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London marathon performances - selected local results
Pudsey Pacers were well represented in Sunday's London Marathon with six members completing the course. Bright sunshine for the first half became difficult, cold conditions with heavy rain and puddles which hampered achieving good times.
Paul Gaile led the Pacers home, smashing his PB to attain a top 500 place in 2hr 48min 57sec, with Ed Melbourne recording 3.11.42. Rachel Johnson was well placed in the women's race, coming home in 4.07.08, backed up by a strong run from Clarissa Jones, who clocked 4.42.28.
Jonathan Kite capped a remarkable comeback from serious illness by completing the race in a highly respectable 4.45.28, tracked by proud father-in-law Arthur Wood, who arrived at The Mall in 5.04.13.
Eccleshill Road Runners offered their club places to newcomers, Paul Birrane and Claire Elener, who were delighted to finish in 3.25.21 and 3.54.30 respectively. Claire had been hampered by injury throughout her preparation and had been undertaking intensive physiotherapy just to get her round. A good time was a huge bonus.
Robert Sutton in 3.49.14 and an impressive 4.18.49 from Lindsey Winter completed the Eccleshill team.
Paul and Claire are regular training partners with the three St Bede's runners: Mick Brearley (2.58.23) and Tracy Denby (3.35.04) achieved lifetime bests. Mick was a top-100 in his age category. But Will Kerr suffered in the conditions after a magnificent three-month build-up to the race.
Another member of this Horsfall-based squad, Richard Scott from Bingley Harriers, put in a good performance in 3.07.26. Pick of the eight Bingley performers was Mary Webb's 3.45.38, while David Norfolk's 3.37.44 put him well up his age category.
Idle AC entered a team of four women. Star of the day was Joanne Belcher's 3.24.35 which placed her 68th in her category. Davina Smith (4.22.27), Anastasia Lincoln (4.51.33) and Hannah Peacock (5.18.40) were fine supporters of Joanne's effort.
In the W45 age-group, Spenborough's Richard Lee paced wife, Janet, to a finishing time of 3.36.21, which meant 81st placing in her age-group.
In the following (W50) category, Keighley & Craven's Susan Weeden ran 4.08.20, which was good for 140th position.
The largest local squad of the day was provided by Ilkley Harriers. The ten-strong team was led home by Andrew Shinn in 3.09.56. But three of the women all achieved top-100 positions in their ages: Suzanne Akeroyd, 86th in 3.29.05; Diane Kitchen, 95th in 3.40.24; and, best of the day, Christine Matthews, 8th (W55) in 3.38.09.
Equal performance of the day was arguably by Skyrac AC's Alan Bye who finished 12th M65 in a wonderful 3.33.54. Team-mate Elizabeth Grayson rounded off a good day for local women runners in 3.52.57.
7:12pm Monday 14th April 2008
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