With the Bridlington half-marathon a designated handicap race for Beverley Athletic Club, members turned out in force for the race last Sunday.
The event also incorporated the Yorkshire Veterans’ Championships and attracted a field of more than 700 runners so the competition was strong.
There were some notable achievements amongst Beverley Athletic Club runners – several personal bests, a few prizes and lots of handicap points.
The first Beverley athlete to complete the course was new member Nicholas Riggs. He finished in 29th position in a commendable 1.23.21. The first Beverley lady was Lucy Stamford in a new personal best time of 1.39.36. She also won second prize in her age category in the Yorkshire Vets Championships.
New member Alan Flint made his mark for Beverley by winning first prize in the V60 category in a remarkable time of 1.36.33.
However, the star performance was by Amanda Ritchie who has returned to competitive racing after a break of several years. Ritchie has been training hard recently and her efforts were well rewarded with her best time for a half-marathon in a long time. She finished in 1.45.36, more than 10 minutes faster than her predicted time, and won the handicap.
Second in the club handicap competition was Neal Madden, another athlete striving to regain past form. Madden finished six minutes ahead of his handicap time in 1.41.33 and will be delighted with his progress. Miranda Hunt had an excellent run and beat her previous best over this distance by six minutes. Newcomers David Gardner and John Fewings also ran well.
The Brid Half follows a challenging hilly course and weather conditions can make a big difference to how athletes perform. This year conditions were good – bright sunshine, a slight breeze and a reasonable temperature for the time of year. The race was won by Andrew Pearson of Longwood Harriers in 1.07.18. The first lady to cross the line was Emma Yates of York Knavesmire Harriers in 1.23.25.
Beverley Athletic Club finishing times:
Nicholas Riggs 1.23.21; Darren Rodmell 1.26.55; Andy Johnson 1.27.13; Daniel Hardy 1.31.37; Steve Evins 1.35.51; Pete Watkinson 1.35.57; Alan Flint 1.36.33; Lucy Stamford 1.39.36; Neal Madden 1.41.33; David Gardner 1.42.56; John Fewings 1.44.14; Amanda Ritchie 1.45.36; Lucas Meagor 1.49.31; Jed Holden 1.49.38; David Robinson 1.49.45; Angela Collins 1.52.16; Tim Simpson 1.52.16; Miranda Hunt 1.52.36; Debs Brant 1.58.33; Fiona Holland 1.59.52; Pam Atkins 2.13.35; John Boardley 2.19.24;
Photos courtesy of Dave Gowans of East Hull Harriers
