Mansfield Harriers out in force on the roads.
The Abbey Dash 5K is hosted yearly by local club Redhill Road Runners in the grounds of Newstead Abbey with this years race being held in conjunction with the Notts AAA County 5K Championships and Mansfield Harriers turned up in big numbers. The race was impacted by the timing provider not arriving however fantastic prompt action from the host club allowed the event to go ahead.
The Mansfield women continue to impress and with five athletes under 19 minutes with four of these Under 15 the future is certainly bright. On her 13th birthday Charley Whysall put in a phenomenal run to record 17.53 and win the ladies race with Under 13 Evie Clifton recording a massive new best time of 18.30 for 3rd overall. Maisy Slack recorded a PB of 18.52 and Emily Pares was another with a big personal best as she recorded a sub 19 for the first time with 18.58. In a rare appearance for the club as she is studying in the USA Mollie Scott recorded 18.56. Numerous PB’s and great performances were recorded by the Mansfield women as Myanie Westwood recorded 19.28, Isla Millns 20.02, Louise Rowley 21.21, Helen Jones 21.22, Cristina Dinescu 21.33, Claire Watson 22.30, Nic Hubbard 22.39, Izzy Westwood 23.11, Natasha Carver 23.25, Barbara Stevens 23.31, Olivia Shaw 24.03, Freya Martin 24.07, Claire Croll 24.48, Penny Westwood 26.11, Natasha Speight 27.07, Chris Fell 27.30, Heather barber 28.15, Carol Fickling 30.35, Tina Copcutt 32.59 and Marta Warren 35.31
After a year blighted by illness and injury Mansfield junior cross country international Jacob Nugent is now getting firmly back on track recording 15.44 for a pleasing 3rd overall and 1st Junior. A string of fine performances saw many more athletes put in big personal best performances on the challenging Dash course. Jan Bailey was next home in 4th with 15.53 closely followed by Dan Nugent 16.02, Simon Fisher 16.32, Reece Carver 16.45, Jack Pares 16.46, Charlie Taylor 16.53, Matt Bottomore 17.03, Oliver McClemens 17.15, Martin Fickling 17.30, Rob Kendrick 17.33, Dan Adams 17.39 and Simon Kelly 17.48 all under the 18 minute barrier. Teddy Macintyre was next back recording 18.14 with Fraser Bain 18.40, Jamie Macintyre 18.50, Oliver Buglass 18.59, Andy Walker 19.06, Neil Halstead 19.22, Ben McClemens 19.32, Will McClemens 19.33, Jason Taylor 19.40, Craig Jewitt 19.45, Mihnea Radu 19.45, Stuart Whysall 19.55, Fin Strawther 20.07, James Aspinall 20.49, Paul Castledine 21.06, Joe Troman 21.15, Mark Strawther 21.46, Phil Beardsley 22.12, Oliver Adams 22.19, Andy Longmead 22.50, Vaughn Chamberlain 24.16, Colin Fell 25.21, Dave Robertson 25.24, Andrew Kennedy 26.03, Steve Davies 25.34, Colin Sawers 27.53 and Alistar Hollman 28.55.
In the challenging Ashbourne Half marathon Chris Patterson but in a superb stint to finish second in a time of 72.53, closing the leader in the latter part of the race he ran out of miles and only finished 16 seconds behind the winner. Racing at the Buxton Carnival 4 mile was a family affair for Charlie and Jason Tayor with Charlie having a fantastic run for 2nd place recording 23.07 and dad 37th in 27.29. Several athletes made the short trip to Derbyshire to race the Crich Monument Hill race with Helen Jones having a terrific run to take the ladies race with Claire Croll 11th, Jo Horan 19th, Claire Coombes 25th and Karen Kowalski 33rd. Fraser Bain was the only Mansfield man racing coming home in 22nd place.