INSIDE TRACK Age no barrier for Guy to have a bash at Dash
BRACKEN BIDS TO BREAK UK RECORD
EUROPEAN and World Masters’ champion Guy Bracken is no stranger to the Leeds Abbey Dash, having contested the popular event on three occasions over the past five years.
The North Shields Poly athlete, now competing in the over-55 age group, will be bidding to come out on top just as he often did when he lined up in the over-50 section.
Bracken, who won World Masters’ Indoor 1,500m and 3,000m titles in Daegu, Korea in March and then raced to victory in the European Master’s 1,500m and 5,000m outdoor championships in Aarhus, Denmark in July, will line up in Leeds in 10 days’ time in a bid to get close to the UK all-time over-55 record.
However, it’s going to be a tough task, despite the Leeds course being noted for attracting high-class fields which invariably produce fast times.
Bracken hasn’t raced 10k on the roads since October last year when he finished fourth overall – first over-50 – at the Jedburgh Running Festival, although he did compete over the distance on the track during the summer when he just missed out on making it a superb clean sweep of endurance gold medals at the European Masters’ and had to be content with finishing runner-up.
Despite that, Bracken is confident he can run well in Leeds, although he feels Martin Rees’ British over-55 record of 32min 02sec may well be out of his reach.
“That record, which was set in the Leeds race 11 years ago, is quite unbelievable really,’’ confessed Bracken, who was named last week in the England Masters’ team for the Home Nations Cross-Country International in Northern Ireland next month.
“My training has been going well so I’m really looking forward to having a real go in Leeds, although realistically dipping under 32 minutes will be a tall order,’’ he said.
Just to show what sort of form the 55-year-old is in, Bracken managed to take in two races in a day recently in his build-up to his next outing.
“I ran the Whitley Bay Parkrun on the morning [he was first across the finish line] then, around five hours later, lined up in the Harrier League at Wrekenton. “However, since then I’ve toned down my training in preparation for Leeds and the crosscountry international next month which will be my sixth time competing in an England Masters’ cross-country vest. “The Leeds race and the Masters’ International are the two main competitions for me this winter in preparation for the indoor season after Christmas.
“Hopefully, my endurance background will put me in a good place leading up to the European Indoor Championships next year.’’
Bracken won’t be the only North East athlete on the start line in Leeds. Carl Avery joins him, while the elite women’s field includes his Morpeth team-mate Emma Holt, Guy Bracken Tracy Millmore (Birtley) and former Wallsend athlete Danielle Hodgkinson.
Holt, who produced one of the fastest times in last weekend’s Northern Athletics Cross-Country Relay Championships in Sheffield, will be having her fourth outing in Guy Bracken is set for the Leeds Abbey Dash again the Abbey Dash, while Millmore has contested the race on seven occasions.
Hodgkinson, like Holt, will also be making her fourth appearance, although it will be her first outing since 2014, where she ran 35:25 to finish in 21st place. ■■THIS weekend’s North East Harrier League Sherman Cup/ Davison Shield promotion is once again hosted by South Shields Harriers.
The Temple Park venue is a favourite for cross-country enthusiasts.
The Sherman Cup, donated by the football pools company, is for the male athletes, with the females competing for the Davison Shield, a trophy put up by Ron Davison, a former secretary of the NEHL.
The unique competition shows the all-round strength of participating clubs, with the scores from the under-13 races through to the seniors added together with the club with the least number of points being declared the winner.
The Sherman Cup has been in the hands of Morpeth Harriers for many years and no doubt they will be in contention once again on Saturday.
While Morpeth’s name is etched on the trophy more times than any other club, the Davison Shield has been won by a number of different clubs over the years.
Certainly, last year was a first for Gosforth Harriers, who came out on top after relegating defending champions Gateshead into second place.
Action on Saturday gets under way at 12.15pm with another ‘Try Cross-Country’ event for nine-to11-year-olds which does not count towards the team scores.
The under-13 races take place around 12.30pm with the senior men’s event at around 2.15pm. ■■THE English National CrossCountry Relays are scheduled once again for Berry Hill Park, Mansfield on Saturday, November 4, with events for under-13 to seniors. ■■BLACKHILL Bounders, in partnership with the National Trust, host the 21st Gibside Fruit Bowl Trail Race on Sunday, November 5, with a 9.30am start.
Postal entries have closed but a number of late entries will be accepted on the day. ■■HEATON Harriers’ annual Memorial Road Races take place on Sunday, November 12, on Newcastle Town Moor.
The five-race programme gets under way at 9.15am with a MiniMinor (9-11-year-olds) contest with the main senior 10k event at 11.01am.
Postal entries, which close on November 9, go to: Race Secretary, 40 Netherwitton Way, Gosforth, Newcastle NE3 5RP. Entries on line also at: www. resultsbase.net/event/4082.