Harriers on TV 31.08.2017
Harriers on TV
While this week all eyes were on the World Championships at the Queen Elizabeth stadium and Marc Scotts eagerly awaited heat in the 5000m. We had a large turnout at the local Darlington 10k and also out and about at the local parkruns. Not a night that was kind to runners with driving rain and a stiff breeze at the stadium had the first heat with Sir Mo Farah in it who qualified for the final. The pride of Richmond and Zetland Harriers - our very own Marc Scott stood alongside Andrew Buchart also of Team GB and NI started heat 2. With the first race being very slow it was always going to go out quick with fastest loser times at stake for the final and it didn’t disappoint as the young Kenyans and Ethiopians took it by the scruff. Marc kept with the pack all the way through the race but as the race wound up in the final couple of laps struggled to stay with them and finished down in 18th place. However, all the fastest losers came from this heat and the winner of the first heat would only have been in 14th place in this hotly contested race. Marc although understandably disappointed would have bitten your hand off if you had suggested that he might end his season at the World Championships in London.
After pb’s at virtually every distance he ran at this year and culminating in being crowned the American Collegiate Champion for 2017 at 10,000 metres it has been an excellent season with a break through onto the European stage by taking 2nd in the European 3,000m team championships and competing at the World Championships it can be looked back on as an extremely successful year. Marc now takes a well deserved break down until he leaves these shores again to run for the prestigious Bowerman Track Club based in Oregeon, USA. They have currently 9 athletes who went to the world championships on their books and include the winners of the mens and ladies steeplechases. Marc will also be supported by Nike and with this standard of athletes around him he can only keep improving and we expect to see more of him on the world stage in the years to come.
A bit closer to home was the Darlington 10k, which is always held in August, a flat fast course it winds its way round Darlington to finish in the centre and an unprecedented 16 athletes took to the start line. Rob Scott, brother of Marc was our first finisher in 13th place in a new pb and the 1st U23 (33:12, pb), Reece Dalton was 30th and the 1st U20 just outside his pb (34:27), Jeremy Pattison also had a good run in 48th (36:28, 4th V40) and Kevin Bond in 229th and a huge new life time best by over 2 minutes (42:26, pb). Lewis Moore was the 5th U15 runner in 284th and also a massive pb (43:21, pb), next in was Tony Ditchburn in 289th and the 10th V55 (43:28, sb), Chloe Dalton was 544th and the 2nd U17 girl (47:54), followed by Laura Kirkham the 3rd U17 girl in 560th and a new pb (48:34, pb), Ian Hepworth had a good run in 817th in a seasons best (51:10, 3rd V70), Ryan Greer was 944th in another big pb by over 2 minutes (52:28, pb), Pauline Whittaker in decent shape was Deb Pennick in 1006th (53:28), Diane Adkins in 1187th (56:27), Nicki Buckett is 1262nd (59:39), Karen Greer in 1682nd in another new pb (01:11:11, pb) and Becca Squires in her first outing in a club vest in 1683rd (01:11:12, pb).
At Darlington parkrun Jacqui Keavney was 16th and the 1st lady (20:47). At Catterick racecourse parkrun Dylan Soley was 2nd and broke 18 minutes again (17:51, pb), James Stitt was 10th (20:57) and Dominic Wilford was 11th (20:58, pb). Ken Harker and Sarah Gregory took in a bit of parkrun tourism while down in London watching the world championships at the Mile End parkrun. In a very competitive field Ken was 23rd (18:52) and Sarah was 137th in her first parkrun (23.12) on what was described as a tough course.
In other news Jez Pattison was spotted having a curry with the biggest club in the area, but club members need not worry as he was sent under cover by coach Ken Harker, to understand Darlington Harriers and their infatuation with our club and our runners. Jez was offered a free curry in an under hand bribe to get him to join them, but of course he knows which is the best club. While at the World Championships Jo and Rosie Adams have been on the trail of a marquee signing and are close to announcing their new signing for the coming season.