Athletics Hannah at her best in Newport to make it a 10k double
I thought I had a better run in me than I did at Bristol if only because the course was a lot quicker, so I am really chuffed with how I did
HANNAH Alderson has soared to second in the South West Rankings after smashing her personal best over 10k for the second time in just more than a month.
The 29-year-old Bristol & West AC runner, who is based in Keynsham, won the super-fast Newport 10k on Sunday in a time of 34mins 22secs, which carved a huge 39 seconds off the time she ran when she won the Bristol 10k in September.
It is the second fastest time by a West Country runner this year – behind America-based Plymouth athlete Poppy Tank (33:44) – and puts Alderson 19th in the UK Rankings.
“Newport is a very flat and fast course and a very well organised event and I really enjoyed it,” said Alderson, who is coached by Alan Thomas.
“I thought I had a better run in me than I did at Bristol if only because the course was a lot quicker, so I am really chuffed with how I did.
“The only downside was the bleak weather but that didn’t really affect the times. “
Alderson had expected stiff competition in the event but as it turned out she led from the gun and never saw any of her rivals – until the prize ceremony! All of which suggests there is more to come yet from the Cheddar Grove, Bedminster, Primary School teacher.
“I have the Telford 10k in December and that is supposed to be quite a fast course with a high level of competition,” added Alderson.
“I’d like to think I could go faster but I was certainly feeling very tired towards the end of the Newport race.”
Alderson’s 10k PB before the start of the year had stood at 35:51 set nine years ago, the same year she made her debut Great Britain at the European Cross Country Championships in the under-23 women’s race.
Alderson has suffered a few ups and downs since then, so it is great to see her back racing again and enjoying the sport.
Also from B&W in the veterans over 45 age category, Tariq Kurd and Darren Garman ran 36:22 and 36:41 to finish sixth and seventh, respectively.
After her success in the Gwent League and at the Keynsham Dandy last week, Jess Mackie was second veteran over 35 as she smashed her PB in 38:12 - her first time sub-40.
Richard Brent and Mike Chipping were top veterans in the over
50s and 70s age groups, clocking 39:10 and 43:25, respectively.
Newport also hosted a marathon and that saw Bristol & West’s Aled Anderson follow up his PB of 75:20 in the Bristol half marathon last month with a solid 2:43.40 on his marathon debut to finish 23rd, while club-mate Greg Chance recorded 2:50.03 on his first attempt at the distance.
Representing the Midland Counties team at the Leeds Abbey Dash, Kate Maltby ran a PB of 33:21 to finish fifth overall and first veteran over 35.
B&W club-mates Annie Carroll and Adam Wilson were rewarded for making the long trip north with PBs of 37:05 and 32:48, respectively. Wilson’s time puts him fourth on the all-time T20 rankings.
It has finally been confirmed B&W won the men’s team event at the opening Gwent Cross Country League race at Cardiff.
The squad of Jack Millar, Felix McGrath, Ben Westhenry, Adam Stokes – who all made the top ten – and Pete Baines ensured Bristol &
West finished 22 points clear of Cardiff AAC. The second team of Felix Rusby, Calum Duck, Andrew Salmon, Lee Gawler and Chris Neilson finished seventh overall and top B team, while the club also had the first C team to underline
their strength in depth. Cardiff reversed the standings in the women’s competition, edging out the B&W squad of Chelsea Creak, Francis Arnott, Jessica Mackie, Hannah Dyer and Katrina Entwistle by 43 points.