Connor runs course record of 13:39 as Clare Elms clocks UK W60 record of 18:15

MID CHESHIRE 5km, Kingsley, August 29

Despite breezy conditions, partners Ben Connor and Lily Partridge gained an impressive winning double and both set PBs on the fast Kingsley course as Clare Elms improved her W60 British best with a 18:15 time which is also an unofficial world best, Steve Smythe reports.

The 2021 Olympic marathoner Connor also improved Marc Scott's 2018 course record of 13:45 and his PB from 13:43 to 13:39 (13:38 on chip) while Partridge improved her best all the way from 15:42 to 15:18 (15:17 on chip).

Connor, who ran his fastest marathon since the 2021 Olympic Trials in Seville in February in 2:14:06, has been working on his speed this summer having run his previous 5km PB in Gateshead earlier in the month.

Here he rocketed the opening slightly downhill first mile in 4:16 before dropping to 4:32 in the more uphill second mile and then blasting the last downhill kilometre well under 2:40 to give him a 27 second victory over Richard Allen with former English National winner Calum Johnson third.

Partridge, who won this event in 2022 in 15:46 and, like Johnson, is a former English and British champion, covered her first mile in a very fast 4:40 to break clear of her opponents. She then held five minute-miling over the tough mid-section before a sub-three-minute final kilometre end ed with a 15:18 personal best.

Eight seconds back, the winner of the spring race here Emily Haggard-Kearney was 13 seconds down on her May time suggesting conditions were slightly tougher this time.

In third, 20-year-old Kirsty Maher went inside 16 minutes for the first time with 15:54.

Forty-one years her senior, Elms followed up a part in a 4x800m world record a few days earlier with another record run here, albeit the World Masters, unlike the BMAF, do not recognise it as a record distance.

With 18:13 on chip it actually wasn't quite as quick as she ran here in May (18:09) but the BMAF only recognise gun times for UK bests and there, a non-record gun time of 18:31 fell short. She did run a later 18:20 at Battersea in June which was what she was chasing this time and after consultation with the organisers she started much nearer the front of the field so she had a better chance of the record.

However, while that ultimately gave her the record it meant she was overtaken by over 400 runners during the race and was never with anyone who was running at her hoped for sub-18 pace who all crossed the start line 20 seconds after her.

She said: "I didn't enjoy that as I was never running the same speed as anyone around me and it felt like a solo time trial. The first kilo at 3:25 was probably a bit too quick and I found the wind on the exposed hill very tough but I was pleased I rallied with a 3:31 final kilo."

The world masters champion this year at 1500m, 3000m, cross-country and 10km is planning to move up in distance this Autumn after a summer which has seen her set world age-group records on the track at both 1500m and mile as well as a UK best at 5000m.

Passing her during the race was W55 UK record-holder at 10 miles, half-marathon and marathon, Karima Harris.

The Highgate Harrier was targeting Lucy Elliott's 17:34 which, like Elms' time, is also an unofficial world best according to Wikipedia.

In terms of chip time, Harris was only two seconds short with a 17:36 but she took 25 seconds to cross the start line and her gun time for BMAF purposes was 18:01.

Alastair Watson was the pick of the male masters as his 14:32 at the age of 48 was just three seconds down on his 2022 UK M45 best set at this very race.

Former South of England Cross-country champion John Gilbert was first M40 a place ahead of Thomas Cornthwaite who had the same gun time of 14:37 but the latter was a second quicker on chip.

2024 British Masters cross-country champion Malcolm Eustace was first M65 in 18:24 (18:07 chip) despite staggering in a near state of collapse in the last 100 metres.

Overall: 1 B Connor (Der) 13:39; 2 R Allen (Leeds) 14:06; 3 C Johnson (Gate) 14:09; 4 S Moakes (Unsanc) 14:14; 5 J Beattie (Leeds) 14:57; 6 L Gratton (Ruge) 14:18; 7 C Rogers (Wrex) 14:27; 8 J Griffiths (Swan) 14:29; 9 R Harrison (B’burn) 14:31; 10 A Watson (Notts, M45) 14:32; 11 D Barrett (Salf) 14:33; 12 A Cole (Leeds) 14:35; 13 B McKintosh (Vale R) 14:35; 14 J Gilbert (Kent, M40) 14:37; 15 F Cornthwaite (Salf, M40) 14:37; 16 J Connell Leeds) 14:38; 17 O Donkin (Barton) 14:39; 18 M Brown (Salf) 14:41; 19 D Connolly 14:42; 20 A Chambers (Salf) 14:42

