Stratford AC out in force in latest Tempo Winter Series race

ATHLETICS

CHRISTMAS was a distant memory at the last race of 2019, as over 300 runners took to the streets and hills around Ilmington in the third race of the Tempo Winter 10k Series, reports Sally Bliss.

More than 30 Stratford AC runners took part in the race and were led home by Matt Burdus-Cook, who finished second overall and first in the M35 category in a time of 37:38 to leave him well positioned to take the overall series prize.

Richard Liggatt (7th) was frustratingly close to the 40-minute barrier in 40:01.

In close pursuit, the next eight Stratford AC runners were all inside the top 50 finishers: John Raby (12th, 40:55) Seth Turner, (15th, 2nd M45, 41:40), Max Ross (20th, 42:49), Ade Mason (24th, 42:59), Malcolm Bowyer (26th, 2nd M55, 43:18), Owen Goschenm(30th, 43:48) David Smyth (34th, 44:36) and Joe Lee (43rd, 45:51).

Mark Hateley (53rd, 46:50), John Bettles (63rd, 47:44), Clive Swain (66th, 48:10), Luke Watkins (72nd, 48:31), James Coy, (76th, 48:51), and Damian Wheeler (77th, 48:53), were all comfortably inside the 50-minute barrier.

For the Stratford AC ladies, Emma Parkin and Clare Weatherhead battled it out in 50:21 and 50:24 to finish as 14th and 15th overall females respectively.

Liuba Pasa’s time of 52:11 gave her second place in her category.

Tony Tomecek (53:28), Kimberley Lee, (54:07), Daniel Hodgkin (54:25), Carl James (55:50), Rebecca Pridham (55:56), Simon Curran (56:13), Phil Brennan (56:57), Stuart McLeod and Richard Hartwell (both 59:00) all comfortably beat the hour mark.

Neil Robertson (1:00:08) was agonisingly close to finishing under 60 minutes.

Clare Eynon (1:07:07), Alice Baxendale (1:08:22), Paul Nash (1:16:54), Gemma Smith (1:17:38) and John Butler (1:22:27) completed the Stratford team.