James Rhodes brings you the best of the results from another busy weekend on the track and road. 

Windy in Watford

It is probably fair to call the Watford Grand Prix the British Milers Club’s flagship event of the season. Despite unusually windy conditions for the normally well-sheltered track, there were some fantastic races and good times.

The highest quality race of the evening was likely the men’s 3000m, which saw two athletes venturing more to the roads take to the track in look of some speed. It was Marc Scott who came out of top of a battle with Emile Cairess, with the pair together until the final home straight. Scott finished in 7:48.32 ahead of Cairess’s 7:49.03. Iceland’s Baldvid Magnusson finished third (7:49.68).

Photo: James Rhodes

The women’s race over the same distance saw Cristina Ruiz of Spain finish just inside nine minutes (8:59.97), with Alex Millard third (9:02.80). Fast Running’s Hannah Irwin improved her lifetime bests to 9:11.97 in ninth.

Alex Millard. Photo: James Rhodes

Irish junior Nick Griggs (3:40.63) won a competitive 1500m from James West (3:41.08), whilst four countries filled the top four in the women’s race. Kenyan Mary Ekiru was victorious (4:11.41) from Maudie Skyring of Australia (4:11.61), Niamh Bridson Hubbard (4:12.00) and New Zealander Laura Nagel (4:12.84).

Windy conditions prevented particularly fast times across the 800m, where a strong men’s field was assembled. It included seven men who have run inside 1:46 this season. Reece Sharman Newell continued his preparation for the European U23 Championships taking victory (1:47.52) from Sam Reardon (1:47.96), Archie Davis (1:48.04) and Matt Stonier (1:48.10). Reardon and Stonier will also be travelling to Finland for the U23s next week.

Pre-race favourite Ellie Baker (2:02.33) was a clear winner of the women’s race over two laps.

Photo: James Rhodes

Plenty More at Home

Watford was not hosting the only domestic competition of the week. Andrew Johnstone (4:36.1) and Alexa Brownlee (5:34.5) were quickest over the mile at the Chairman’s Cup in Moulton on Saturday. Sticking with the mile, Rebecca Johnson (4:38.27) and Andrew Penney (4:07.26) set the fastest times at Hercules Wimbledon’s Dave Clark 1 Mile Night on Wednesday.

Photo: Mark Hookway

The BMC held Gold Standard Races at Stretford and Regional Races at Exeter on Tuesday. The former saw Laura Muir (1:57.30) make a low-key appearance to set her third quickest time over the distance. Nicholas Landeau (1:48.92) was the quickest male.

The races were incorporated into the Trafford Grand Prix, which saw Alex Bell (2:01.46) improve her fastest time of the season, and Ross Harrison (1:53.90) set a PB. Bradley Giblin (3:52.88 PB) and Holly Weedall (4:33.94) were fastest over 1500m, Beth Barlow (9:13.98 PB) and Chris Perry (8:17.61) the same over 3000m.

In Exeter, Michael Wilsmore (3:55.01) and Ellie Wallace (4:18.58) were fastest over 1500m, and Lilah Unwin (2:09.89) and Sam Mills (1:57.13) over 800m. The associated Exeter Evening Open Meeting saw U17 George Ross-Mackenzie (2:29.83 PB) win the open 800m.

European Racing

The European circuit continues at pace as the World Championships get ever closer. The men’s 1500m at the Lausanne Diamond League on Thursday was a great day for the Brits. Josh Kerr (3:29.64) ran inside 3:30 for the second time in his career and Elliot Giles improved his PB by two seconds (3:31.56). The pair finished third and fourth, with Neil Gourley sixth (3:32.63).

Keely Hodgkinson (1:58.37) was defeated by Mary Moraa of Kenya. Jemma Reekie (1:59.32) finished third. Aimee Pratt opened her steeplechase season with 9:28.00.

Giles and Gourley raced three days earlier at the Golden Spike in Ostrava, there over 800m. They finished in 1:45.03 and 1:45.49 respectively, with Ben Pattison running 1:46.78. George Mills (3:33.85) and Adam Fogg (3:35.99) went in the 1500m.

At the Boysen Memorial in Oslo, Alex Botterill (1:45.54) improved his 800m PB, with Tom Randolph (1:45.75) running his fastest of the year. Ben Brown (14:01.57) set a 5000m lifetime best.

To the Roads

The largest race of the weekend took place on the streets of Newcastle. Callum Johnson (30:19) was a clear victor at the Great North 10k, finishing over two minutes before anyone else in the field. Chris Coulson (32:27) and Fred Davies (33:14) completed the top-three. Phillipa Williams (34:14) won the women’s field, followed by Kate Maltby (35:09) and Mhairi Maclennan (35:40).


Other highlights of the weekend included a competitive race at the Porthcawl 10k. Kadar Omar (30:14) finished ahead of a close battle between Shaun Antell (30:22) and Jon Butler (30:26). Lily Partridge (33:26) was dominant, finishing well clear of Clara Evans (35:11) and Alaw Evans (35:43).

Tamsin Anderson (36:47) and Rob McTaggart (32:46) were victorious at the Lordshill 10k, whilst Leanne Finch (36:58) and Michael Eccles (32:43) took the Humpty Dumpty 10k. Ryan Page (32:53) and Patricia Jackman (37:04) crossed the line first at the brilliantly-named Sting in the Tail Caistor 10k.

