Weekend update includes bettering the UK best by Marc Scott
Top performances were seen on the roads of Lancashire over the weekend at both Clitheroe and Preston with Marc Scott (handicap -6.8) beating the UK best (subject to ratification) over 5k. Josh Kerr (handicap -6.4 ) and Jake Heywood (handicap -4.7) were performing in a tactical race over 800m in the USA whilst Manx athletes were showing great form on their island in the Irish Sea.
World class performances were recorded at the Barrowford Podium 5k on Saturday evening.
Marc Scott (handicap -6.8) bettered Nick Goolab’s British 5k record on the roads of Barrowford by virtue of a swift 13:20 in blustery conditions (subject to ratification). Having already broken the British 5000m record indoors in Boston in February, Scott put the hammer down from the off going through 3k in 8:02 and recorded a second British record of his career, seven seconds under the previous time.
Alex Yee (handicap -4.5), who took second place behind Marc Scott, was also inside the previous record with a 13:26 personal best. Philip Sesemann (handicap -5.8) crossed the line in third with a personal best in 13:39.
In the elite women’s race, Beth Potter (handicap 0.7) was winning her first 5k road race since 2014, and she set a personal best of 15:24. Beth was followed home by Jessica Judd (handicap -2.3) in 15:36, who held off Verity Ockenden (handicap -0.9), who finished one second behind in third place.
Nearby, the Preston 5 and 10 mile events took place In a slightly different fashion to the usual format, the races were run as staggered time trials.
The overall fastest time in the 5-mile was set by the improving Ben Johnson (handicap -4.9) with 24:40, just 18 seconds short of his PB. Joe Monk (handicap -4.0) ran a PB for 25:00. Kirsty Longley (handicap -0.2) took women’s event in 28:28 with Laura Gent (handicap 2.4) in second with 29:00.
The winning woman over 10 miles was Emily Kearney (handicap -0.3) who took gold in 56:33 in her 10-mile debut. In second place was GB marathoner, Tracy Barlow (handicap -0.3) who clocked 58:25, with Rachel Brown (handicap 1.1) third in 60:50.
At the Big Friendly 4 meeting in Portland, Oregon, middle-distance specialist Josh Kerr (handicap -6.4 ) kept up his fine form as he pushed Botswanan Nijel Amos all the way in the men’s 800m. Amos was stalked by Kerr for the two-lap race and sat right on his shoulder at the bell, but Amos just did enough to hold off the fast approaching Kerr, with Amos stopping the clock in 1:49.23, marginally ahead of Kerr’s 1:49.29 that earned him second position. Jake Heyward (handicap -4.7) recorded a season’s best 1:50.43 as he cut the tape in fifth position.
Sarah Webster lights up Manx Marathon
At the Isle of Man Marathon Sarah Webster (handicap 1.3) had a rapid run to finish fourth overall and win the women’s event in 2:46:22. The supporting half marathon event also saw some Manx class with a win in 68:18 for Alan Corlett (handicap -3.9).
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: