Darlington 10k has to be one of my favourite races of the year without question, it’s fast, local, easy to enter and a very high standard to push everyone onto that all important PB. Last year this was a great race for me, I was in the best shape of my life and flew round in 35:45 which was still my 10k pb as I stood on the start line a year later with 51 fellow striders.
The number 1 strider support crew were in full force with Catherine Smith and Flip leading the cheers on the day, this is a real boost for races like this and a big help and greatly appreciated by all. They managed to capture some fantastic pictures and made the day even more special for us runners, so a big personal thank you from me.
I travelled down with 3 other fellow striders, parking up was easy and everything is very well organised. Good changing facilities, easy bag drop and central location for start/finish. Had a catch up with fellow striders then hit the road with speedy Rob and Simon for a good warm up. Not sure if its just me, but I felt a real buzz in the air, the weather was dry, no wind and the smell of PB was definitely in the air.
My running lately has really started to improve due massively to the input of my coach Allan who has invested his time and effort into my training. This is something as a club that we are really blessed with as Allan also successfully trains many striders like me in the club. After the London I knew my normal/typical running low was on the way and Allan’s 10k training program really helped boost my spirits with Darlington was my end goal.
I had a plan for this race which almost worked to perfection, the first 2 miles were the key for a chance at that PB. 10 sec below 35:45 pace for those first miles, next 3 trying to pick people off and really go for it to the end. So off we went and 5:47 average for first 2 miles, a great start. Time to start picking up the pace and chasing people down. The plan worked well but the course really is not that flat and you can see this clearly in the mile split times. The down hill sections do make up for it very well but it is still challenging at times. Running the course last year really helped, so i knew the finish was down hill and very fast, as you enter the shopping high street its really time to push hard for the line. I spent the whole race passing people and had a great battle with a Durham Harrier lad to the end and was a big buzz leaving him behind as I shot for the line.
Now I kept a eye on my splits so knew it would be close to a pb, but had no real idea of my time in that last mile or as I crossed the line. A very happy and big shock as I saw 35:30 on my watch and a massive sense of joy with another fantastic PB I really did not expect to get any time soon.
I was very shortly followed by rob everson @36:24 with another PB and showing great form over a distance that I know is hard for him. 49 striders were left to follow and all had a great run, comeback pb for coach Allan who somehow managed to fall towards the end and got spoiled rotten by the friendly first aid people after the race. Starting to learn this is standard for the coach and not his first trip .
PB runs also for Michael Littlewood @ 38:10, Catherine Elliott @ 48:44, Andrew Davies @48:26
All showing great form and surpassing their tentative pre race predictions. Strong runs from Lesley Charman and Simon Gardner also, showing real running form at a tough distance.
So another strider GP race done and I must admit to a sly happy grin when the nameless GP point hunter was unable to show. This due to being on an amazing holiday and really no contest when you have to decide a holiday or a GP run.
Fantastic race and will definitely be here again next year.
Results
position | bib | name | club | cat | finish time | chip time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1425 | Marc Scott | Richmond & Zetland Harriers | Senior M | 0:30:42 | 0:30:42 |
