run before we head back down through the crags for a precarious descent. Once off the steep slopes the race becomes a gentler descent back through the forest and then back to Thropton, inluding crossing that river again just when shoes have started to dry out!

The race was followed by a fantastic spread of cakes made by the organisers and a presentation in the beer tent. Three Striders, Sue, Geoff and I, ran under our NFR vests (though two of us had our Striders shorts on!) while Dave Robson ran this as his first fell race.

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 R. Anderson Teviotdale M 49.12
14 V. Oldham Norham FV40 52.36
33 G. Davis NFR MV50 57.45
60 C. Blackburn NFR MV45 62.16
76 S. Davis NFR FV45 67.21
92 D. Robson MV55 73.22

100 finishers

Summer Handicap Series, Final, 12th September

The results for the handicap series final are detailed in the table below.

The handicap time is the time the runners were expected to take based on past performance and determined their start time. The time was the time they actually took on the night. The first time is the runner's time at their first handicap event and is used to determine the percentage improvement. The number of runs, including the final, is given for each runner.

The results are given in order of finishing and so John Everett is the overall handicap champion, with Jan Young a close second. Michael Kitson won the B final, for runners who had completed only two handicap events prior to the final. Nigel Heppell was the most improved runner showing a 7.9% improvement in his time between his first run and the final. Finally, Dave Robson was closest to his handicap time running without a watch and so claims the watchless prize.

Pos Name H'cap Time Time First Time Improvement Runs
1John Everett 40:00 37:1240:087.34
2Jan Young42:2039:4439:065
3Michael Kitson44:5043:4344:040.83
4Geoff Davies34:5033:481
5Liz Lamb40:2039:2939:370.32
6Mike Bennett32:3031:4033:305.54
7Ray Partridge37:4036:5638:203.75
8Nigel Heppell35:2034:4337:427.95
9Shaun Roberts34:2033:4835:395.23
10Conrad White 35:4035:1635:220.34
11Dave Robson39:2039:3839:164
12Debs Goddard37:3038:0338:311.26
13Susan Davis38:2038:5639:562.54
14Roz Layton36:3037:1136:593
15David Shipman40:0041:1941:153
16Louise Billcliffe40:2041:4439:493
17Graham Daglish32:5034:2532:203

Tynedale 10 Mile, Jelly Tea Race, 9th September

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 ARCHER, Jon Low Fell RC 53:50
52 TROWBRIDGE, Jess Ashford AC W 1:03:30
65 SHENTON, Fiona W45 1:04:56
133 REEVES, Thomas V40 1:09:22
189 LINDSAY, Steven V50 1:13:34
218 ELLIOTT, Karen W 1:15:56
274 ROBSON, Dave V55 1:19:47
497 SMITH, Jackie W60 1:42:19
498 RAINE, Kathryn W45 1:42:19
502 RUSH, Ann W45 1:43:44
504 THOMPSON, Emma W 1:44:15
506 THOMPSON, Margaret W55 1:44:30

524 finishers

Ray Harrison Memorial 10K, Billingham, 9th September

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 Tom DANBY Pocklington Runners 33:33
165 Joe THORNTON Vet 50 53:10

213 finishers

Castleton Show 10K, 8th September

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 Jim Bulman North York Moors AC 34.28
43 Dave Robson Vet 50 8 53.06
49 Alan Purvis Vet 60 4 61.07

53 finishers

Lakeland Trails Derwentwater, 1st September

Dave Robson

Well that was just fantastic !! There was a big hill which lasted from about 3.5K to just after 8K, but I managed to run up it, apart from one very steep section. There was also a bog which was fun ! The descent to the finish was great and only hairy in a couple of places. It was beautiful course and the weather was low cloud and drizzle which helped on a slightly humid day. One of my most enjoyable races ! And to cap a great day, I won a pair of Puma Trailfox trail shoes - the best spot prize I have ever come across ! What a day ! Jan also ran and enjoyed it too. Tee-shirt to all finishers.

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 WALSH, James Leeds City 52:37
27 TUNSTALL, Sarah York Acorn 1:01:15
295 ROBSON, Dave Vet 50 Men 1:26:41
* YOUNG, Jan Lady Vet 50 1:28:15

463 finishers in trail race
* Jan ran in the Challenge, no positions recorded.

Ben Nevis Race, 1st September

Colin Blackburn

Not really an article as I wasn't there. However, it's worth highlighting the achievements of two of our fellow club members running under their NFR colours. The Ben Nevis race is essentially from Fort William to the top of Ben Nevis and back; that's pretty much sea level to 4406 feet (and back down again.) As you can see from the winning times people like Ian Holmes and Angela Mudge seem to be able to do this quite quickly but even getting up and down within the time limit is a real achievement, Geoff and Susan both surpassed that.

Entries are already open for next year's race on the 8th of September 2008. The race fills up quickly and there is a strict entry requiremnt of having done some category A fell/hill races (or mountain marathons). Entry forms are available from the event website.

Pos Name Club Cat Pos Time
1 Ian Holmes Bingley Harriers M40 1:32:57
27 Angela Mudge Carnethy Hill Runners F 1:48:28
173 Geoff Davis NFR M50 2:14:52
375 Susan Davis NFR F40 2:51:48

404 finishers.