Hindson Hammers them All !
Two stunning performances were the highlight of the sixth race in the Winter Grand prix series on Tuesday 19th January, as Vicky Hindson and Lee Morgan shattered their own best times by huge margins.
On a cold and damp evening that was thankfully free from any of the recent snow or ice underfoot, an impressive line-up of twenty-six runners assembled for the start opposite the Village Hotel on the Silverlink estate. The 3.06 mile course is proving a popular challenge for club members, but the January evening and chilly conditions offered little suggestion of the superb performances that were to come.
Starting after some sixteen runners had headed off into the night, Vicky was partnered by Tom Westman, offering five and a-half minutes to the first starters. Confident and purposeful, Vicky was soon on her own and beginning to make up ground on those in front. Coming past the finish area on the first lap and it was clear that Vicky had the scent of victory in her nostrils - so much so, that she'd built a superb lead of twenty-six seconds by the time she came over the line for an excellent victory.
Her time of 19.00 was a forty-eight second improvement on her time in Race 3, and a superb tribute to her recent hard training over the winter months. The time is also a club record for the course, beating Donna Horne's previous record by nine seconds, and it is only nine seconds slower than the fastest-ever Womens time held by guest runner Carolyn Dickie.
Behind her, Caroline Hasson was battling hard to hold off the challenge from Kevin Payne to finish runner-up, leading home a group of twenty-four runners all finishing within ninety seconds of one another as the handicaps unravelled.
Coming home in 19th place, almost unnoticed among the crowds, was Lee Morgan, clearly delighted with his own run as, glancing at his watch, he realised that he had achieved another massive breakthrough in his patient and methodical return to competitive athletics. Lee - the former North East Counties 5k and 10k Champion - had sliced a massive forty-two seconds off his previous best for the course. His 17.09 makes him the fourth-fastest runner in this current series, and brings Mark Fenwick's 15.54 course record within touching distance.
There were some dramatic changes in the fiercely-fought competition for the overall title, as scores were adjusted to tally only the five best and left Micky Todd holding onto a narrow lead at the top of the table. Dan Weatherill moves into second place, just ahead of Dave Moir and Caroline Hasson. With two races left to go, the title remains up for grabs to well over twenty runners.
Next race in the series is February 9th.
Results (name / time / actual time)
Vicky Hindson 27.00 / 19.00
Caroline Hasson 27.26 / 21.58
Kevin Payne 27.29 / 21.04
Kerry Bentham 27.34 / 21.59
Emma Walton 27.39 / 20.39
Michael Norton 27.42 / 21.42
Steve Volpe 27.44 / 18.14
Elaine Liu 27.44 / 20.14
Micky Todd 27.47 / 20.17
Dan Weatherill 27.56 / 17.56
David Rowe 27.57 / 20.57
Dave Moir 27.57 / 17.57
Tom Westman 28.00 / 19.00
Darryl Roe 28.01 / 20.31
Graham Armstrong 28.04 / 19.34
Penny Sinclair 28.06 / 22.36
Tony Maddocks 28.08 / 22.38
Katherine Robertson 28.08 / 22.08
Lee Morgan 28.09 / 17.09
Jaonne Holmes 28.31 / 26.01
Paul Brown 28.32 / 20.02
Ruth Marshall 28.36 / 24.06
Jo McCullough 28.43 / 23.13
Sean Kelly 28.44 / 17.44
Barry Allsopp 29.00 / 19.30
Emma Osbourn 29.25 / 26.25
Fastest Times
Men
Lee Morgan 17.09
Sean Kelly 17.44
Dan Weatherill 17.56
Dave Moir 17.57
Steve Volpe 18.14
Women
Vicky Hindson 19.00
Elaine Liu 20.14
Emma Walton 20.39
Caroline Hasson 21.58
Kerry Bentham 21.59
Winter Grand Prix
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