Price sets fresh mark in second
BEN Price claimed a fine second place as he set a personal best at the Stroud Half Marathon. The Cheltenham Harrier was hoping to become the first man to win the county’s two leading half marathons after coming home in front at the Cheltenham Half Marathon.
But with Stockport’s GB international Andrew Davies on the start line, the strong field of county runners were never going to compete with an athlete who ran a 2.15 marathon in London last year and was 11th in the Commonwealth Games.
While Davies took a comfortable win in 68.05, Price moved clear of Harry Bishop after eight miles before passing the 10-mile mark in 52.20 as he had a solo run into the finish.
With his winning time at Cheltenham of 69.50 in sigh, Price dug deep to cross the line in 69.42 – 33 seconds clear of third-placed Dave Bell of Cirencester.
Dave Tomlin produced another good performance to finish as second veteran and first V45 athlete in 11th with a time of 75.40.
Paul Barnes’ 88.51 saw him finish as third over 55 athlete.
Hannah D’ambrosio ran well to finish as 10th lady in 90.23 before Paul Wade completed the Harriers contingent in 94.33.
Alex Lee and Marcus England travelled to Portsmouth for the Great South Run to compete against some of the country’s top athletes over 10 miles.
After a brief TV appearance, the pair got carried away in the opening mile and probably paid for starting too quickly as they finished 28th and 32nd in 53.28 and 53.55 respectively.
New V60 member Nick Holliday impressed in his first race in a Harriers vest with a time of 69.10.
At the Abingdon Marathon V50 runner Ian Giles ran another consistent half marathon as he posted a time of 2.58.44.
Alex Bampton represented University College London in the London Universities and Colleges Cross Country League where he opened up his season with a pleasing fourth place.
At the Cheltenham Parkrun Harriers filled the top three spots with Dom James (16.07) moving up to eighth place on the all-time event rankings, Joe Willgoss (17.15) and Jacob Pickering (17.26) following him home.
Josh Playle (18.21) placed sixth before Amber Watson (19.30) and Vickie Wilkinson (20.03) finished as second and third ladies home.
Alex Doherty (17.28) and Phil Beastall (17.49) finished first and second at the Evesham Parkrun while at the Tewkesbury James Wilkinson (20.04) finished fifth and Kaitlin Sheppard (20.06) was the first lady home.