Weekend Update!

A busy weekend of running for various members of Westbury Harriers, with success all over Europe! John Collier kicked things off yesterday winning the Reading Parkrun in a time of 18.04 - on a course more reminiscent  of last weekend's Nationals then a standard Park Run.

Today, Matt Ellis stormed to victory in Castle Combe 10k running a gun to tape victory in a time of 32.05. Robyn Golding was also in action, only this time as a pace-maker and did her job to perfection - with a target time of 45 minutes culminating in a time of 44.25! Up north, Colin Johnson debuted in front of his family at the Blackpool Half Marathon. Sadly for Colin, a strong wind blowing in off the Irish Sea, meant it was not a day to take advantage of the flat course and Colin finished in 84.05. Over in Kent, Debbie Marsden finished 3rd in the "scenic" Tunbridge Wells 1/2 marathon. Debbie clocking a near two minute PB to finish in a time of 80.14. The race was won by GB international Liz Yelling in a course record 73.55 - over 4 minutes outside her PB - an indicator of the toughness of the course. In the men's race John Terry ran a new PB in 79.30, finishing 25th and his first time under 80 minutes for the half. Meanwhile, further afield Emma D'Alton had the right idea, discovering a downhill half marathon on the picturesque island of Malta. D'Alton didn't disappoint finishing 2nd in the ladies race in a time of 77.20!

More later on the Ironwood Challenge and other Harriers participants as we have them!

Bridge Inn UPDATE

Well done to all the Harriers who took part in the recent Bridge Inn 5k. The race itself was won by B&Ws Steve Francis, who ran a cracking time of 15.08, which should give our own Matt Ellis a challenge when the two next meet. For the Harriers, first over the line was Anthony Glover who in 16.27, just held off Sam Dalgleish in 16.32 and Gregg Ward in 16.46. Junior, Felix McGrath was next home in 17.23, with veteran Colin Johnson securing a new PB in 18 dead. Colin was able to hold off rival Jullian Bailey-Gard Jr in 18.08. Another junior Adam Wilson ran 18.52, followed by another veteran Graham Clark in 18.54. David George ran 19.12, Phil Court 19.57, Tony Jefferies 20.15. James Noott in 22.29, Richard Hughes 22.43, Jane Goodwin 23.30 and Jane Thornton in 25.01.

Well done all!!!

Bristol runners dominate in Bramley

Some great performances from Bristol runners in the Bramley 10 & 20 mile races today. In the men's 20 mile race Matt Ellis finished 4th in a time of 1.53.04, ensuring his target of 2.25 in London still looks set. Another Harrier John Collier also broke the 2 hour barrier, running 1.58.25 for 13th place. In the Ladies 20m race, Robyn Golding finished 8th lady in 2.19.40, with Sophie Voller finishing 3 places further back on gun time, but with the same chip time as Golding. Keith Hill completed the Harriers team with an excellent time of 2.23!

Meanwhile it went even better in the ladies 10m race, as Bristol & West's Vicky Tester won the ladies race in 1.02.40.

Great effort everybody!!!

Harriers survive Alton Towers mudbath

Arriving at around 1pm members of the Westbury Harriers planning to run the national cross country championships at Alton Towers were greeted with some of the most shocking conditions most could remember experiencing! A sight more reminiscent of Glastonbury, the regular sound of the ambulance siren, a worrying indicator of the safety issues that plagued the early junior races. The ladies race was delayed by 20 minutes whilst organisers reworked the course to avoid the most dangerous sections.

As Keith Brackstone pointed out today was about "survival" and it certainly was as all the Harriers returned home safely. Debbie Marsden led the team home in 73rd place, in a time of 27.49 for a revised 4m route. Next home for the Harriers was Tamsin Chick finished 129th, Zoe Dixon was 192nd and Evita Gonzalez was 300th. The team finished 22nd overall. The winner of the race was Louise Damen, with Hatti Dean second and Liz Yelling 3rd.

In the mens race Gregg Ward was first home in 309th in a time of 44.09 - he believes a personal worse for 10k - Robin Phillips was 598th in 48.59 with Colin Johnson Was 678th in 50.08. They all fared better than John Terry who pulled out, have experienced enough of the course, after 4k! The mens race was won by Stockport's Steve Vernon in 35.11, one of the slowest times I can remember for a 10k XC and reflective of the atrocious conditions the runners faced!

A great effort to everyone who braved the conditions!

Golding 1st in Dursley and Voller 2nd in Melksham

Robyn Golding raced to victory in the Dursley Dozen, clocking a time of 1.32 for the testing 12 mile course, starting from near the Old Spot pub in Dursley. British mountain runner Martin Cox was 2nd in a time of 1.18, with the winner local man Garry Hughes in 1.14. Also running for the Harriers were Ewan Kilgour, Jullian Bailey-Gard Snr, Andrew Gibbons, Jane Goodwin, Graham Bazley, Emma Powell and Jane Thornton.

