Harriers hit top form on return at Thornley Hall
The first senior cross country event in the North East for 13 months took place at Thornley Hall Farm, Peterlee on Saturday.
And the event which saw the first ever North Eastern Counties Cross Country Relay Championships take place, overcame many challenges before the event got the go-ahead.
The North Eastern Counties AA had to commit to following England Athletics and local safeguarding restrictions due to the pandemic.
There were no spectators allowed on the course and they watched the event from a distance, on the top of a hill, with social distance rules in place.
It could not have been a tougher challenge for the most experienced cross country runner in their first race back, as there to greet them was a frozen rutted course
But Sunderland Harriers thrived in the difficult conditions winning two sets of medals in finishing first veterans’ team and also as runners-up in the senior men’s relay.
The four stage senior men’s race saw Sunderland get off to a flying start with a terrific leg from Michael Wilson who clocked the second fastest leg of the day (9.25) on the course of about
3000m.
He had opened a gap of 21 seconds over Gateshead’s Conrad Franks before handing over to Liam Taylor (9.48) who maintained that position for the royal blue vests.
But it was all change on the penultimate stage when club captain Nathan Reed handed a 30 seconds lead by Taylor, saw the gap quickly disappear.
As running him down was national cross country champion, Gateshead’s Calum Johnson.
Johnson’s lead over Reed had stretched to 63 seconds by the final changeover and the race was now in Gateshead’s hands.
Johnson’s brilliant run saw him being the only athlete to cross the line under nine minutes (8.54) on the course and that set Gateshead up nicely for a resounding triumph.
Sunderland’s Stephen Jackson (9.39) despite making inroads into Gateshead’s lead on the anchor leg, was still 45 seconds adrift at the finish with Morpeth filling
third place.
Fastest times 1 Calum Johnson 8.54, Michael Wilson 9.25, Stephen Jackson 9.39.
Sunderland’s B team ran well for fourth place with a strong run from Mark Anderson (10.04), the others were Michael Edwards (10.40), Owen Walpole (10.26) and David Wilkinson (11.30).
Results: 1 Gateshead 38.40, 2 Sunderland Harriers 38.55, 3 Morpeth 40.13, 4 Sunderland B 42.40.
In the veterans’ relay
Sunderland led from start to the finish (31.33) in their race to get the better of Darlington (31.53) and Elvet Striders (31.55).
It was Michael Barker that stole the show with his superb run of 10.09 for quickest time overall to beat Darlington’s Wesley Tarn (10.16) for that accolade.
Sam Thurlbeck was on the second leg of the threestage event and recorded 10.58 before clubmate Chris Jackson ran the third fastest time overall with his circuit of 10.26.