Matt Crehan (33:21) and Carmel Edwards (41:06) recorded victories at the Tour of Merseyside Thurstaston 10k. In Wales, it was the turn of Rachel Shipley (40:28) and Adam Jones (32:36) to take wins, at the Ras Gwyl Felinheli 10K.

More Races

The Harrogate 10k went to Rebecca Flaherty (37:14) and Benjamin Douglas (34:02). Nicholas Dennis (32:03) and Juliet Potter (37:10) won the midweek Holme Pierrepoint 10k, whilst Daniel Saunders (36:06) and Jo Andrews (37:15) took the Bungay Black Dog Summer 10k.

The Ware 10k went to Iain McMurray (36:45) and Sarah Wild (44:22). In Exeter, Laura Wilby (39:34) and David White (33:33) won the River Run 10k on Friday. Finally, the trail-based Malvern Joggers 10k was taken by Sarah Davies (50:10) and Paul Childs (39:10).

RunThrough Round Up

Once again there was no shortage of RunThrough races this weekend. Ewan Cameron (32:22) finished just one second ahead of Harvey Dixon (32:23) at the Chase the Sun Battersea Park 10k with Mickey Breen (33:30) third. The women’s race was more clear. Janay Lee (34:31) finishing comfortably ahead of Ruby Woolfe (35:57) and Rebecca Clarke (38:28).

The associated 5k was won by Ollie Garrod (14:49) and Sophie Pikett (16:48).

Danny Welsh (36:59) and Clarie McMurdock (40:18) crossed the line first at the Stanley Park 10k. Charlotte Weatherstone (21:21) and Connor Rogers (15:47) won the 5k. In London, it was the turn of Isobel Ruthven (42:33) and Aiden Tarantino (34:01) at the Greenwich Park 10k.

Nellie Chadwick-Smith (40:28) and Cameron Field (34:39) won the Run Media City 10k. Matthew Cooper (16:04) and Helen Warburton (17:59) took the associated 5k.

Finally and the Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit 10k. That provided victories to Agnieszka Dulas (36:37) and Ben Tyler (32:44). The considerably longer Goodwood Marathon was won by Chris Patey (2:49:44) and Ylva Nilsen (3:13:54).

Longer Distances

Fancy running a marathon in the middle of the night? The Dartford Midnight Marathon has you covered. This year, James Holt (2:57:44) and Claire Wood (3:35:55) recorded the fastest times.

If you’d rather run during daylight, the Run St Magnus Marathon was an option this weekend. Siobhan Evans (3:26:12) and David Grant (2:48:03) did just that and took wins in the process. The associated 10k went to Craig Moar (35:22) and Rebecca Harrold (45:52).

Halving the distance and moving to the Ashbourne Half Marathon. Diane Mcvey (88:08) finished over six minutes ahead of Rebecca Harrison (94:20) and Stefania Scali (95:21), whilst Andy Harding (74:44) bettered Robert Armstrong (75:03) and Richard Smith (78:38) in the men’s field.

Peter Gould (1:31:50) and Sarah Overington (1:41:46) won the Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon on Sunday, with the Stonehaven Half Marathon going to Virginie Barrand (80:25) and Myles Edwards (72:13).

The Otmoor Challenge Half Marathon was won by Matthieu Marshall (76:08) and Stephanie Giles (98:16).

Over the rarely raced 15 miles, Marshall Smith (1:27:08) and Tori Alikhan (1:51:54) won the Bewl 15. The even lesser raced 7 miles took place at the Magnificent 7. Anna Harrold (43:43) and Jacob Landers (38:42) won it. It isn’t that rare, though! Gavin Lloyd (44:59) and Beverley Smith (52:50) won the Sea Wall 7 Miler and Daniel Connolly (36:14) and Karen Gibbons (53:10) the Wenlock Olympian Games 7.

Christopher Peck (56:04) and Vicki Ingham (61:51) won the Portland 10.

Shorter Distances

Lewis Gamble-Thompson (15:04) and Tracey Surtees (18:35) took the Ali Brownlee 5k, whilst the Newport Pagnell Carnival 5k went to Elle Roche (17:25) and Mohammad Elbayan (15:06), just two seconds ahead of Elliot Hind (15:08).

Midweek, Nick Bester (14:55) and Lucy Reid (16:00) ran well to take the Sri Chimnoy Dashing Deer 5k in Battersea Park. Eve Beddow (17:51) and Ryan Davis (15:13) took the Wirral Seaside 5k.

Racing over five miles, there were wins for Amy Seager (31:19) and Andrew Pickett (28:10) at the Cliffe Woods 5, and Alice Belcher (29:46) and Dominic Jones (25:06) at the EMGP Corby 5. Matthew Lock (26:20) and Jonathan Sanchez (26:20) recorded the same time at the Didcot 5, with Connor Mcgurk (27:11) third. The women’s race went to Kerry Wilkinson (32:19) ahead of Emily White (33:57) and Leonie Glasson (34:19).

Oliver Donkin (26:43) and Naomi Drakeford (31:00) took the Withernsea Harriers 5.

Success for Scout

We end this week with a visit to the mountains of Portugal and the MonteMuro Vertical Run. Part of the World Mountain Running Association World Cup, the event provided great success for Scout Adkin. She was victorious in the 10.2km race that incorporates 980m of elevation gain. A continued great year for Scout, who finished eighth and twelfth in the uphill and classic races respectively at the World Championships.

Photo: Marco Gulberti