Glover SB and Johnson PB in weekend action!

Well done to Colin Johnson who secured a new 10k PB in 37.57 at today's Magor Marsh 10k. Also congratulations to Anthony Glover who managed a season's best 4.24 in the 1500m at the Avon T&F meet in Yate!

Rare 2nd equal for Westbury!

Following on from a tie for first place at last week's Bridge Inn, this time there was a tie for second place as Matt Ellis and John Terry staggered across the line together in Minehead Running Club's Seaview 17. The rather inappropriately named race, that is in actual fact closer to 21 miles, snakes along the coast path from Countisbury back to Minehead. Along with team mate Steve Adams, Terry and Ellis worked their way steadily through the field, to take the lead as they approached the toughest part of the course - a climb up Hurlstone Combe towards Selworthy Beacon, following an arduous run across the pebble beach of Bossington. Adams fell off the pace, just before the start of the climb, but one runner proved to be undeterred, Vicky Pincombe - making a comeback to the sport - blitzed past on the ascent and pushed on off the top, leaving both Ellis and Terry in her wake. Despite a concerted effort to close down the gap, it proved to no avail as Pincombe ran in to finish in 2.40, with Ellis and Terry two minutes behind in 2.42. Steve Adams finished a further 9 minutes back in 2.51. Former Harrier, Gareth Howard, was also in the race running around 3.05.

Good work guys!

Studley gets the call!

Congratulations to Dan Studley, who following his sensational new 3000m PB of 8.33 last night in Exeter, will now run in the Diamond League meeting at Crystal Palace on August 5th in the U.20 3000m. Sadly for the club, this will preclude him from participating in the murder mile, which is on the same evening - ironically he may run the 3000m in a quicker time!

Well done Dan!

Francis and Bancroft tie in the final Bridge Inn...

A field of 99 runners turned out for the final running of the Bridge Inn summer series and what an exciting race it proved. Steve Francis and Jack Bancroft ran out a dead heat, as Bancroft's superior finishing speed (being a 1500m runner) proved telling as he closed down Francis' lead over the finishing straight. Such was the finish that the judges could not separate them and awarded the race as a tie! Laura Parsonage won the ladies race in a time of 17.06 from B&Ws Hannah Alderson in 17.46.

For Westbury John Terry was the top finisher in 8th place in a time of 17.03, with Robin Phillips running 17.36 and Colin Johnson with a new PB breaking 18 minutes for the first time in 17.59. Terry Jewell-Davies ran 18.05, Debbie Marsden 18.08, Steve Hawes 18.09 (his favourite time!) and Jullian Bailey-Gard Jnr 18.20. Then it was Lizzy Smith in 18.50, who finished just ahead of Graham Clark 18.52, James Bardwell 20.47, Ian Loudon 21.04, Tony Jefferies 21.10, Mike Harris 21.15, Richard Hughes 21.54 and Laura Tanna 21.55. Then James Cant ran 22.21 and Caroline Potter 24.20 to complete the Harriers line-up.

Well done all!

Studley on tenterhooks as Diamond League place beckons!

Dan Studley put himself in with a great chance of running in the U.20s 3000m at the Crystal Palace Diamond League meet with an outstanding performance in the South West Championships this evening in Exeter. Studley finished 4th and 2nd U.20 in the 3000m race in a time of 8.33, knocking 24s off his PB and placing him in the top 20 for the 3000m at U.20 level!

Dan should rightly be delighted for what is an outstanding achievement, coming soon after his breaking 4min for the 1500m for the first time over the weekend at the BMC meet in Trafford.

Awesome running Dan!

Still time to enter the seaview 17!

Anybody out there, who fancies a hard training run in the build-up to an autumn half or full marathon, can still enter and get a place on the bus for this weekend's SeaView 17. Organized by Minehead Running Club, participants will be taken by coach from Minehead Community College across to Countisbury, where they will then have the opportunity to run back along the coastal path. Just don't be fooled by the name - 17 miles is the distance as the crow flies - in your case it will be closer to 21!

Follow the link to the entry form. If you enter after today, you can still race, but transport to the start cannot be guaranteed!

British Trail Running Champ triumphs in Gloucester 1/2

White Horse Harriers Paul Jegou - normally more at home on the trails - was the winner of the Gloucester 1/2 marathon this past weekend. Jegou's time of 1.17.24 suggestive of a course with an incline or two in it! The ladies race was won by B&Ws Kate Goodhead, who continued her comeback from injury, in 1.21.25. This following winning the White Horse 5k the previous Thursday in a time of 17.09. 2nd in the ladies race was our own Emma D'Alton who finished just 10 seconds behind Goodhead. Also in action for the Harriers was Sophie Voller who finished 6th in the race in 1.35.26 - this following a 7 mile warm-up as she ups her training in preparation for an autumn marathon!

Well done ladies!

Westbury struggle to 4th in Mob Match

A depleted Westbury Harriers finished fourth in this year's Avon interclub mob match, as Bristol & West demonstrated that they had depth to go with their strength, as they won the event for the first time finishing ahead of Clevedon AC and Bitton who were separated by just one point.

For the Harriers John Terry was first man home in 16th place in a time of 36.20, with Debbie Marsden finishing 2nd lady, a few seconds ahead of Sophie Voller in 3rd. Tom Merson led Bristol & West to a complete domination of the top 5, with Steve Francis, Matt Crane, Steve McGuigan and Phil Parry all in close pursuit. Annabel Granger won the ladies race!

A big well done to all the Harriers who took part and thanks to Geraint Torrington for filming the finish and sorting the results out afterwards!

Full details to follow as the results come in!

McGrath and Gallagher secure national honours!

