(above: Harriers after the Town Trail MT 10k)
A number of the Harrier juniors were competing this past weekend (18th June) at the SW Schools Track & Field Championships at Exeter with the hope of getting into their County Schools team for the English Schools Championships. Meanwhile, a group of senior Harriers were running hard at the latest of the Somerset Series races last Wednesday (15th June) at the Town Trail 10k race from Kingsbury Episcopi.
Well done to those Harriers who have now got the nod to compete for their County at the English Schools: u15 Tom Webb; u17 Sophie Nicholls; u20 Hannah Blundy; u20 Dan Maydew; u20 Harry Barton; & also to Rosie Park & Andrew Piper who were 1st woman and 1stV50 respectively at the Town Trail Race.
Looking ahead we note that u23Elise Thorner is competing in this weekend's televised UK Athletics Championships, and list out some future T&F, road/multi-terrain and fell races to keep you all busy... Also an invite to those whose sons/daughters have competed at T&F or are competing to put something back into the Club by becoming a qualified official
SW Schools T&F Championships – Exeter – 18th June
Junior Boys – 1500m Tom Webb 2nd in a new pb of 4.18 Tom took this race out and achieved an excellent personal best behind the Avon athlete. Tom’s time puts him in the top 18 for this age group across the UK
Inter Girls – 3000m Sophie Nicholls was 2nd in this event in a new pb of 9.49 which brings her into the top 10 at this age group within the UK
Inter Girls - 300m Melissa McCusker 7th in 44.26
Inter Boys – 800m Jack Harvey 3rd in 2.05
Senior Girls – 3000m Hannah Blundy won this event in a new pb of 9.56 which moves her to 22nd on the UK u20 rankings
Senior Boys – 110mH – Harry Barton won this event in 14.44
Senior Boys - 3000m – Dan Maydew 2nd in a new pb of 8.31 taking 16 seconds off his previous best. Good enough for 35th on the UK rankings.
Senior Boys – 800m Bradley Glover 4th in 2.08
Well done all. (Have we missed anyone? - if so then send in a report or any photo we can add*)
Congratulations to our Yeovil partner athletes who also competed well and some of whom will have now also been selected for English Schools.
Town Trail 10k multi-terrain – Wednesday 15th June
It was a lovely evening for racing through the fields and around and through the hidden garden near Ash Martock last Wednesday. The race as ever was well organised by Adam Hawkins and the team from Yeovil Town Road Runners.
There were 7 Harriers in the field and their results are:
Matt Lusby – 3rd in 35.28
Andrew Piper – 14th (1st V50) in 42.50
Andrew Robinson- 26th in 47.30
Rosie Park -30th (1st female) in 48.23
Paul Chadwick – 38th in 50.52
Karen Shears – 60th in 58.39
Jenny Adams – 118th in 94.28
Well done all. The race was number 7 in this year’s Somerset Race Series which encourages runners to compete in Club organised races across the County. The next race (8th) in the Series is the Quantock Beast multi-terrain on Sunday 3rd July.
In the Series standings:
Women: Karen Shears – 4 races 99 points; Rosie Park – 2 races 6 points; Harriet Burr – 2 races 11 points;
Men: Matt Lusby – 4 races 9 pints; Andrew Robinson – 4 races 132; Paul Chadwick 4 races 165; Andrew Piper 2 races 27 points.
See Somerset Series website for further information.
THIS WEEKEND: UK ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022, from Manchester on TV. Our very own Elise Thorner will be competing in the 3000m Steeplechase this coming Sunday - race start 3.05pm - Try and watch it. Elise started training with us age 8 and now age 22 she is ranked 1st at u23 level (having achieved fastest time ever on UK rankings by an u23) & currently 3rd overall in UK. Good luck to Elise.
OTHER COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP:
TRACK & FIELD Entries now open for South West T&F Championships on 24th July (see Harrier Team tab for link) - check standards; YEOVIL & MAC Open Meeting on 7th July - FREE entry for paid up Harriers (ditto); SW League Match on 17th July - contact team manager if not already done so to see if you can get a team place; YOAC team managers listed as always here
ROAD/OFF-ROAD Entries now open for Piddlewood Plod & Pawlett Plod races, Haselbury Trail; & Battle of Sedgemoor 10k (see Somerset Series website for links to all of those); also for the July edition of the Yeovilton 5k; Baltonsborough Road Race (see Harrier supported tab for info & link); Wells Festival of Running (ditto)
FELL RACES 4 or 5 Harriers already signed up for 1 or both of the Brecon Fans Races (July 2nd/3rd); a couple of Harriers already entered for 1 or all 3 of the South of England Fell Races over the weekend of Sept 10th/11th on the Ise of Wight - medals ordered up! (see photo below of the Race No1 start)
TRACK & FIELD OFFICIATING - If you've ever been to a T&F match or competition, you will have noticed how these things only happen beacuse of the efforts of the administrators & officials. Here's a local chance to get qualifed as an official. Geoff Cole (Chairman of YOAC) has alerted us to a course coming up:
"Officiating Course
We are ALWAYS in need of help with officiating at track and field competitions. There is a course for anyone interested in learning the basics and getting a level 1 Field Official Qualification.
The date is Sunday 3rd July (at Yeovil Track) and you can now book online using the following link:-
https://www.athleticshub.co.uk/login?s_id=8e0e8a7dc5152cc646b1267fdcbb07fe
Please be aware that you will also be required to book the Health & Safety and the Safeguarding Courses at some stage, which can be found on the England Athletics website.
The cost of the Field Course is £20, The Safeguarding is £10 but the Health & Safety is free. However, the club (the Harriers for any Harrier volunteer) will reimburse you any expenses if you officiate for us. First opportunity being the 7th July Open Meet!
For those who cannot meet that date, please note there is an online Course on 26th June with a few places available."
Contact either Graham or I if you have any problems booking onto the course.
CONTRIBUTING TO THE HARRIER WEBSITE?
As I'm not around quite so much over the next 2 or 3 months, we hope to have 2 or 3 other members acting as Content editors for the webpages. Volunteer if you fancy helping out with this....
The aim is to post Harrier news up every week/fortnight to report on Harrier's competing, or flagging up events coming up. As a senior Harrier or parent of a junior you can help the content providers by submitting brief reports and any good photos (preferably action, but failing that a photo taken after the event!).
If you are competing and other Harriers are also there please send in all results/times if at all possible. I sometimes get folk saying why didn't I mention 'so and so' but when I ask them who submitted that they go a bit quiet because of course no one has sent it in....(& I don't do Facebook...)
Deadline for submissions is 8pm on a Monday for that week's web article so as to avoid lots of bitty reports going up!
E-mail submissions this next week to me as usual This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Next week we hope to have a different e-mail address for new submissions....
Above: The Isle of Wight Fell Running Series consists of 3 races over the course of the weekend (10th/11th September). Races 1 & 2 on the Saturday both start from the Esplanade in Ventnor and wind their way up through the town onto the Downs. Completion of all three races puts you in contention for the South of England AA Fell Running Championships.