Mansfield Harrier Gary sets new personal best at Retford half marathon

Leading the way at the Retford Half Marathon, Gary Morley put in a fantastic run coming home in a new personal best of one hour, 23.32 to finish 22nd.

Going out hard in the first few miles Gary managed to hang onto the pace and started to overtake several others in the last couple of miles.

He can now look forward to the main event when he competes at the London Marathon on Sunday, April 24.

At the Gloucester 20-mile race both Matthew Bradbury and Martin Fickling crossed the line in two hours, 34 indicating that training is going really well in preparation for the big event.

Five other Harriers also competed at Retford and all achieved impressive times.

Tony Gelsthorpe completed the course in 1.31.19, followed by Karen Waterhouse in a superb best of 1.37.58 and also winning the over-45 county championship.

Diane Stewart had a great run breaking the two-hour barrier for the first time recording 1.58.09.

Heather Shone crossed the line in 2.05.08 and the much-improved Tina Copcutt recorded 2.09.47.

At the Grantham half marathon Maddy Collinge recorded 1.53.16 and Trevor Hiscox finished in exactly two hours.

The final cross country event of the season took place on Saturday; The Inter Counties Championship at Cofton Park in Birmingham.

The best eight from each county get to run plus teams from Scotland and Wales.

Mansfield had eight athletes running for the county on the day with fierce competition throughout.

Leading the way for the ladies Ella Hughes continued her great winter finishing in 20th position at under-20 and first county runner home.

In the under-17 race both Bethany Williams and May Roberts showed they are returning to form being first two back for the county as Beth came in 93rd and May 128th.

Jade Bacon was a third team member in a very strong age group for the club coming home in 261st in her debut run in this event.

At under-15 Katie Lancaster was another making her first appearance in the event, and running for Derbyshire she came home in 263rd position.

In the under-17 boy’s race Archie Rayner came home in 50th place; the first Nottinghamshire athlete in however still suffering from his recent infection his position was not where he would expect to finish.

Matt Buchan finished a fine season coming home in 117th place.

In the under-13s race recent club addition Henry Bullough had a fantastic run in his first race at this level coming home in 200th place.

The youngster will be hoping to develop his athletic career with the club.