The Easy Runner Blog

CLAIRE Hallissey produced a superb performance to smash the course record in the Brdge Inn 5k road race.
The Bristol & West AC international won the final race of the summer series on Tuesday in a sparkling time of 16mins 21secs to carve 17 seconds off the previous record held by fellow international Wendy Nicholls of Cirencester.
“It was a terrific performance,” said race organiser Chris Elson.
Clubmate Matt Crane clocked a PB of 15mins 42secs to win the men’s race – wife Grace was a distant third to Hallissey – with Cardiff’s Pete Ryder second and Westbury Harriers’ Matt Ellis third.

Men: 1 Matt Crane (B&W) 15:42; 2 Peter Ryder (Card) 16:02; 3 Matt Ellis (WH) 16:08; 4 Steve Francis (B&W) 16:09; 5 Stuart Crees (Les Croups) 16:16; 6 Claire Hallissey (B&W, 1st woman) 16:21.
Women: 1 Hallissey; 2 Jane Wassell (Ciren) 18:39; 3 Grace Crane (B&W) 18:59. 69 finishers.

RICHARD Peters may have won the 800m A race at the British Milers’ Club meeting at the Exeter Arena on Tuesday but he wasn’t the happiest member of the family.
The man with the biggest smile – after he recovered – was younger brother Matt who smashed his personal best to finish runner-up in the C race in a time of 1:59.2.
“That takes about ten seconds off his best, that’s fantastic,” said coach Mike Down, who is now known for his over-excessive praise. “That was brilliant.”
Peters would agreed. Shame that he was lying flat on his back in the Exeter clubhouse feeling a little bit rough. No pain, no gain Matt!

ENTRIES for this years Last Chance Saloon Open Meeting on Sunday 12th September are now being accepted. The event, organised by North Devon AC, will start at High Noon and athletes can compete in up to four events, athletes under 15 years of age up to three events (100m / 200m / 300m / 400m / 800m / 1500m / HJ / LJ / TJ / SP / DT / HT / JT). The entry fee is £3 per athlete.
Download and complete the booking form below and send along with payment of £3 postal order or cheque payable to “North Devon Athletic Club” to: Sue Richards, East Hagginton House, Berrynarbor, Ilfracombe, North Devon, EX34 9SB.
Entries must be received by 4th September 2010. For further details see the event website at: www.northdevonac.co.uk

STEVE Mitchell is the new South West 3000m champion. The Bristol & West AC runner took the crown away from clubmate Jon Wills, who was missing, with a commanding performance and victory in 8miins 26.0secs at the Exeter Arena last night.
“I’m pleased with that,” said Mitchell, who unleashed a terrific last lap to leave Cardiff’s Nat lane – who was not eligible for the championships – trailing in his wake.
“I didn’t have a very good performance at the BMC race in Belfast on Saturday (he dropped out) so it is nice to bounce back with a decent run tonight.”
Training partner Owen Jones was runner-up (8;34.6) with Tavistock’s Pete Freedman third (98:36.2).
Top junior was Taunton AC’s Charlie Maclean (8:39.2) with clubmate Blair Brown winning the Under 17s age group.
Yate’s Hannah Alderson is the south west women’s champion although was clearly not happy with her time of 9:57.6. Teenager Imogen Wolsey, of Team Bath AC, was second (10:24.1) and Tavistock’s Jo Meek was third (10:26.5).

JO Pavey has admitted she was both disappointed and frustrated at having to pull out of tonight’s 10,000m final at the European Championships in Barcelona.
An unfortunate toe injury cost Pavey the chance to make her international comeback and despite intensive treatment she reluctantly decided to withdraw.
“I am very disappointed because I battled really hard to get back from the pregnancy last year,” said the 36-year-old Devonian from Feniton.
“I felt a bit like I could run on it, but when I went down to the track I couldn’t do the training sessions I needed to in order to prepare.
“It’s something I have been carrying all season but I had still managed to do things that I wanted to do. I was hoping I would be able to do enough work to try and compete at the European Championships, but unfortunately it became a lot worse.”
Now back at her London base Pavey has revealed that she will not turn her attentions to tackling the Chicago marathon in October.
“I hope the injury will settle down and allow me to do the marathon in the autumn,” added Pavey.

