Alnwick Harriers

Alnwick Harriers are pleased to announce that we have a provisional date of the 25th July 2021 for the Coastal Run to take place. We are of course working with England Athletics, the National Trust and Natural England, to ensure your safety is paramount regarding this event. We will be starting the race early morning but will announce timings nearer the date, as we will need to consider both staggered start times and the tide.

For anybody who has signed up for our event in 2020, and did not request a refund, you do not need to do anything further. Your details will be used for the 2021 event and carried forward.

There will be a small number of spaces available that will go on sale once we have confirmed dates and clarity of timings. Please keep an eye on our website and Results Base Website for further updates.

Alnwick Harriers Committee would like to thank you all for bearing with us at this difficult time. We very much appreciate you retaining your place and we look forward to hosting you all on the 25th July 2021.

Any queries/concerns please contact the Race Director: Laura McLean on ahcoastalrun2019@gmail.com

Now that the Northeast has been moved to Tier 4, unfortunately once again Alnwick Harriers Wednesday evening training sessions are cancelled until further notice.

Note that you are still allowed to exercise with one person from another household in outdoor public spaces; so Alnwick Harriers can “buddy up” for runs.

Under current government guidelines under eighteens are still allowed to train outdoors in a coached, controlled environment; therefore training for Alnwick Harriers juniors will resume as planned on Tuesday. Please contact the relevant coach for further details.

Race Report by Jo Powell

Not quite 48 hours after the feast of Christmas dinner, eight eager Alnwick harriers travelled to the picturesque village of Whalton for the Run Northumberland Festive 5 miler! A cold and crisp December morning awaited the 117 runners taking part in this undulating 5 mile road route which started in waves to enable the race to follow socially distanced guidelines.

The odd icy patch kept all runners on their toes but definitely didn’t cause any lack of speed for Alnwick harriers pathfinder and V60 crown winner Carole Page completing the road race in 36:23 . Close behind came Jo Powell very happy to be out wearing a number in 36:28. Mike Henry certainly made his stamp on this festive event finishing in 39.20 and claiming 1st V70! David Hindmarsh making the most of a number of socially distanced races in Northumberland over the last few weeks came in next shortly followed by marathon master Cris Atwell. Having successfully swapped her cleat shoes for running trainers again came home a smiling Jo Clemmit. Ian Stephenson was next through the finish enabling him to watch wife Lorna complete the race. Lorna was delighted the snow forecast at the time her start wave was due off didn’t materialise!

Runners were rewarded with a commemorative festive race mug containing chocolates.

Results: 44) Carole Page 36:23 ( 1st V60 ); 46) Jo Powell 36:28; 61) Michael Henry 39:20 (1st V70 ); 64) David Hindmarsh 39:46; 72)Cris Atwell 40:29; 82) Jo Clemmit 41:46; 104) Ian Stephenson 47:35; 117) Lorna Stephenson 1:02:16

Alnwick Harriers are pleased to announce that we have a provisional date of the 25th July 2021 for the Coastal Run to take place. We are of course working with England Athletics, the National Trust and Natural England, to ensure your safety is paramount regarding this event. We will be starting the race early morning but will announce timings nearer the date, as we will need to consider both staggered start times and the tide.

For anybody who has signed up for our event in 2020, and did not request a refund, you do not need to do anything further. Your details will be used for the 2021 event and carried forward.

There will be a small number of spaces available that will go on sale once we have confirmed dates and clarity of timings. Please keep an eye on our website and Results Base Website for further updates.

Please can Alnwick Harriers Committee thank you all for bearing with us at this difficult time. We very much appreciate you retaining your place and we look forward to hosting you all on the 25th July 2021.

Any queries/concerns please contact the Race Director: Laura McLean on ahcoastalrun2019@gmail.com

Report by Jo Powell

Hosts of this popular annual event Elswick harriers decided that covid or no covid they would find a way to make the event happen!

Normally held at Newcastle racecourse it became a virtual event this year raising money for The Pavillion Court Care Home where Elswick legend Colin Bolton lives.

Alnwick Harriers, one of 12 clubs to take part fielded 3 teams of 3 whereby each runner would run a 2-mile effort socially distanced at a location of their own choice on or between 21st to 28 th November.
Finishing in a fantastic 44 th place out of 124 teams was our trio of Jo Gascoigne-Owens, Diana Weightman and Stuart Morris.

Followed closely in 56 th place came Alnwick’s second team effort of Karen Kelly, Rosie Davison and Caro Fentiman.
Our final team finishing just outside the top half in 70 th place was Lisa Baston, Jo Powell and Tess Allan.

Well done to our three teams who hopefully enjoyed having something to aim and strive for during their solo runs whilst contributing to a team event and raising money for Pavillion Court Care Home to which the club made a donation.

Results:
44.   Jo Gascoigne-Owens 12.49
          Diana Weightman 13.43
          Stuart Morris 14.12

56.    Rosie Davison 13.20
          Karen Kelly 13.22
          Caro Fentiman 15.39

70.    Lisa Baston 13.27
          Jo Powell 13.37
          Tess Allan 18.26

It’s our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 18th November at 7.30pm which, due to Covid restrictions, will this year be held ‘virtually’ via Zoom.

