The Harrier’s endurance athletes have been busy in competition as the cross country season drew to a close this weekend and the Northern Road Relays starts the traditional forerunner to the track season.
England indoor Championships, Birmingham
In February Chelsea Jarvis continued her good winter form with a win at the England Athletics indoor championships 1,500 metre under-17 women’s in a time of 4.46.
World Cross Trial, Birmingham
Back on the cross at the World Cross trial at Birmingham Elle Baker continued her progression after a year and a half out with a return on the cross and a positive 18th position in her first race since running for Great Britain at the World Cross Championships in Mombasa, Kenya in 2007.
The club’s top marathon runner Jenny Knass representing the Greater Manchester team finished in 137th in the same race.
National Cross Champion Steve Vernon headed the Greater Manchester team finishing in 9th.
Jack Morris in his first outing in the Junior men’s trial finished 39th and Jack Nixon was 75th in the under-17 men’s race.
Alex Minshull representing Derbyshire in 276th and Kevin Acton Cheshire 226th in the under-15 boys’ race.
English Schools
The English Schools Cross Country Championships at Nottingham’s Wollaton Park was the last cross race of the season for the club’s junior member athletes representing there County teams.
Jack Nixon finished 39th in the senior boys race with training partner Jack Morris in 62nd.
In the intermediate girls race 800 metre specialist Chelsea Jarvis led the Merseyside squad home over the 3.2 kilometres in 28th, also Imogen Nutter finished 143rd.
Mollie Williams finishing well in 86th for third counter in the junior women’s Greater Manchester team that took third County team.
Senior Northern Road Relays
Elle Baker had only one thing on her mind on the opening leg of the Northern Women’s 6 stage Road Relays and that was to run the fastest leg of the day which she achieved in a time of 12.09.
Elle led the way on leg 1 beating Trafford’s Cath Riley in a winning margin of 14 seconds.
Elle’s time remained the fastest of the day after all the 6 stages with 1,500 metre Beijing Olympian Charlene Thomas of Wakefield in 12.11 next fastest and GB cross international Lauren Howarth of Leigh in 12.12.
Next up for Elle will be the English National Women’s 6 Stage Relays at Sutton Park, Birmingham on April 9th, traditionally a last chance for Marathon runners to sharpen their legs before the London Marathon - the biggest fun run in the World at the end of April.
Any athletes interested in participating in the Women’s team on Saturday 9th April can contact David Turnbull by March 24th on 07841 504304.
NCCA Indoor Finals
Ross Millington made the final of the prestigious USA National Collegiate Athletic Association 3,000 metres finals finishing 11th. Eighteen athletes from the National USA Collegiate rankings made the finals and had to run sub 8 minutes to get to the finals.
Ross Next target will be Mount Sac Relays where he will run in the 5,000 metres and will hope to achieve the under-23 standard for the European Championships.