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Jack takes national medal

Jack on the podium with Richard Charles and Conor Robinson

Jack on the podium with Richard Charles (centre) and Conor Robinson (left)

Report: Dave Turnbull - 11/8/08

Lloyds TSB Endurance athlete Jack Nixon came of age at the weekend when he took the bronze medal in the English National 3,000 metres Track Championships at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.

Jack was up against the two fastest athletes in the UK, Richard Charles of Ealing Southall (gold) and Conor Robinson of Cornwall AC (silver).

In a thrilling race which saw Jack take the lead after four laps, the trio battled it out for the medals leaving the rest of the field in their wake.

Crossing the line in 9-27.95, Jack set a new personal best to climb to 12th place in the UK rankings

Coaches Mike and Pete Nixon where delighted with the result saying this has been a great season for Jack and for all of the endurance group where dedication and commitment has been the key.

Meanwhile Steve Vernon continued his good progress towards the Snowdon Mountain Trial Race by smashing the course record in the Cracken Edge fell race by over 18 seconds to cross the line 1 minute 50 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Stuart Bond of Tommy’s fell runners.

The rest of the Lloyds TSB Endurance group will be in action at Trafford on Tuesday where Andy Nixon will line up in the 3,000m, Mike Cook in the BMC 1,500m and Jack Morris will attempt to break the 2 minutes barrier in the 800 metres.

Jenny Knass finished second in the Sale 10, knocking 18 seconds off her best with 1-01-22

The Sale 10

Reports: Phil McCann - 3/8/08

This year’s Sale 10 miler saw more of the Harriers’ ladies’ records tumble as well as a male one.

It was an early start for the event due to police intervention, however this made for quiet roads around the 4 lap course.

In the women’s race England International Sue Harrison coming back from injury completed the course in 57-50. Jenny Knass finished second, knocking 18 seconds off her 2006 best with 1-01-22, third was Amy Green of Keighley & Craven in 1-03-54.

Close on her tail were Sarah Lomas and Belle Vue’s Alison Seadman. They were racing neck and neck with Sarah out-kicking her with a half mile to go to clock a personal best by over 2 minutes. Alison Sedman was 5th also with a personal best, showing what can be acheived when racing together.

Kerrie Wood was in fine form after an illness and clocked 1-07-35, a new club record for V40 to finish 7th. Our next lady Liz Turton 2nd V50 having a real battle with Julie Fairclough. Liz clocked 1-16-16 with Julie getting a personal best by 3 minutes clocking 1-16-21. Helen Todd was again giving these two something to think about with a time of 1-17-57.

New ladies to the club now having got a few races under their belts were Claire Wilson with a best of 1-27-06 and Jane O’Hara giving me a run for my money with 1-32-05 best. Better luck next time Jane, never take anything for granted when you pass someone they as in my case come back at you!

Finally Chris Bryans has given the club a new record of 1-28-27 for Male V70.

Sale 10 results
Pos	Name	Cat/Pos	Time
26	Dean Matkin	M	59:26
37	Jenny Knass	L 2	1:01:22
59	Sarah Lomas	L 4	1:04:18
70	John McCabe	M	1:05:35
71	Peter Friggieri	M	1:05:56
84	Kerrie Wood	L40 2	1:07:35
142	Liz Turton	L50 2	1:16:16
146	Julie Fairclough	L40 6	1:16:21
155	Helen Todd	L50 3	1:17:57
201	Steve Fairclough	V40 27	1:26:26
204	Claire Wilson	L 39	1:27:06
210	Chris Bryans	V70 2	1:28:27
221	Philip McCann	V50 7	1:31:57
222	Jane O’Hara	L 49	1:32:05

Scottish Gas 10k Edinburgh

Toni McIntosh completed another milestone at the Scottish Gas 10k in Edinburgh. Toni who had recently dipped under 37 minutes at the City of Manchester 10k finishing 5th was beaten by some fine athletes including two Kenyans.

This time she was not going to let it rest at that and came out on top in a fiercely challenged 10k with 6 women battling from start to finish. Toni's tactics were spot-on vying for the lead throughout the race, Toni managed to get away in the later stages by putting in a fast last 2k which included beating an Eritrean.

Another notch in her belt to win in 36-09, knocking 50 seconds off her Manchester time. For Toni her training and racing is coming together after a year of difficulties and injury.

Alderley Edge Trail Race

The Alderley Edge trail race saw Alison Coulson and Alexis Dinsmor running in fine form. Both were up ther even though the field was small. Alison clocked 39-95 and as 6th lady and 2nd V45. Alexis who has been breaking many club records for thr V55 catorgory clocked 41-36 and as 1st V50.

Club Championships and Grand Prix Meeting

The Club Championships will be held Tuesday/Wednesday 9th/10th September at Woodbank Stadium. More details to follow.

There is to be a Grand Prix track meeting at Woodbank Park on Wednesday 3rd September in conjunction with DASH Athletics.

