Harriers race to team glory in 5km race at Silksworth
Sunderland Harriers won their first ever team title in their own 5km promotion at Silksworth Sports Complex to win Northern and North East team titles.
This was the first time a North East Road Race had taken place since the first lockdown without Covid restrictions. And the hosts were rewardedwithbigfieldsforthe two races on the programme and a good quality entry with seven men beating the bench mark of 15 minutes.
Among them was two Sunderland Harriers in Liam Taylor and Stephen Jackson, who finished second and seventh respectively.
Taylor had his best run of hiscareer,beatinghisprevious fastesttimeforthedistanceby 30 seconds in leading the team home.Hewasalwaysinsecond place around the two-lap fast course, 50 yards adrift of the winner, Tyne Bridge Harrier Carl Smith, who won the race in 14.41.
Taylor was over the moon with his performance, saying: “I was running on my own for most of the race, he was just that bit too far ahead. But I’m delighted with my run.’’
Jackson was next counter for Sunderland with seventh place, eventually beating his target time of 15 minutes by onesecond.TheWearsider’sfinal scorer in 16th position was Craig Gunn with 15.42.
In the three to count team race,Sunderlandscored24pts to Morpeth’s 28 and Tyne Bridge were third with 38.
Taking third place in the race was North Shields’ David Green with 14.56, Houghton Harrier Luke Pickering was fourth with 14.57, followed by Billingham’s Liam Aldridge (14.58), Morpeth’s Ross Floyd was sixth (14.59) and Gateshead’s Conrad Franks took eighth (15.00).
Other Sunderland Harriers making the top 50 were: 17th Nathan Reed (15.42), 27th Mark Anderson (15.54), 32nd OwenWalpole(16.00),34thMichael Barker (16.06), 41st Steve Rankin(16.26),42ndAlexSeed (16.34), 44th Adam Hughes (16.35), 50th Paul Blakey16.47.
The women’s race was won by Morpeth’s Cartriona MacDonald (17.28), Rotherham’s Sophie Cowper was second (17.39) and Jesmond Jogger Molly Pace third (18.02). First Sunderland Harrier was Jessica Fox in 19.22.
John Clifford from Darlington won the Over-50 veterans race in 16.12 from Paul Robson of Wearside Triathlon Club (16.47) and third placed Morpeth Harrier Lee Bennett with16.53.SunderlandHarrier Chris Auld was fifth (17.18).
LiamTaylorwasquicktoget back into action again in the Silksworth Parkrun on Saturday, the first one staged since thepandemicbroughtthepopular event to an end on March 14, 2020. He won the event in 15.53 and saw 147 taking part.
Sunderland Harrier Andy Graham won the Herrington Country Parkrun in 18.01.
In the North East Grand Prix at Monkton, North Shields’ Josh Fiddaman won the 1500m in 3.56.62 from Morpeth’s Allistair Douglass (3.58.23) and Houghton Harrier Will Bellamy finished third (4.01.70).
Sunderland Harrier 14-year-old Jak Jarvis claimed a massive PB of 4.23.63 in the B race in finishing second. Clubmate Jordan Beavers finished third in the 100m in 11.16.
Over-40 veteran Graeme Watt won the Willow Miner Trail Race in 38.11 at Durham. Sunderland Stroller Alyson Dixon won the women’s race in 42.19 in finishing eighth overall.
Run Peterlee’s Gary Spalding was fourth in 39.54 with Sunderland Harrier Over-50 Kevin Carrahar 15th (44.00).