Morpeth Harriers joins hundreds of other runners for Newcastle Run Through races

More than 600 took part in the elite A and inclusive B five kilometre races, with the evening started by a shorter 3k for Junior athletes.

And once again it was Morpeth’s Scott Beattie, now based in London, who was first back as he was last year, recording an excellent time of 13 minutes 48 seconds, some 10 seconds ahead of nearest challengers Jonathan Escalante-Phillips of Cambridge and Coleridge AC (13:58) and Derby’s Ben Connor (14:04).

There was another outstanding run in the Women’s race, with GB international Lily Partridge clocking 15:42, a new personal best for the Birchfield Harrier making the long journey north worthwhile.

Poppy Tank, the City of Plymouth athlete travelling even further for the fixture, was second in 16:00 with Middlesbrough Mandale’s Philippa Stone third in 16:29.

There were no less than 14 blue and white vests in the A race, with Carl Avery sixth and first Over-35 athlete in 14:28, and Will de Vere Owen 10th and first Over-20 in 15:05.

Also running were: Alex Brown, 13th in 15:17; Sam Hancox, 17th in 15:25; Bertie Marr, 24th and third Over-20 in 15:37; Tom Prentice, 37th in 15:48; Lee Cuthbertson, 131st in 17:47; Shaun Land, 141st in 17:51; David Stabler, 146th in 17:57 and Jamie Johnson, 221st in 19:03.

Holly Lawrence was the club’s first woman back, 15th Senior Female and 208th overall in 18:58, with Lizzie Rank 245th in 19:45 and Tayla Douglass three places behind in 19:55.

The following B race, won in a time of 18:19 by Andrew Freeman with Gateshead teenager Iona Johnstone first Female and eighth overall in 18:58, saw Pam Woodcock clock the evening’s fastest Over-70 time of 27:48.

Also finishing were: David Nicholson, third Over-65 and 84th overall in 21:14; Stephen Land, fourth Over-65 and 98th in 21:31; Laura McLean, fourth Over-35 and 132nd in 22:17 and Helen Chaplin, fifth Over-50 and 249th in 26:19.

Under-13 Jack Dhawar was the club’s only representative in the 3k event, clocking 12 minutes 13 seconds for the 3k event and finishing in 25th place.