23 | 1344 | Justina Heslop | Elswick Harriers | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 0:34:45 | 0:34:44 |
29 | 642 | Gareth Pritchard | Senior Men | 0:35:32 | 0:35:30 | |
44 | 1556 | Rob Everson | Senior Men | 0:36:26 | 0:36:24 | |
63 | 1965 | Simon Gardner | Vet Men 45-49 | 0:37:10 | 0:37:04 | |
85 | 1039 | Michael Littlewood | Vet Men 40-44 | 0:38:13 | 0:38:11 | |
221 | 1238 | Paul Pascoe | Vet Men 45-49 | 0:41:51 | 0:41:44 | |
427 | 1240 | Fiona Jones | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 0:46:29 | 0:46:03 | |
442 | 1097 | Michael Ross | Vet Men 40-44 | 0:46:41 | 0:45:56 | |
457 | 1219 | Greta Jones | Vet Ladies 45-49 | 0:46:58 | 0:46:23 | |
459 | 1281 | Philip Connor | Senior Men | 0:46:58 | 0:46:43 | |
465 | 1509 | Danny Lim | Senior Men | 0:47:02 | 0:45:05 | |
504 | 1557 | Martin Welsh | Vet Men 50-54 | 0:47:41 | 0:46:43 | |
536 | 1224 | Karen Jones | Vet Ladies 45-49 | 0:48:14 | 0:47:39 | |
569 | 887 | Andrew Davies | Senior Men | 0:48:53 | 0:48:26 | |
576 | 1640 | Catherine Elliott | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 0:49:00 | 0:48:44 | |
587 | 199 | David Spence | Vet Men 65-69 | 0:49:10 | 0:48:11 | |
611 | 1028 | Lesley Charman | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 0:49:35 | 0:48:48 | |
622 | 1288 | Richard Hall | Vet Men 55-59 | 0:49:46 | 0:47:49 | |
652 | 1205 | Victoria Brown | Senior Ladies | 0:50:26 | 0:49:56 | |
693 | 1642 | Craig Elliott | Senior Men | 0:51:19 | 0:51:03 | |
725 | 599 | Katherine Preston | Vet Ladies 45-49 | 0:51:56 | 0:51:10 | |
786 | 626 | Lindsay Rodgers | Vet Men 45-49 | 0:53:01 | 0:52:15 | |
805 | 1124 | Stephen Ellis | Vet Men 60-64 | 0:53:21 | 0:52:35 | |
899 | 1011 | Kate MacPherson | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 0:55:01 | 0:54:15 | |
1013 | 1053 | Robin Linton | Senior Men | 0:57:19 | 0:55:06 | |
1071 | 1364 | Louise Hughes | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 0:58:32 | 0:56:02 | |
1077 | 1313 | Rebecca Devine | Senior Ladies | 0:58:37 | 0:56:37 | |
1104 | 1232 | James Potter | Senior Men | 0:59:05 | 0:57:01 | |
1170 | 1237 | Angela Coates | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 1:00:06 | 0:59:19 | |
1195 | 1125 | Janet Ellis | Vet Ladies 50-54 | 1:00:45 | 0:59:49 | |
1228 | 1559 | Clare Metcalfe | Senior Ladies | 1:01:29 | 0:59:16 | |
1260 | 920 | Jill Young | Senior Ladies | 1:02:02 | 1:00:03 | |
1278 | 1287 | Helen Hall | Vet Ladies 45-49 | 1:02:32 | 1:00:43 | |
1307 | 342 | Sophie Dennis | Senior Ladies | 1:03:29 | 1:01:40 | |
1362 | 1030 | Joanne Thompson | Senior Ladies | 1:05:09 | 1:04:13 | |
1368 | 891 | Laura Chapman | Senior Ladies | 1:05:20 | 1:04:24 | |
1427 | 1245 | Laura Gibson | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 1:06:46 | 1:05:50 | |
1473 | 894 | Rebecca Embleton | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 1:08:22 | 1:06:22 | |
1491 | 1431 | Lisa Hall | Senior Ladies | 1:09:28 | 1:07:29 | |
1492 | 914 | Neil Jennings | Vet Men 50-54 | 1:09:28 | 1:07:29 | |
1513 | 994 | Joanne Richardson | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 1:10:24 | 1:07:25 | |
1514 | 1037 | Mike Elliott | Vet Men 65-69 | 1:10:25 | 1:07:26 | |
1556 | 815 | Alison Simms | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 1:13:13 | 1:11:11 | |
1563 | 905 | Rachel Leigh-Firbank | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 1:13:33 | 1:11:33 | |
1606 | 2125 | Rachel Wilcock | Senior Ladies | 1:19:25 | 1:17:24 | |
1608 | 2112 | Natalie Gillon | Senior Ladies | 1:19:36 | 1:17:34 | |
1628 | 916 | Rachel Toth | Vet Ladies 40-44 | 1:24:29 | 1:22:27 | |
1629 | 915 | Elaine Jennings | Vet Ladies 50-54 | 1:24:35 | 1:22:33 | |
1630 | 444 | Katharine Bartlett | Vet Ladies 45-49 | 1:24:35 | 1:22:33 | |
1634 | 2117 | Kerry Ellis | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 1:26:02 | 1:24:00 | |
1635 | 2133 | Donna Austin | Vet Ladies 35-39 | 1:26:02 | 1:24:00 | |
1636 | 628 | Allan Seheult | Vet Men 70-74 | 1:26:17 | 1:23:06 |
1649 finishers.