Wells City Harriers were out competing at various running events this past weekend (28/29 Oct). Whilst we had a good spread of results at the local Shepton 10k, others were competing at the latest Somerset Series race on the Blackdowns, and a handful more went across to Dorset for the Stickler – three peaks race. Without doubt though, the toughest race of the weekend was tackled by Chris & Ben Kelsey when they competed at the 50th edition of the Original Mountain Marathon in Langdale, Cumbria. (start on Day 1 of the OMM - the weather was about to get worse!)
Father and son team Chris and Ben Kelsey are very familiar with the two-day mountain marathons – Chris having been competing for over 20 years in such events and Ben being brought up to be a good orienteer too. This year’s event was held in the Langdales and tested competitors taking part in several different classes of navigation and running to traverse the proper fell running terrain. Chris and Ben competed in their usual Long Score class which entails the pair staying together to pick off as many ‘controls’ as possible in a set time limit of 7 hours on day 1 and 6 hours on day 2, with their carrying everything they need for their unsupported overnight camping.(Ben & Chris before the start - photo by Helen)
Saturday was incredibly wet whilst Sunday turned out to be a classic blue sky in the Lakes day. Chris & Ben lay in 101st position after day 1 but as is the case with this pair they'd saved their best performance for day 2 and had the 11th best score of that day to move up to an overall 49th place finish out of the 200 or so teams that contested that class. You can get a flavour of this sort of event by taking a look at this year's Sunday OMM report.
At the Shepton Mallet 10k road race, organised by the local 1610 Leisure Centre, Dan Cahill was first home for the Harriers in 3rd place in 36.20, with Tom Dukes, 5th, 1st V40 in 38.37, and Tom’s son Dylan was 8th, 1st junior male, in 39.56. Justin Thomas was 12th, 41.57, Rosie Park 44th in 48.04; Matt Dorber 46th in 48.14 and Chris Snook-Lumb, 86th in 54.50. There were 228 finishers in the well-supported event.
Slightly further afield, the Harriers had three runners at the Herepath ‘Half’ multi-terrain race on the Blackdowns. Covering 13.7 miles in total and taking runners through woodland the race saw Nick Weaving first in for the Harriers in 1hr 56mins for 32nd place, with Craig Foley 54th in 2.04 and Gary Tubridy, 100th in 2.19. There were 166 finishers. Meanwhile on Exmoor, Oli Frost finished 5th in the Exmoor Trail Challenge event in a time of 4hrs 2 mins.
Another small group of Harriers went to contest the multi-terrain ‘Dorset Three Peaks’ ‘Stickler’ race taking in the three hills of Okeford, Hod and Hambledon over a 10.1 mile course starting and finishing at Shillingstone. In a large field of 542 finishers, Paul Chadwick was 149th in 1hr 30mins, with Andrew Pate 218th in 1.35, and Alice Knight 343rd in 1.44.
STREET 5k NEXT WEDNESDAY 8th NOVEMBER
This coming weekend the Harriers have teams entered in the national cross country relays, whilst others are competing at the Wessex cross country League in Yeovil. Over 60 members have already booked for the Club’s annual dinner to take place on Friday 24th November at which the draw for the Harrier’s allocated places for the London Marathon will take place. The 170th running of the Street 5k races takes place this coming Wednesday, 8th November, starting at 7.30pm. Entries as usual on the night by 7pm at the United Reform Church Hall, opposite Living Homes store.
The latest standings in the Somerset Race Series 2017 are now available and a number of Harriers are well up in the 21st edition of the series. Ali Blaney, Cath Goldsmid and Karen Shears for the women; and Graham Goldsmid, Justin Thomas, Nick Weaving Craig Foley and Andy Piper for the men. At least some of these Harriers will get their hands on the coveted engraved glasses, whilst all that have completed 8 races are in line for a Long-sleeve t shirt paid for by the sponsors Cornwall Glass - the group behind Yeovil Glass & M5 Glass. Please let Paul know what your preferred size is!! The final race takes place at Brent Knoll on Sunday 26th November with Series awards at 1pm after the race.
