Netherlands & Belgium Race Walking Championships, Tilburg (NED) (Sun. 6th Oct.)
Luc Legon and Hannah Hopper returned to Tilburg in the Netherlands to walk as guests in the Dutch/Belgium championships (the event held a World Athletics permit), having raced there in 2023, both producing outstanding performances over 10km.
Luc walked an isolated race reaching 5km in 21:50. Although he slowed slightly in the second 5km he crossed the line in 43:57, removing 1 minute 34 from his previous best.
Going into the race Hannah was aware that a Hungarian entrant Dora Csörgő had a season's best nearly a minute faster than her personal best. From the gun Hannah tracked Csörgő with them going through halfway in 25:05. Mid-race Csörgő attempted to break away but Hannah closed her down with the pair then walking side-by-side until Csörgő pulled out a four second advantage on the final lap to take the ladies win. Hannah was rewarded with a new personal best of 50:11 removing over a minute from her previous best.
Sutcliffe parkrun (Club RR GP event) (Sat. 5th Oct.)
Forty-five of the club's runners descended on Sutcliffe Park for a parkrun takeover, writes Clem Dixon, where we were rewarded with first male (Bobby Babaker 15:40), first female (Christine Lutsch 19:51), eight out of the first 10 males (including all of the top 5), seven out of the first 10 females and we helped push the venue to a new attendance record of 370. (Results)
This was also the final event in our annual road running Grand Prix, a competition that uses age graded performance as a way to create a level playing field across ages and genders. It has been particularly hard fought this year and we went into the 12th and last round with Rose Baker, Christian Poulton and James Macdonald all with a realistic chance of winning. Rose was obviously taking it seriously, persuading her son Brett to pace her, a tactic that obviously worked as she took an age graded score of 91, joint highest of the competition, equalling Ben Shearer's score from the Paddock Wood half marathon. It was enough to take the title, final scores being Rose 490, Christian 485 & James 482. (Final league table)
Cardiff Half-Marathon (Sun. 6th Oct.)
Thousands of runners and spectators took to the streets of the Welsh capital for the 21st edition of the Principality Cardiff Half Marathon. Alex Peet, who hails from Wales, crossed the line in 444th place with a time of 1:24:02.
Southend Junior 3k, Southend-on-Sea (Sun. 6th Oct.)
The Southend 10k is always a well-run and (wind-permitting) fast event making a good choice for the start of the road season, writes Steve Cummins. The junior 3k race for 11-14 year olds, starting just after the main race, makes for a great introduction to road running. Meredith Cummins (U15G), ably supported by two friends from Bexley AC, made the early running despite strong winds in the back 1k and was never seriously challenged. She finished first girl in 11:36, a great improvement on last year’s 12th place.
RunThrough Victoria Park, Hackney, London (Sun. 6th Oct.)
Jonathan Sargent made his debut over the half marathon clocking 1:25:59.
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