M40: 3 T Charles (Chorl) 14:48; 4 C Hardman (Salf) 14:51

M45: 2 J Hart (W&B) 15:17; 3 D Magalela (L Eaton) 15:23; 4 J Arnold (Stoke) 15:25

M50: 1 M Green (Merr’dd) 16:23; 2 C Horton (Badgers) 16:32; 3 J McKie (Wirr) 16:36; 4 A Haney (Chorl) 16:38

M55: 1 W Pearson (Elvet) 16:47; 2 D Bennett (Roch) 16:52

M60: 1 D Williams (G&G) 17:52; 2 S Watmough (Warr) 18:18; 3 A Grime (Shrews) 18:27; 4 B Park (S’port W) 18:30

M65: 1 M Eustace (C&S) 18:24

M70: 1 P Hough (Shrop) 20:53

M75: 1 R Cattle (BRAT) 22:10

Women: 1 L Partridge (Bir) 15:18; 2 E Haggard-Kearney (Warriors) 15:26; 3 K Maher (Prest) 15:54; 4 H Weedell (Vale R) 15:58; 5 N Brown (AFD) 16:19; 6 H Archer (C&C) 16:29; 7 F Murdoch (Salf) 16:34; 8 D Murphy (Vale R) 16:44; 9 F O’Hare (Liv) 16:48; 10 C Dooley (Vale R) 16:48

W40: 1 L Gawthorn (Vegan) 18:10; 2A Weyers (Chorl) 18:27

W45: 1 H Gill (Mansf) 17:19; 2 K Longley (Liv PS) 17:35; 3 Z Oldfield (LOught) 18:29; 4 R Marshall (Bury) 18:43

W50: 1 D Jepson (Fylde) 19:04; 2 E Bailey (Staffs M) 19:58; 3 J Smith (Roch) 20;13; 4 L Blizzard (Warr) 20:21; 5 H Armitage (Sale) 20:48

W55: 1 K Harris (High) 18:01; 2 T Fearn (Caistor) 20:09; 3 N Skilton (C&S) 21:07; 4 D Broad (Vale R) 21:48

W60: 1 C Elms (Kent) 18:15; 2 F Smith (Border) 20:27; 3 C Higgs (Trenth) 21:31; 4 E Collins (Denb) 22:20; 5 D Broom (Peni) 22:27

W65: 1 T Dover (Chesh Dr) 24:02; 2 B Cahill (St H) 25:09

LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km, Hyde Park, London, August 29

Overall: 1 A Kirk-Smith (WG&EL) 16:23

M60: 1 M Cursons (Harr) 17:54; 2 A Green (North Tri) 18:38

M70: 1 I McKie (E Lon) 21:16

M80: 1 T Rea (H’field) 26:09

Women: 1 R Doherty (Higham, W35) 18:08

W50: 1 A Farrell (Tun W) 20:10

W55: 1 N Cendrowicz (High) 21:17

W60: 1 L Woohouse (Vets) 21:20; 2 R Baker (Camb H) 21:42; 3 R Hutton (S Lon) 22:18; 4 P Major (S Lon) 22:29; 4 C Anthony (St Ed) 22:39

W65: 1 M Connolly (S Kent) 25:03

W75: 1 R Tabor (Dulw R) 26:55

LITTLEHAMPTON 10km, West Sussex, August 31

Rueben Hoyte won overall in 31:32 as his father Kurt Hoyte was top M60 with 38:08.

Laura Smith took the women’s race in 37:35 but, not to be outdone, the third member of the Hoyte family also got in on the act, as ormer three-time AAA’s 10km champion Caroline Hoyte took second in the M55 class.

Overall: 1 R Hoyte (Phoe) 31:32; 2 S Heath 31:34; 3 D Beaumont (Phoe) 32:48

M45: 1 J Baker (Chich R) 34:16

M60: 1 K Hoyte (Phoe) 38:08

Women: 1 L Smith 37:35

W55: 1 A Martin 43:18; 2 C Hoyte (Phoe) 44:30

THIRTEEN MIDDLESBROUGH 10km, North Yorkshire, August 31

Overall: 1 J Wilson (NE Proj) 30:57; 2 M Creasey (Mandale) 31:24; 3 A Theaker (L&M) 31:40

M60: 1 R Williamson (L&M) 36:39

Women: 1 J Berry (Wallsend) 37:56

W50: 1 K Neesam (N Marske) 40:52

TOTTON 10km, Hampshire, August 31

Overall: 1 A Elmi (B’mth) 29:21; 2 J Price (Vectis) 32:55

M50: 1 S Barnes (Newb) 36:35

Women: 1 T Anderson (Win RC, W45) 38:31

W45: 2 S Hill (L Goat) 39:56

W65: 1 L Tyler (Farn R) 45:35

MOTAVATION SERIES, Race 5, Stratfield Brake, Oxfordshire, August 28

The series concluded with a multi-terrain outing over an approximate four-mile course and again attracted a decent field as Ben Cole joined in the party to win comfortably.

