Mansfield Harriers runners look in good shape for London Marathon

With the London Marathon only a month away, several Mansfield Harriers runners are applying the final touches to their preparations as the long road-race season gets into swing.
Mansfield Harrier Martin Fickling tuning up for a tilt at the London Marathon nest month.Mansfield Harrier Martin Fickling tuning up for a tilt at the London Marathon nest month.
Mansfield Harrier Martin Fickling tuning up for a tilt at the London Marathon nest month.

Seven athletes showed their wellbeing when completing the Ashby 20-mile race in Leicestershire on Sunday, most notably Chris Allcock, who continued his fine form by placing 21st from nearly 1,400 finishers. His time of two hours, 6.23 minutes bodes extremely well for London.

Next in for the Mansfield club was Bret Podgorzec, who showed he is wintering well by recording 2.29.18 for 193rd place, while two more London competitors also fared well, with Martin Fickling posting a time of 2.35.25 for 262nd position and Matt Bradbury clocking 2.37.29 for 301st spot.

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Jackie Duers was the first Harrier lady home, knocking six minutes off her course best to record 3.03.52, and the team was completed by the fast-improving duo Lyndsey Stevenson and Caroline Rye, who recorded 4.07.35 for 1,271st and 1,272nd respectively.

Meanwhile Maddy Collinge continued her dominance of over-65 events when winning the age-group category at the Hampton Court Palace Half-Marathon, recording 1.54.08. And Another London entrant, Steve Davies, showed he seems to be running into form at the right time, after a troubled winter, by recording 2.25 at the East Hull 20-mile event.

A successful cross-country season for the Mansfield club is nearing its conclusion, and three athletes represented the county at the English Schools Championships at Norwich. Archie Rayner and Bethany Williams both put in solid performances to finish 29th and 39th respectively in the senior boys and girls races, while Henry Bullough was a superb 189th in the junior boys’ race.

Rayner would have been chasing a medal but for a bad reaction to a recent Yellow Fever injection, while the reliable Williams was boosted as she aims to gain an athletics scholarship in the USA.

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