Morpeth Harriers' Sam Hancox retains Bridges of the Tyne title

James Young made it through qualifying in Saturday evening’s 1500m, finishing in 4th place in the third of three heats in a time of 3 minutes 42.97 seconds and going through to the final as the fastest loser.

In the later 5000m, run as a straight final, Scott Beattie finished in 7th place in a time of 13:44.29, with the race won by Tonbridge AC runner James West in 13:42.03 ahead of Leeds City’s Emile Cairess and Stroud and District AC’s Thomas Mortimer.

Young returned less than 24 hours later for a very competitive final in the 1500m, which was won by the experienced Neil Gourley (Giffnoch North AC) in 3:46.16 with Birchfield Harrier Elliot Giles 2nd (3:46.48) and George Mills of Brighton Phoenix (son of Leeds United and England full-back Danny Mills) 3rd in 3:46.57. After being in a promising position with 250m to go, Young finished 10th overall in 3:49.21.

Tuesday evening saw Morpeth’s Sam Hancox win his second local race in a fortnight, taking the popular Bridges of the Tyne race for the second consecutive year. Hancox certainly enjoys the flat and fast course along the Newcastle Quayside, with three victories and two second places in the last five stagings of the event.

This time he was part of a small leading group at the front that included Birtley AC’s Adrian Bailes and host club Tyne Bridge Harrier’s Jarlath Mckenna. Hancox still had Mckenna for company as they came back under the Tyne Bridge, but a last mile of 4 minutes 39 seconds saw him put daylight between himself and the seasoned veteran, formerly of Bristol and West AC, with Hancox taking the tape in 24:52, some eleven seconds ahead of Mckenna with Bailes 3rd in 25:27. It was still a remarkable run by Mckenna, who had won the 20 mile Chevy Chase the previous Saturday in a new course record and must surely have still felt it in his legs.

It was a good night all round for the Hancox family, with Sam’s dad Rob coming in 54th in 30:37 and picking up a prize as 2nd Over 55. Club colleague Dave Stabler was 34th and 6th O/45 in 29:23.

Monthly one mile road races have recently become a feature of the summer racing scene, with one such event held last Wednesday at South Shields and another race two days later at Blyth, both runs taking place along the sea front.

Morpeth’s Peter Smallcombe, now being guided by club president Jim Alder MBE, won the fixture south of the river with a fine clocking of 4 minutes 26 seconds.

Meanwhile two of the club’s leading veterans were in action at Blyth, with Over 65 Gavin Bayne running 6:11 and O/70 Pam Woodcock 8:20.

Finally, Sunday’s Hillforts Trail Race, held in the Ingram Valley, was won by Lonsdale Fell Runner Phil Mather in 34:29 with South Shields Harrier Frances Dembele first female finisher in 41:51. Morpeth’s James Dixon was 5th and first O/40 in 35:19 with Anna Wright 29th and 4th female back in 45:52 and Laura Mclean 42nd and 8th female finisher in 57:19.