More than 40 MAC runners in Whitworth Thread 5k race

More than 40 Matlock Athletic Club runners took part in the monthly Whitworth Thread 5k park run, which doubled up as the club's junior and senior grand prix.
Billy CartwrightBilly Cartwright
Billy Cartwright

The fine weather helped attract a record turnout of 156 athletes.

For MAC young Joe Currie was first home (18.24), taking the 20 Junior GP points too with Sam Thompson second (18.39) and Andy Sheldon third (19.12) taking the 20 Senior GP points, with MACS taking the top three spots as was also the case with the ladies.

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MAC’s Hayley Gill was first lady (21.17) gaining 20 Senior GP points, Michaela Dick second (21.19) and Alison Pye third (22.16).

A total of £136.35 was raised for Whitworth Park.

Kelly Thorneycroft took part in the Hackney Marshes Park 5k Run, taking first lady spot in a great time of 18.24.

Over in Chesterfield NWIP 5k park run took place on Saturday. MAC’s Elsbeth Grant was first lady in 18.38 and is on course to win the trophy for first female overall if she completes one more 5k to take her total to six races.

MAC was out causing a ‘Curbar Comotion’ (14.4k/403m) on Saturday.

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The fell race race starts and finishes at the Curbar Primary School and covers a variety of tracks and paths through Curbar, Frogatt and Baslow.

The race is also part of the ‘Long’ events in the Gritstone Fell Running Series.

Billy Cartwright was first MAC in third overall 1:03.37, Scott Thompson 39th in 1:15:35, John Brennan 65th in 1:22:20 and Christine Howard was 86th in 1:24.58.

On Saturday the Langdale Horseshoe Fell Race (21.1k/1,450m) took place from Old Dungean Ghyll. This was the final counter in English Fell Championship.

Les Thursto finished in 4:38:11.

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Dan Ashcroft took part in the Yorkshire Marathon on Sunday and finished in 3:33:08, 572nd out of 3,826 finishers.

The Sporting Futures Derby Half Marathon took place on Sunday with the prospect of excellent facilities at the Derby University HQ, road closures, free car parking immediately adjacent to the start and finish line, sports gel and water stations, road closures, superb organisation and lots of marshals and the promise of a fast course.

Two MAC runners were there to contest it and Simon Flitter had a strong run to achieve his target time of 96 minutes to finish in 96th place in 1:36:01.

Jim Thorneycroft had a good run to finish in 42nd position in a season’s best 1:31:47.

The winning times of 1:10:14 for Derby AC’s Alex Pilcher and 1:26:54 for Heanor’s Louise Insley shows the potential of the course to realise fast times.