FINALLY, almost a week after the competition ended, it has been confirmed that Yate & District AC have missed out of the area finals of the Midland Premier South of the National Young Athletes’ League.
At the end of last week it looked like Yate might scrape through in third spot but there was no confirmation as results of one match were still outstanding.
Finally they landed at the NYAL HQ and that meant Rugby & Northampton and Cheltenham leapt above the south Gloucestershire club pushing them down to fifth and missing a place in the final by just eleven points.
Nonetheless, that may be a consolation to team manager Lesley Nunn and her helpers as organising a squad to travel to Birmingham in just a few days with many athletes now on holiday would have been an immense challenge.

National Young Athletes’ League, Midland Premier South - overall (latest): 1 Rugby & Northampton 2645 totasl points/12 match points; 2 Swansea 2404.5/11; 3 Cheltenham 2142/10; 4 2 Cardiff AC 2038.5/8; 5 Yate & District AC 2028/8; 6 Wolverhampton & Bilston 2017/8;7 Solihull & Small Heath 1861/5; 8 Halesowen 1754/5; 9 Telford 1723/5.

REIGNING champion Jon Wills has pulled out of the South West Championships 3000m at the Exeter Arena tonight.
Wills would have been favourite fir the race, which is being incorporated into the British Milers’ Club meeting, but he and wife Charlie Coffey are currently re-locating from Bristol to Leeds.
“Jon and Charlie have bought a house in Leeds so he has a lot on his plate at the moment and doesn’t feel he has the time to go to Exeter,” said coach Mike Down.
In his absence Bristol & West AC clubmate Steve Mitchell will fancy his chances of claiming first place but Devon runners Tom Merson and Pete Freedman are sure to push him.

THE last of the summer series of Bridge Inn 5K races organised by Bristol & West AC takes place a week today (Tuesday July 27th). As usual entries are on the night with race registration from 6.30pm. The race starts at 7.30pm.

FORMER World record holder and Olympic medallist Steve Cram is the star guest at the latest Bristol half marathon training day next month.
The event, held by RunBristol from Bristol City Council in partnership with the Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Bristol, will be held at Coombe Dingle on Sunday 15th August.
It is particularly for those doing half marathon distances, but is great for those doing regular running and triathlons too, and in addition to training tips, race tips and a coached running session there will also be a Q & A session with Cram.
Also there will be a free 5-10 minute consultation with sports physios, sports osteopath and sports massage therapists.
The day costs just £10 and for further information on how to book your place see the website at: www: bristolhalfmarathon.com

THE biggest and best mob match ever – that was the verdict of organiser Mike Willcox after Friday’s event over the Towpath course attracted a record turn-out of 238 runners.
“We normally only get 110 -120 so that was a fantastic entry,” said Willcox. “We had entries from Bristol & West AC and Thornbury Running Club for the first time.”
Only Nailsea Running Club and Team Bath AC were missing of the major clubs and there is some doubt as to whether Nailsea are now eligible anyway having switched their allegiance from UK Athletics to the Association of Running Clubs.
With 30 runners eligible to score Clevedon AC emerged top team with a points score of 1,319, over a thousand clear of Bitton Road Runners with hosts Great Western Runners third.
Individual winners and recipients of a pair of training shoes from sponsors Easy Runner were Ben Morley of GWR and Bristol & West AC’s Camilla Briggs.

Easy Runner GRW Towpath Mob Match 10k – men: 1 Ben Morley (GWR) 32:19. Women: 1 Camilla Briggs (B&W) 38:08.
Teams (30 to score men & women): 1 Clevedon AC 1319; 2 Bitton Road Runneres 2619; 3 Great Western Runners 2836; 4 Westbury Harriers 3358; 5 Southville Running Club 3555; 6 Bristol & West AC 3775; 7 Thornbury Running Club 5170; 8 Portishead Running Club 5260; 9 Hogweed Trotters 5404.
238 finishers.