Download Grand Prix entry form

Club records and personal bests tumble

Report: Phil McCann - 28/7/08

Bramhall Park 5k Time Trial

On a warm Saturday morning July 26th saw 15 Harriers running of the Bramhall Park Time Trial. There are 10 venues through out the UK that hold this series of time trials mostly held on a Saturday morning, there is even an event held in Zimbabwe.

Bramhall Park’s event started on the 19th April of this year and has had 31 Harriers complete 70 runs between them. This time we saw two lady Harriers break Club records, the first being Sarah Aylmer who broke the V45 in a time of 20-47, Alexis Dinsmor then broke the V55 in 22-34.

The event is free to enter, you just have to register a few days prior to the event then turn up and run.

These time trials are good in that you get a recorded time which is posted on the website very quickly which is great in this day and age. You can also see how you are faring overall and at the same event. It also gives you the club’s overall times and the men and women’s league with the Club’s fastest male and female overall being James Scott Buccleuch 17-05 and Sarah Aylmer 20-47.

This week saw Sarah run a personal best, club record and finish 2nd lady. This was followed up by Alison Coulson 3rd lady, getting close to her best only 30 seconds off in 21-34. Alexis Dinsmor with her club record clocked 22-34 then Vicky Buckley just behind her running consistently as ever clocked 23-42. Jenny Kinnaird kept up her training with a time of 27-00. Finally Carole Nixon kept it running in the family (excuse the pun) with her first 5k clocking 27-58.

Sale Sizzler 5k

Thursday evening 24th July was the 3rd of the 4 Sale Sizzler 5k races. The race that starts and finishes on Wythenshawe track but is a fast flat course around the park.

Once again we had a 4 ladies competing, a little down on this one. Jenny Knass and Sarah Lomas were in excellent form both running personal bests. Jenny finished 3rd lady in 18-00, 4 seconds off her best and was desperate to go under the 18 minute barrier but was just that one second away.

Sarah like-wise finished 7th lady in 19-08, took 30 seconds of her best, getting closer to the sub-19 barrier.

Liz Turton who has been having a great run of form finished in 22-22 with Victoria Healy clocking 26-00 this gave us 2nd team, following up our 1st place from the last event.

As it stands in the women's league positions for this event for Stockport Harriers’ ladies are:
Overall Position	Name
6th	Sarah Aylmer
10th	Alison Coulson
13th	Helen Garner
19th	Alexis Dinsmor
20th	Tracy Sloane
23rd	Maureen Wilkins
25th	Vicky Buckley
46th	Kathryn Ward
85th	Jenny Kinnaird
100th	Carole Nixon
176th	Kathryn Price
Total number of women runners for Bramhall stands at 216

Toni wins the Girvan Half Marathon

Report: Phil McCann- 22/7/2008

Last week saw Toni McIntosh win the Girvan Half Marathon in Scotland. Toni battled all the way against Fiona Matheson who had beat her convincingly the year before.

On a tough hilly and windy course they were stride for stride most of the way but Toni took control in the last mile and out kick to win in 1-20-55.

This moved her into the Power-of-10 UK top 100 rankings ranking 64th in the UK. With more to come she will be hoping to go under the 1-20 barrier at the Great Glasgow Run in September then follow up that at the Great North Run in October.

Toni has been greatly improving over the shorter distances as well she clocked 36-59 at the City of Manchester 10k finishing 5th. She was 3rd placed the year before but such was the field that she ran much faster and up against a stronger field including a couple Kenyans which said it all.

Kerrie Wood finished just outside 42 minutes but was 2nd over-40. Other lady Harriers running well on the day were Liz Turton, Alison Coulson and Nicola Logue along with myself finding it hard

European Mountain Championships

Report: Dave Turnbull - 20/7/2008

Steve Vernon finished first Briton in 20th at the European Mountain Championships

The Harriers’ Lloyds TSB Squad had athletes competing in three championships over the weekend.

At the European Mountain Championships on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest Steve Vernon finished first Briton in 20th after being with the leaders up until half way

Steve fell away in the second half of the race with a stitch but managed to hold on for a top twenty place.

At the Olympic Trials Ben Styles and Becky Lyne competed in the 800 metres, Ben at his first senior championships finished 8th in his heat.

Becky was just edged out in her heat in 2-06 making the following days final as a fastest loser.

In the final despite a brave move to take the lead at the bell Becky finished eighth.

The English Schools’ are a place where the first footstep on the athletic ladder to the top begins.

The Squad had three athletes at the Championships, in the 1500 metre Junior Boys’ Jack Nixon ran close to his best to finish 10th in 4-25.

Luci McLoughlin ran her season’s best of 4-39 to finish 7th in the Senior Girls’ 1500 metre final and Mike Cooke 8th in the Senior Boys’ final in 4-01 from the 15 starters.

The Cotswold Way Relay

Report: Isaac - 3/7/08

Following on from his recent success in the British Mountain Running Championships Steve Vernon joined nine of his club mates to do battle with 67 other 10-man teams in the Cotswold Way Relay.

