The big event of the week was of course Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon and Preston’s Rob Affleck wasn’t hanging about as he flew around the course in 2hr:39 to finish 7th vet-50 and 340th overall. Affleck was satisfied with his run after an injury-hit build up which forced him to reduce his training mileage from 80 miles per week to fifty. Even so, his trademark metronomic pace slowed only slightly from start to finish. Next in was Maksud Vallipatel (3hr:26), followed by Ben Read (4hr:07). Katie Johnstone, running her first marathon to raise funds for research into Huntingdon’s Disease, ran 4hr:35 and Helen Boyer finished in 6hr:00. Great credit also to Ashraf Kazee, who ran a virtual marathon in the rain in 4:14. Back in the north, three Harriers lined up at the MBNA Chester Marathon, with Ian Patterson first of the trio to cross the line in 04hr:19. Next in was David Kerfoot (5hr:21), closely followed by Julie Tyrer (5hr:23).
On Friday the popular and fast Power of 5k race returned with three Harriers lining up in Morecambe. First home was Carla Davies who is starting to return to form, finishing second woman and 13th overall in 17:42. In form veteran Ken Beazley was next in, finishing in 21:07 to finish first vet-60 and 26th overall. Steve Boardman crossed the line in 21:33 to finish 27th.
Saturday saw the return of the cross country to Lancashire, and whilst the Mid-Lancashire league doesn’t start until 9th October, that didn’t stop veteran Colin Shuttleworth from getting his spikes out to compete at the Red Rose League in Leigh, finishing 2nd in the vet-60 age category and 57th overall.
Harriers stateside
The US cross country season continues for the club’s US based runners and this week Charlotte Crook saw action at the UCF Invitational in Orlando Florida, finishing in 12th place over three miles. Jake Lonsdale was in action at the DLL National Preview in Saint Leo Florida, finishing 46th over the 8k.
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