Meanwhile over in Melksham the lucky charm of the training run struck again for Sophie Voller, as she secured a new pb of 63.12 at the Wiltshire 10m, finishing only two and a half minutes behind British Marathon runner Holly Rush who won the race in 60.42.

Men are Gwent League medal prospects

Westbury Harriers' mens team are within a whisker of securing their first Gwent League medals in the top flight since 2004/05 and need a strong finish to the season at Swansea in 4 weeks time. The Harriers were second on the day at Brecon, finishing only a hair's breadth behind Wells & Yeovil - this season's stand out team.

With runners such as Simon Everington, Anthony Glover and Gregg Ward all running excellently at the moment and with Dan Studley and others waiting in the wings, there is a real prospect that they can overturn a 30 point deficit in the final race! Come on lads we can do it!

Gwent League Division 1

1. Wells & Yeovil        3386
2. Les Croupiers           3309
3. Neath Harriers          3179
4. Westbury Harriers 3148
5. Cardiff AAC            2736

Ladies storm into 1st place as Marsden secures another top 3 finish!

The Westbury ladies took poll position in the Gwent League, with just one race remaining thanks to another top 3 finish from Debbie Marsden. The race was marred with controversy as a course marking error, meant the runners had no idea what route they were meant to take and ended up losing about 400m of the first lap!

What is it with the Welsh and their seeming inability to mark out courses correctly - either so that they are the appropriate distance (think Cardiff 1/2 of Nos Golan 5k) or a XC course around a small field?!?! To compound matters, 2 so-called supporters decided that the issue lay with the runners and on the second lap started hurling abuse at Kate Roberts, Debbie Rees and Marsden - a disgraceful sequence of events that the League need to deal with.

Anyhow the runners kept their stride and Marsden, on a quick course, finished 3rd overall, just 19 seconds behind the winner - Cardiff's Debbie Rees. With Tamsin Chick making the top 10 and Zoe Dixon and Lizzy Smith in 22nd and 27th respectively. Westbury's ladies finished 1st on the day and with the University of Bath fielding an incomplete team have moved into 1st place overall with one race left!

Also running for the Harriers were Kelly Winstone, Debbie Cleary, Hayley Johnson, Sarah Tucker and Eithne Noonan - great running ladies. Let's make sure we get a top squad out for the last race and win the league in style!!!

Gwent League Division 1

1. Westbury Harriers 1764
2. Les Croupiers           1631
3. University of Bath    1520
4. TAF Running           1447
5. Cardiff AAC             1427

Men storm to Gwent League success!!!

Westbury's men put in another strong showing at the latest instalment of the Gwent League at the Penlan Leisure Centre in Brecon on Saturday. Led home by Simon Everington in 12th place, he was pushed all the way by Anthony Glover in 14th and Gregg Ward who eventually placed 15th. A minute further back, John Terry finished 35th and Colin Johnson completed the scorers in an excellent 48th - a first top 50 showing for Colin. With Robin Phillips chasing him hard in 52nd, Geraint Torrington making a welcome return to racing in 117th, Rob Williams in 119th, Tony Jefferies in 126th and Mike Hopikins in 131st an excellent showing for the men.

With Dan Studley and Sam Dalgleish threatening to put in an appearance for the final race at Swansea, and maybe even Matt Ellis could be roused from a stag weekend induced slumber, the men look a decent prospect for a medal for the first time in several seasons in one of Britain's toughest XC leagues.

The mens A team squad L to R - Colin Johnson, Anthony Glover, Gregg Ward (c), Simon Everington, John Terry and Robin Phillips

Studley success in Armargh Road Race

Westbury's Dan Studley, making the most of his gap year, took a trip across the sea to take part in the world-renowned Armargh 5k Road Race. He didn't disappoint either finishing in a massive PB of 15.22 for 40th place in the elite race!!! A great run from Dan whose recent improvement in form shows no signs of slowing!

D'Alton races to a hundred smackers!

Emma D'Alton continued her good start to the year on road, with a commanding victory in the Blackmore Vale 1/2 marathon - her course record time of 1.20.53, enough to earn her a bonus of £100. Now don't be deceived by the time, a hilly course made even more challenging by strong winds, meant that you could knock at least two and a half minutes off this time, which suggests D'Alton is not far off of top form with the London marathon now only a couple of months away.

Girls Midlands performance rewarded with county call-ups!

Three of Westbury Harrier's bronze medal winning ladies team from the recent Midlands XC Championships have received the call-up to represent Avon & Somerset at the forthcoming Intercounties Championships (incorporating the World XC Trials) at Cofton Park, Birmingham on March 5th. Debbie Marsden, Emma D'Alton and Robyn Golding have all been selected by Avon manager Mike Down to join the Avon & Somerset combined team for the event. Rumour has it that Gregg Ward's excellent finish in the midlands has also been rewarded with team selection, but we are still awaiting confirmation of this!

Meanwhile many Harriers will be taking part in the club's annual Bristol to Bath run tomorrow morning, although Emma D'Alton is planning on defending her title at the Blackmore Vale 1/2 marathon, which takes place on Sunday.

Well done to all!