It wasn’t going to be the pace of the team, nor the severity of the climbs that would be our downfall, it was the inability to read a map, follow directions or even know left from right. With all the other 67 teams being located within spitting distance of the Cotswolds and being able to do recces of the course as part of their club training nights.

Stockport Harriers with a team consisting of 3 ladies and seven men and an age range from sixteen to sixty (happy birthday Brian!) eventually finishing some 45 minutes behind a very good Chepstow Harriers’ team who are local enough to know every blade of grass along the course.

The Cotswold Way Relay, organised by Team Bath Athletic Club, cuts an undulating trail from Chipping Campden to the centre of Bath in a 110 mile route taking in every hill and climb along the way, each leg is run as a separate race and times added up at the end of each leg - really well organised and finishing up in the centre of Bath outside The Abbey before moving on to the presentations and plentiful rehydration at the excellent facilities at Bath Rugby club.

Having performed so well already the team, or possibly teams are looking forward to next year’s event.

Stage	Name	Time	Stage Position
1	Steve Maclean	01:24:00	4th
2	Steve Vernon	01:24:29	2nd
3	Jackie Newton	01:16:36	34th / F5th
4	James Corden	01:34:27	6th
5	Lee Barratt	01:33:30	26th
6	Sam Thomas	01:42:13	57th / F14th
7	Amber Whewell	01:06:21	31st / F5th
8	Bashir Hussian	01:24:25	2nd
9	Sean Whewell	01:10:41	10th
10	Brian Holland	01:13:31	13th
Final Positions
2nd	Stockport Harriers	13:50:13

Steve won the British Mountain Running Championships by over forty seconds in gale force winds

Lloyds TSB Endurance Squad update

Report: Dave Turnbull - 1/7/2008

Two of the Lloyds TSB Endurance Squad were in action last weekend over two very different disciplines.

At the UK Under-20/23 Track Championships in Bedford club 800 metre record holder Ben Styles narrowly missed out on making the under-23 final by one 10th of a second in his heat to finish third.

It went to the line as Ben just struggled to hold onto the lead in the last twenty metres.

Steve Vernon who was up in the fells at Sedburgh became the British Mountain Running Champion winning a place in the UK team for the European Mountain Championships to be held in Germany this month.

Steve won by over forty seconds in gale force winds from James Walsh of Leeds City.

Three of the younger members of the squad have been selected to represent the Greater Manchester County at the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships in July at Gateshead Stadium, Michael Cooke senior boys’, Jack Nixon junior boys’ and former junior English Schools’ champion Luci McLoughlin all compete over the 1500 metres.

Chester Triathlon

Report: Neil Wilkins - 24/06/08

Some great performances were had this weekend in a very windy Chester, with some of our Stockport ladies and men battling through an Olympic size triathlon, with a 1,500 metre swim 40km bike ride and a very undulating 10km run.

The ladies were in the River Dee at 8.10am swimming up the river against the current, Julie Aikin having a fabulous swim in her best time of 30-30 minutes followed by Maureen Wilkins 35-00 also a PB then Jan Booker doing her first ever triathlon and 1st open water swim did an incredible 45 minutes. Kevan Garner and Steve Mac who started in a later wave both had a super swim, unfortunate for Steve he had to pull out on the cycle, having got a puncture.

Julie, Jan and Maureen completed their bike ride in very good times the wind was against them all the way, making it even harder, then the 10k run was a battle in itself up and down all the way round, all the ladies having a good finish, however I can imagine the air being quite blue with Julie Aikin running up the hills, (she loves them so much)!!

All-in-all a great day was had with Stockport Harriers now on the Chester map.

Name	Swim	Bike	Run	Total
Maureen Wilkins	35.00	1.25.29	52.39	2.56.20
Julie Aikin	30.30	1.30.48	62.55	3.07.40
Jan Booker	49.48	1.51.21	59.31	3.45.34
Kevan Garner	27.15	1.06.30	41.04	2.17 13

The Kinder Trog

Report: Isaac - 24/06/08

Near perfect race day conditions for this grueling 25km fell race with over 4000ft of climb. Last minute preparations by everyone to check they had all the compulsory items with them (compass, map, whistle, emergency rations!)

A great turnout from Stockport Harriers, some even wearing Pennine vests (wash my mouth out!) for the day - but they know who they are and are forgiven.

The only Harrier to win a prize was Claire Wilson receiving a spot prize for having travelled from Northern Ireland for the race.

Place	Name	Time
26th	Sean Whewell	2:10:42
54th	Brian Holland	2:21:22
61st	Len Best	2:21:54
109th	Estelle McGuire	2:37:30
110th	Andy Fowler	2:37:51
116th	Andy Titley	2:40:05
135th	Alexis Dinsmoor	2:45:55
166th	Lee Barratt	3:02:26
174th	Lucy Harris	3:08:33
179th	Darren Burns	3:11:57
191st	Claire Wilson	3:30:56

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