A busy weekend headlined by the National XC Relays in Mansfield and the New York City Marathon in, well, New York. James Rhodes brings you the highlights of the racing action.
Racing in the Concrete Jungle
The road racing highlight of the weekend came from the TCS New York City Marathon. One of the toughest of the major marathons, its elevation means it rarely delivers fast times and this year was no exception. However, runners were blessed with kinder conditions than had the race been midweek, when temperatures sat in the mid-20s.
A strong men’s field included Jonny Mellor and the continued and welcome return of Callum Hawkins. Jonny had a good outing, crossing the finish in 2:11:22 to claim fourteenth. That may be two minutes shy of the time he ran in Seville in February. However, the course is just a little different! Notably, it is almost five minutes faster than his previous visit to New York, when he ran 2:16:09 in 2018.
Photo: Bjorn Paree
In just his second completed marathon since the 2019 World Championships, Callum finished in 2:15:12 for 23rd. That time is faster than he ran in London in April, something excellent to see.
Photo: Bjorn Paree
The sole British representative in the senior women’s race was Lily Partridge. She finished in fifteenth, in 2:30:55. This was Lily’s first marathon of the year and her first in New York. She did however compete in the New York Mini 10k back in June, and also last year. Her build up has included a 32:37 at the Vitality London 10k and 72:16 at the Great North Run.
Photo: Bjorn Paree
Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui (2:24:35) and Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands (2:07:39) won the respective elite races. Searchable results for the non-elite fields are not available at the time of writing, so it is not (yet) possible to include results of the fastest British athletes in the mass starts.
Marvellous in Mansfield
The ever-popular English National XC Relays returned to Mansfield and produced strong racing. Shaftesbury Barnet claimed the Senior Men’s title through the quartet of Isaac Hirshman Chandler, Liam Dee, Dylan Evans and Jamie Dee. Milton Keynes Distance Project had a strong lead at halfway, thanks to fast legs from Charles Wheeler (14:44), pictured below, and George Wheeler (14:55).
Charles Wheeler. Photo: Mark Hookway
On the third leg, Dylan Evans moved through the field to take the lead, having started in sixth. His split time of 14:57 was the second fastest of the third leg runners. He handed over to Jamie Dee who did not relinquish the lead and finished in 60:10.
Dylan Evans. Photo: Mark Hookway
Bedford & County, with Ed Blythman, Benjamin Alock, Harry Brodie and Jack Goodwin took silver. Last year’s winners Cambridge & Coleridge completed the podium. Their team of Tom Keen (14:55), Jonathan Escalante-Phillips (15:01), Jack Gray (15:29) and Callum Elson (15:17) ran well and were never outside of the top-six at changeover. It was good to see Callum back racing for the first time since his achilles injury at the World Indoors in March.
Morpeth Harriers finished fourth, Aldershot, Farnham & District fifth and Highgate Harriers sixth.
Brilliant Belgrave
For the second year in a row, Belgrave Harriers took the Senior Women’s title. Kate Axford, Sarah Astin & Nadine Donegan finish in 29:39, almost one minute clear of the rest of the field. Their time of 29:39 (3x 3km) comprised 10:11 for Nadine, 9:52 for Sarah and 9:35 for Kate.
The trio of Millie Jordan-Lee (10:11), Kate Estlea-Morris (10:33) and Niamh Brown (9:52) took silver for Aldershot, Farnham & District. Just three seconds separated third and fourth, with AFD’s second team ahead of Cambridge & Coleridge. Pippa Roessler (10:19), Amy Griffiths (9:48) and Katriona Brown (10:43) joined their clubmates on the podium.
Loughborough Students finished fifth and Blackheath & Bromley sixth.
Sarah Astin. Photo: Mark Hookway
Racing Elsewhere
Neil Kevern (71:37) broke the course record at the Marlow Half Marathon. Hayley Rees (86:59) joined him on the winner’s podium. Nicolas Besson (74:51) and Sharon Warren (91:58) were victorious at the Bedford Half Marathon. Ashley Johnson (39:53) and Jamie Prior (34:16) won the associated 10k.
Benjamin Tucker (74:50) and Lisa Finlay (84:53) took the honours at the Lancaster Half Marathon. Ellie Gosling (85:58) and Sven Reisinger (80:34) won the Richmond Half Marathon in London.
Fresh from the Amsterdam Marathon a fortnight ago, Dewi Griffiths was a clear winner of the Richard Burton 10k. His time of 29:49 was almost two minutes faster than anyone else racing. Olivia Tsim (35:37) ran her quickest 10k of the season as the fastest female.
Edward Hobbs (54:04) and Jemima Elgood (63:35) finished first at the Guy Fawkes 10 in Ripley. Finally, Kurt Taylor (52:54) and Rosie Reed (62:05) won the Hayling Island 10.
It may be November, but the Halloween themed races continue. Will Burrard-Lucas (39:00) and Lucy Sikora (46:28) won the Frankenstein 10k in Marlow. Joe Skipper (31:58) and Eleanor Grubb (35:46) won the East Coast 10k in Great Yarmouth.
There were wins for Rob Payne (31:48) and Nicola Curtis (37:43) at the Deepdale Dash 10k, and Grace Baker (37:10) and Oliver Nash (35:36) at the Beckley 10k. Kris Urquhart (32:18) and Elaine Murdoch (39:32) were winners of the Peterhead 10k.
In Scotland, James Wilson (32:34) and Jenny Bannerman (37:18) took the honours at the Brodie Castle 10k. Kirsty Mann (44:36) and Sam O’Neill (35:41) did the same at the Bridge of Orchy 10k.
Rounding Out
Over one-minute separated Phil Norman (49:58) from the rest of the field at the Bideford 10. Katie Knowles finished in 59:20 and had an equally large margin of victory. Over the same distance, Emma Taylor (60:02) and Lee Gratton (51:24) won the Flying Fox 10 in Standon. The Derwentwater 10 provided victories to Yasmin Small (64:48) and Daniel Connolly (53:22).
The post New York & Mansfield – Weekend Round Up appeared first on Fast Running.
Source: fastrunning.com