Dowson’s delight as he wins Brid Half-Marathon
Evergreen Neil Scruton first Over-70 and fourth club runner back in 97.26
Scarborough Athletics Club’s Michael Dowson (pictured
above) sealed a superb win in the Bridlington Half-Marathon on Sunday.
Ten club members competed in the Bridlington Half-Marathon, and for the first time since 2005 when Jonathan Bateman sealed success, a club member finished first overall when Dowson headed 412 finishers in a personal best time of 78 minutes 17 seconds.
There was further Scarborough success as he was followed by Rhona Marshall, who came very close a PB when finishing second female overall and first Over-35 in 87.43.
In addition to Marshall’s age-group win, three other club members finished first in their age group.
The most notable was the evergreen Neil Scruton, who was fourth club finisher in 97.26 and first Over-70.
The second of the club’s female finishers was Lisa Bourne, who was first Over-45 and notably eighth female overall with a personal best time of 103.38.
Keith Pritchard headed the Over-65s contingent back across the line with a PB of 112.06.
Other Scarborough AC results and PBs: Glynn Hewitt 93.22 PB, Chris Allen 99.05, Shaun Hopper 103.41, Ekaitz Unanue 104.44 PB, Lynn Watson 137.04.
New club member Paul Butler competed in the Fadmoor 10 kilometre multiterrain race that is run over roads, grass and bridleways and takes in Farndale, Bransdale and Sleightholme Dale.
For the second year of the event, he finished in first place and managed to break his own course record after finishing in a superb time of 36 minutes 35 seconds.
Three club members competed in the Chester Marathon.
Rebecca Dent led the trio back across the line after finishing in a personal best time of four minutes in 3 hours 53 minutes.
Emma Simmons was next in 3 hours 58 seconds and was followed by Natalie Wood, who hung on well to finish in 6 hours 19 minutes.
Cyprus-based Julie Clayton competed in the Buff Troodos Mountain Race series of five races.
Clayton took on a challenging 26 kilometre race held at the Troodos mountain range, with an elevation of 1,730 metres and an elevation gain of 1,150 metres over an extremely tough course with some rocky trails.
Parts of the course had temperatures of 34C, and at the higher section altitude sickness added to the severity of the event and tested the competitors.
Clayton was delighted to finish up as the third female back overall and the first of the Over-50s contingent to finish the event behind two talented young female visitors from Poland.