SOMERSET SERIES 2017 after 18 races - 1 to go!
MEN | |||||
Forename | Surname | Club | Cat | Points | Races |
Jonathon | GILLING | Taunton AC | MV40 | 31* | 10 |
Josh | HARRIS | Weston AC | MV40 | 78* | 13 |
Matthew | BOWDEN | Minehead RC | SM | 94 | 8 |
Graham | GOLDSMID | Wells CH | MV50 | 124* | 13 |
Ben | TIMPSON | Running Forever RC | SM | 182* | 10 |
Neale | JARRETT | Weston AC | MV50 | 194* | 10 |
Justin | THOMAS | Wells CH | MV40 | 201* | 9 |
Nick | BROOKE | Dorset Doddlers | MV60 | 206* | 9 |
David | CARNELL | Crewkerne RC | MV60 | 210* | 11 |
Nick | WEAVING | Wells CH | MV50 | 265* | 10 |
Craig | FOLEY | Wells CH | MV40 | 293* | 12 |
Matt | DRIVER | Yeovil Tn RRC | MV50 | 298* | 10 |
Andrew | PIPER | Wells CH | MV50 | 325 | 8 |
Kevin | DOHERTY | Yeovil Tn RRC | MV40 | 358* | 12 |
Stephen | LYSACZENKO | North Devon RR | MV50 | 398 | 8 |
Nick | HEMMINGS | Unattached | MV50 | 406* | 10 |
Andrew | ARCHER | Stragglers RC | MV50 | 462 | 8 |
Robin | CALLENDER | Mendip AC | MV60 | 485* | 11 |
Michael | NORTON | Langport Rns | MV40 | 551* | 9 |
Brian | MOUNTJOY-ROW | Yeovil Tn RRC | MV70 | 603* | 10 |
Adrian | CORNFORD | Crewkerne RC | MV50 | 201 | 7 |
Christopher | DACHTLER | Weston AC | MV50 | 346 | 7 |
Paul | CHADWICK | Wells CH | MV50 | 441 | 7 |
Richard | DODGE | Yeovil Tn RRC | MV50 | 804 | 7 |
Daniel | TAYLOR | Unattached | MV40 | 810 | 7 |
Adam | HAWKINS | Yeovil Tn RRC | MV60 | 1145 | 7 |
LADIES | |||||
Anne | KELLY | Langport Rns | FV45 | 70* | 9 |
Ali | BLANEY | Wells CH | FV35 | 84 | 8 |
Kate | BRITTEN | Unattached | FV35 | 88 | 8 |
Geraldine | HOPE | Weston AC | FV45 | 118 | 8 |
Mary | BUTCHER | Minehead RC | FV55 | 121 | 8 |
Catherine | GOLDSMID | Wells CH | FV45 | 123* | 11 |
Kirsten | IRISH | Crewkerne RC | FV45 | 129 | 8 |
Hazel | SHEARS | Unattached | SF | 168 | 8 |
Sarah | HARRIS | Weston AC | FV35 | 184* | 11 |
Joanna | HENLEY | Yeovil Tn RRC | FV35 | 197 | 8 |
Jayne | CHANTER | Minehead RC | FV45 | 218* | 9 |
Karen | SHEARS | Wells CH | FV55 | 302* | 10 |
Hilary | ASKEW | Crewkerne RC | FV55 | 619 | 8 |
Sarah | NEILD | Cheddar RC | FV55 | 88 | 7 |
Tracey | THOMAS | Burnham Hrs | FV35 | 149 | 7 |
Elspeth | FONTANA | Yeovil Tn RRC | SF | 278 | 7 |
Gill | CONSTABLE | Cheddar RC | FV65 | 366 | 7 |
Any amendments to Brian Beale by 20th November