Members are invited to join the meeting by using the following link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85081935068?pwd=RVQ0SUJUelhXbUROSXAxeisvcmE5dz09

Magnificent Bamburgh Castle played host to Sunday’s Run Northumberland Castles half marathon and 10K. Five Alnwick Harriers were amongst the 152 runners to endure strong gales and battle their way around the half marathon course. A particularly testing last few miles along a wild and blustery coast, coupled with a final climb up through the village, made the finish line a welcome sight! Storming round in a very impressive 1 hour and 38 minutes was Lisa Baston who finished third fastest lady of the day! Next for Alnwick Harriers came Karen Leeson in 1.57.56 bagging a thoroughly well deserved PB along the way. Joanne Clemmit, attempting to avoid thinking about a grumbling hamstring, came home in an extremely admirable time of a whisker over 2 hours. Almost matching Joanne’s time was half marathon first timer Caro Fentiman who was spotted comfortably tackling the final climb up into the village with ease! A solid performance from Mairi Campbell in 2:14:07 completed Alnwick Harriers quintet in the half marathon. The Bamburgh 10K followed a slightly different route that also included some ferocious doses of headwind. Leading the six Alnwick Harriers home in a field of 155 runners was Dave Richardson in a blistering time of 34.48 which landed him in a fantastic third place – a mere 49 seconds behind the winner! Jim Allan had a cracking run in 40.03 finishing in 24th place and coming 2Nd in the V50 category. Next for the club was Jo Powell delighted to bag a PB of 45.13 closely followed by speed veteran Carole Page, who took the V60 crown in 45.25. Good runs were also had by Tony Jackson known to his running friends as Terry.  The effervescent George Williams finished a superb 3Rd in the V65+ category.

Results: Half Marathon:

46 Lisa Baston 1:38:02

98 Karen Leeson 1:57:56

106 Joanne Clemmit 2:01:08

108 Caro Fentiman 2:01:18

138 Mairi Campbell 2:14:07

10k

3 Dave Richardson 34.48

24 Jim Allan 40.03

51 Jo Powell 45.13

53 Carole Page 45.25

79 Tony Jackson 49.18

128 George Williams 1:00:09

Alnwick Harriers are hoping to be able to submit a few teams for the Virtual Norman Woodcock Relays held between Saturday 21st and Saturday 28th November .. Details from Elswick Harriers are below.

If you are interested in taking part, please email Diana Weightman at diana.weightman63@hotmail.com

Elswick Harriers are pleased to announce the event of the virtual Norman Woodcock 2-mile relays that are to be run on or between Saturday 21st November to Saturday 28th November 2020.

This year our virtual relay event will welcome entries from clubs across the North East with teams of 3; consisting of at least one lady and one vet 35+ (can be the same person), each running 2 mile to give a combined total distance of 6 miles.

There will not be a set entry fee, however we are using this event to raise money for improving the dementia and garden facilities at Pavilion Court Care Home, where local Elswick legend, Colin Bolton lives.

The link to the Just Giving Page for this fundraiser is: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/elswickharriers-normanwoodcock-relays

As this event is to raise funds for someone that means so much to us, we would gratefully receive donations from anyone, not just those taking part.

If your club is interested please contact me by commenting below or via private message, further details and team sheets will then be emailed out to a nominated person within your club.

Please feel free to spread the word.

Richard Houghton

Mens Captain

Elswick Harriers

Beamish Hall 10k Trail Race.  11 Oct 2020
Three Alnwick Harriers travelled to the stunning grounds of the outstanding Beamish Hall Hotel in Durham to take part in this testing 10k trail race organised by Wild Deer events.
A staggered start was in place in order to keep to the current social distance guidelines.
A bright and sunny autumn morning, varied terrain and scenic woodland awaited the 240 runners taking part. 
First back for the club, in 48th  place was Jo Powell in a time of 52.08
Next through the finish and well inside the top half, was Karen Leeson in a time of 1.00:24
New club member Georgina Tetley- Paul came home in 1.19:52 and commented that the approximate 580 feet of climb spread over the course made the beautiful Kielder 10k feel like a pancake ! 
Results:
48 Jo Powell (52.08)
108 Karen Leeson (1.00:24)
214 Georgina Tetley-Paul (1.19:52)

It was another busy weekend of athletics for Alnwick athletes with competitions in Darlington and Morpeth.

Talia & Leila Thompson travelled to Darlington on Saturday both competing in the shot put and winning their categories. Leila managing a personal best throw of 9.88m to rank her 2nd in the UK!

On Sunday 5 Harriers competed at Morpeth. On the track Ollie Telfer & Lillia Purvis ran the 800m. Lilia managed a pb of 2 min 40s and Ollie (U20) had an excellent race winning the 800m overall across both senior and junior categories. Ollie ran an excellent time of 1 min 59s.

In the field events Leila Thompson (U13) won her age group & managed a new discus PB of 25.01, & Taila (U13) in her first discus competition threw well. Talia went on to win the shot put & Lillia Purvis managed another good set of throws in the U15 category.

In the javelin Antje Hall (U17) threw an excellent personal best of 28.65m to win her event and Leila had another good competition to win the U13 category.