Mallory 5K Report from Nigel Stock
Wednesday 20th August saw a good turn out of Harriers for the Hinckley Loros 5k race at Mallory Park. This race is becoming established as a friendly, low key event and whilst the weather did its best to interfere, it was again well-organised and enjoyable. The course consists of a circuit of the Mallory Park race track before exiting the track for a circuit of the village, then back for a final three quarters of a lap of the circuit finishing in front of the pits.
After Rhiannon Woolerton had completed the 1 mile Kid's Kaper in an excellent time of 8:34, twenty Harriers lined up for the main event. The race started under heavy skies, skies that proceded to empty their load on the runners in no uncertain fashion from the mid-way point. First home for the Harriers was Paul Gregory in a time of 16:57 for 12th place. He was followed by Lee Tomlinson and Gemma Steel in 17:45 and 17:55 respectively - Gemma finishing as third lady. Harriers newcomer Stephen Lee was next in 19:05, followed by ever-improving Jon Jacubecz (19:47) and Matt Dumelow (19:51 in his first 5k race) after a close battle which saw them never more than 20 metres apart - excellent races by both of them. Next in was Nigel Stock in 20:28 - as part of his marathon training he had run the 10k from Thornton to the track and ran back home again afterwards - much in torrential rain! Alan Percival pushed Nigel hard, finishing six seconds behind in 20:34, and would most probably have taken him if his shoe lace had not come undone in the final kilometre. Following on from these were Jon Shaw (21:16), Peter Leake (22:10), Clive Sawyer (22:49), Sarah Maynard (25:46), Judith Brand (26:35), Zoe Waistrell (27:56), Vanessa Costa (28:33), Mark Woolerton (30:34), Kim Sayers (33:53) and Kerry Prime and Jacquie Stock (both 35:20).
The recent discovery that the Derby Midweek 5k course had been measured short, and the subsequent removal of Derby times from the club Hall of Fame meant that there was significant opportunity for members to claim positions: Paul Gregory takes 2nd place for Senior Men. Having recently turned 40 Lee Tomlinson continues his assault on the Men's Vet 40 times, taking first place. Peter Leake establishes a Men's Vet 60 time, Gemma Steel improves her Senior Ladies time by one and a half minutes and Sarah Maynard takes the third Senior Ladies position. Kim Sayers establishes a Ladies Vet 35 time, Vanessa Costa takes the second Ladies Vet 40 spot and Judith Brand the first Ladies Vet 50.