Well done to club members Pat Gallagher and Felix McGrath who both claimed honours on a national level over the past fews days. Pat was taking part in the World Vet Athletics Champs and secured silver in the 800m, to accompany two golds in the 1500m and 5k for the V65s - what an amazing effort and inspiration to many of our younger runners Pat is!

Meanwhile Felix made the long trip north to Sedburgh, to take part in the England uphill mountain championships and didn't disappoint - taking first place! The great thing for Felix is he still has a year left in the category, so I am sure he will already be plotting defending his title!

Well done guys!

Hills of Dartmoor get the better of Ellis

Matt Ellis took a trip down to Dartmoor to participate in Teinbridge Trotter's Haytor Heller 6m fell race! Despite being more at home on the roads, Ellis did Westbury proud, as he ran home in fourth place in a time of 42.20. The winner was Exmouth's Berihu Tesfay in 39.21 - a cracking time on a demanding course. In the ladies race, Jo Meek of Tavistock was first across the line in 47.51.

Well done Matt!

Ellis return to form with fine win in the Frampton 10k

Westbury's Matt Ellis showed a continued return to form, with a hard fought win over B&Ws Steve McGuigan at last night's Frampton 10k. Ellis, pulled clear of McGuigan and held him off until the end, clocking 32.11, to McGuigan's 32.25 on a quick course reminiscent of the Oldbury 10m route.

In the ladies race, Emma D'Alton returned to action, following a quiet period by her standards, and clocked 36.10, whilst Sophie Voller secured 3rd place in a (TBC) PB in 38.29 as she made the most of the flat roads close to the Severn.

Well done all!

Phillips secures 4th in latest towpath race...

Westbury's Robin Phillips finished in an excellent 4th place at the 3rd Summer Towpath run, just 24 hours after finishing 11th in TACHs Burrington Blaster fell run. Robin clocked a time of 37.43, in a race won by BAD Tri's Stephen O'Halleran in 36.10. Also in action Graham Clark clocked 39.10 for 2nd V40, Alex Miller 40.20, Ian Louden 44.38, Julian Wilson 47.46, David Taylor 49.46, Anneke Bull 51.05, Roger Long 53.12, Paul Mooney 53.58, Ray Hughes 54.39 and Sandy Hughes 54.52.

Well done to all!

Ellis climbs to another win

Matt Ellis led Westbury Harriers to the team prize in the Burrington Blaster - the final TACH race of the season - clocking a cracking time of 33.11. For Ellis, it represented a big improvement over his previous attempt on the course, a wrong turn resulted in him adding nearly an extra mile to the race last year! Anthony Glover clocked 2nd in 35.01, John Terry 4th in 35.39 and Steve Adams 6th. Robin Phillips was 11th, with Graham Bazley completing the turnout for the Harriers.

Sadly for the club, there were no female participants - obviously all saving themselves for bigger and better things :-)

Golding edges out Voller in Thornbury Festival run

News in from the Thornbury Festival 10k and Westbury's Robyn Golding won a close fought battle with team mate Sophie Voller. Voller, beginning a new training phase in the build-up to an autumn half marathon, finished just a second adrift of Golding.

More news as we have it!!!

Ellis secures 2nd in Blazer

Westbury's Matt Ellis took 2nd place, behind fell running expert Matt Crane (of B&W) in Monday's Blazer. Crane clocked a time of 21.05 for the 6km course, finishing nearly a minute clear of Ellis who ran a course PB of 22.01. Felix McGrath showed no ill effects from his recent mountain running exertions to finish 3rd, just 30s adrift of Ellis. The women's race was won by Southville's Kerry Wray.

Chris O'Donovon, Terry Jewell-Davies, re-signed Steve Adams and Jullian Bailey-Gard Jnr all made the top 10. With over 30 Harriers taking part, the full results may be found here.

Harriers runners in action on the track for Yate AC

5 Harriers made the journey up to Birmingham to represent partner club Yate AC in the 3rd round of the Midland League, held at the stadium of Birmingham University. First off in the 800m, John Terry received a late promotion to the A race, following Dan Studley's decision to concentrate on the 1500m. In what was his first 800m in over 20 years, Terry took the bell in 65s in 5th place, before tying up somewhat to finish 6th in 2.18.3 and claim 3 points for the club. In the ladies race Kelly Winstone took up the challenge and finished in 2.44.7 and 5th place in the B race.

Then it was the womens 3000m with Debbie Marsden making a welcome return to the track. She was joined once again by Kelly Winstone and they clean up claiming 1st place in the A and B races respectively. Debbie clocking 10.26.7 and Kelly 12.17.3 (finishing 5th overall!).

Next up was Dan Studley, who was seeking a sub 4 min 1500m for the first time. With Tim Dalton running for Gloucester and Paul Thomson for BRAT both with sub 4 1500m's this season, it was looking promising and Dan ran a great racing hanging on to the top two until the final lap, going through 1100m in 2.57, he clocked up a 63s final lap to finish in 4.00.5, just 4 seconds behind the winner Dalton.

Finally was the 5000m and a rather tired and battered Terry took once more to the track for 12 and a half laps of attrition. Still suffering from lactic overload from the 800m, Terry went through the first 4 laps in 5.26, but then slowed to clock 5.48 and 5.54 in the subsequent 4 laps, before a small sprint to finish in 17.48. Tony Jefferies, who ran despite suffering from a throat infection, finished in 20.54.

Great running all!

Phillips scores 2nd in ParkRun

Robin Phillips showed no ill effects from the fall he suffered at the recent Bridge Inn, and finished 2nd in the Ashton Court Park run, behind Bitton's racing machine Rob Farley. It was a record time on the course for Robin of 18.38 - well done! David Taylor was also in action finishing in 24.51!