Pickett sets hot pace on his way to Tean victory

JACK Pickett and Anna Hollingworth claimed the respective titles in the St Thomas seven-mile road race at Upper Tean.

Close to 250 runners from a wide area were on the start line for this 10th Anniversary event and a group of four quickly eased into the lead. Wolverhampton and Bilston runner Pickett made his intentions plain as he was soon pushing the pace from Mark Powell (Leicester Coritanians), Ian Salt (Uttoxeter RR) and Ryan Nokes (City of Stoke AC).

The blistering early pace saw Pickett and Powell move 20 yards ahead of Salt on completing the opening mile with Nokes now settled in fourth place. The two leaders stayed locked together until around the halfway point when Pickett made a decisive strike to which challenger Powell was unable to respond.

From then on he began to open a race-winning gap with continued pressure to the finish to take his first St Thomas title. This powerful second half of the race by Pickett saw him claim a superb victory in 38 minutes 37 seconds. Powell faced no problems in taking second place in 39.05 ahead of third-placed Salt in 39.58.

The women’s race saw Newcastle AC runner

Sophie Goodfellow who is now consistently appearing on the podium in local races confidently setting the early pace with Stone Master Marathoners Hollingworth in close attendance.