Records tumble mid concerns of correct distance of Heaton race
The Heaton Harriers 10k Road Race saw two records shattered on Sunday, in a perfect day for road running, with mild weather and no wind.
The popular race, which was also hosting the North East and Masters Championships,sawaround400runners competing over two laps of the Town Moor in Newcastle.
Conditions were so good it saw many athletes coming away from the race with personal best times. This led to some doubting the distance of therace.Itwasnotknownuntil later that the course appeared to be short when athletes had checked their strava (running pace calculator).
One athlete said: “Strava’s were showing the course at 6.0x or 6.1 mile instead of 6.22 miles’’
A spokesman for Heaton Harriers said: “I think that the correct course was used. I suspect some may have taken a racing line on the corners.
"I don't think we altered anythingelse.Ihavebeenlookingsinceatstravaetcandsawa range of run distances.
"I have already suggested getting the course remeasuredassomeofthegravelpaths mayhavebeenwidenedduring lockdown.”
Withcashprizesof£400for breaking the men’s and women’scourserecordsbothCalum JohnsonandSoniaSamuelsreceived their awards.
GatesheadHarrierJohnson was in great form, completing the race in 28min 28sec and chopping 70 seconds off his previous best in taking Ryan McLeod’s record which had stood at 29.32
Sale Harrier Over-40 Sonia Samuels finished a superb 20th in 33min 32sec. SunderlandStrollerAlysonDixonhad held the record with 34min 06sec.
Both Johnson and Samuels had significant wins. Johnson winning by one minute and 55 seconds from Adrian Bailes of Birtley and Samuels had Elswick’s Justina Heslop a long way behind her, finishing in 35min 54sec.
Sunderland Harriers bid to win the team title at Heaton was hit before the start.
Three of the club’s leading athletes, Michael Wilson, Michael Barker and Liam Taylor were forced to pull out of the race due to injury and illness.
First home for Sunderland was Nathan Reed in eighth (32.15), Over-40 Mark Anderson was 16th (33.12), Over-40 Sam Thurlbeck 29th, (34.19), Michael Edwards was 32nd (34.45), Over 45 Paul Blakey 47th (35.44) and Over-40 Steve McMahon was 61st (36.10).
Sunderland Stroller Luke McCormack was 48th (35.22) and Daniel Anderson 59th (36.03). Washington’s Craig Smith took 40th (36.33) and Over-40 Tim Jones was 72nd (37.00).
Sunderland Harrier Tony Allinson won his first prize in the Durham Hamsterley Run Nation five-mile Remembrance Day race. The Over-45 recorded 37.50 to finish third in the race won by Tyne Bridge Harrier Paul O’Mara (31.04) and Howard Cross of Thirsk and Sowerby was second (37.39). Stephen Brown of Wearside Triathlon finished fourth (38.02).
Former Sunderland Harrier Kevin Jeffress won the 10-mile race in 1.01.11
Sunderland Harriers have two teams entered in the Elswick Harriers Norman Woodcock Memorial Road Relay at Gosforth Park on Saturday.
The A team is Nathan Reed, Amy Callaghan and Steve Rankin. The B team is Adam Hughes, Jessica Fox and Ian Dixon. The race starts at 12.30. All teams must include at least one female. The course is one flat lap of 1.66 miles per leg.