The Major Stone half-marathon made a welcome return to the local race calendar last weekend after a two-year absence and attracted a field of 136 athletes.
A sixteen-strong contingent from Beverley Athletic Club took part in the race and the first of them to complete the 21 km course was Jonathan Leskiewicz. He finished in fourth position overall in 1:18:06 behind a very strong first three consisting of Steve Bateson, Phill Taylor and Darran Bilton.
Leskiewicz ran really well, holding pace the whole time and moving through from ninth to fourth during the race.
Rob Snaith was the next Beverley runner to finish. Currently in training for the Chester Marathon next month he had a long warm up and cool down to cover 20+ miles altogether and ran the race at marathon pace. He enjoyed the event but did not like the windy conditions.
It was a very successful day for Beverley’s ladies who won the ladies’ team prize. Julie Donald was the first Beverley lady to finish, the tenth lady overall and she won first prize in the F40 category. She was followed closely by Sam Allen who finished second in the F40 age group and recorded a new personal best of 1:44:35. Helen Storr made up the team. She was third in the F45 category and finished in 1:47:44.
Other notable veteran achievements were by Mark Dalton and Andy Johnson who finished in 16th and 17th places and were second in the M50 and M40 categories respectively.
The race route is a pleasant one on quiet rural roads around the village of Lockington but the gently undulating course is very open and runners had little shelter from the strong wind that was the tail end of hurricane Katia.
Despite the windy conditions Andy Grainger was delighted to record a new personal best time of 1:49:55 after a desperate dash to the finishing line to break the elusive 1 hour 50 barrier.
The race was a designated handicap race for Beverley Athletic Club athletes. Tony Beck won the handicap beating his predicted time by more than four and a half minutes.
It was the first half-marathon for Victoria Evins who joined Beverley Athletic Club recently. She finished in 2:30:57 and will be striving to break two hours thirty next time.
The race was won by Steve Bateson of East Hull Harriers in 1:10:56 two minutes ahead of second placed Phill Taylor of Bridlington Road Runners. The first lady was Louise Brown of Scarborough AC in 1:21:20.
Beverley Athletic Club finishing times:
Jonathan Leskiewicz 1:18:06; Rob Snaith 1:20:30; Mark Dalton 1:26:20; Andy Johnson 1:28:04; Julie Donald 1:43:46; Sam Allen 1:44:35; Helen Storr 1:47:44; Tony Beck 1:48:45; John Fewings 1:49:30; Andy Grainger 1:49:55; Michael Anderson 1:52:41; Miranda Hunt 1:53:55; Pam Atkins 2:14:51; John Boardley 2:16:42; Frank Harrison 2:20:07; Victoria Evins 2:30:57.
Reported by Kay Farrow | Photos by Dave Gowans
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