The Tonbridge first claimer and 2023 South o the Thames 7.5-mile cross-country champion, was in the colours of Swindon here and, after starting down the field came through to win by 19 seconds in 20:24, from Alex Bampton.

For the women, Lieben Dickens scored her fourth win of the series in 24:23 after a narrow victory over Steph Giles.

Overall (4M approx): 1 B Cole (Swin, M40) 20:24; 2 A Bampton (Swin) 20:43; 3 B Davies (Oxf C) 20:59

M50: 1 J Bolton (W’stock) 21:47; 2 P Fernandez (Abing) 24:17

M60: 1 I Thomas (Cher) 26:16

M70: 1 P Gregory (Voa) 26:12; 2 B Vaughan (Oxf C) 28:02

TEAM (6 to score): 1 Head RR 93; 2Abingdon 105; 3 Witney 133

Women: 1 L Dickens (Head RR) 24:23; 2 S Giles (Alch) 24:29; 3 E Butcher (High) 24:39

W40: 1 S Carter (W’stock) 26:12

W50: 1 S Davies (Oxf C) 27:14

W60: 1 K Angwin (Head RR) 28:09; 2 V Woodward (Abbey) 28:47

W75: 1 K Williamson ((Eynsh) 36:42

TEAM (6 to score): 1 Head RR 55; 2 Witney 130; 3 Woodstock 167

NORTH YORK MOORS TOM WALL RELAYS, August 28

Mandale’s men came out on top as over 500 runners took part in this popular evening relay contest as their lead off man Jacob Brown’s 4:26 remained fastest throughout.

For the women, New Marske took the women’s race but it was Sedgefield W40 Sadie Abel who was quickest with a 5:22 clocking in her masters winning quartet.

Men (4x1M): 1 Mandale 18:26 (J Brown 4:26, Z Gribbon 4:41, G Craggs 4:46, J West 4:33): 2 Darlington 19:27; 3 Borough R 20:03

Mixed (4x1M): 1 Richmond & Zetland mx 20:22 (D Cheeseman 4:27, S Wardman 4:58, J Adams, W) 5:39, O Middleton 5:18)

Women (4x1M): 1 N Marske 23:13 (H Patchett 5:51, M Caddy 5:59L Wellburn 5:46, M Shaw 5:37); 2 Stockton 23:48; 3 Darlington 24:22

Fastest

Men: 1 J Brown (Mandale) 4:26; D Cheeseman (R&Z) 4:27; J West (Mandale) 4:33

Women: S Abel (Sedge, W40) 5:22; E Palmer (Stockton) 5:33; J Green (NYM) 5:35

Masters

M50 (4x1M): 1 R&Z 22:39. Fastest: J Callaghan (Darl) 5:14

W40 (4x1M): 1 Sedgefield 24:51. Fastest (S Abel (Sedge) 5:22

CHASE THE SUN 10km, Battersea Park, London, August 27

Overall: 1 T Allcock 33:27

Women: 1 A Domville (T Bath) 35:00

HATFIELD 5km SERIES, Hertfordshire, August 27

Overall: 1 C Dockerill (St Alb) 15:06; 2 S Pedley (Herts P) 15:27

M60: 1 S Townsend (Dac) 18:02; 2 A Jordan (St Alb) 18:15

M80: 1 R Bloom (Herts P) 25:45

Women: 1 F Weddell (St Alb) 16:45

W45: 1 K Dixon (St Alb) 19:02

W50: 1 K Rennie (Dac) 17:52

W55: 1 C Hale (Gard CR) 20:50; 2 W Walsh (St Alb) 22:21

W60: 1 C Findlay (Dac) 23:03

W75: 1 S Roberts (Dac) 22:01

LEEDS 5km SERIES, West Yorkshire, August 27

Overall: 1 J Norris (Bing) 15:38

M45: 1 J Parapia (Otley) 16:21

M60: 1 J Convery (Bing) 17:52

M65: 1 D L’Anson (St Ther) 19:05

Women: 1 A Killoran (Pudsey) 18:06

W45: 1 S Lewis (R’hay) 19:20

W55: 1 A Spencer (Valley St) 20:04

W60: 1 K Sinkinson (Holmf) 23:41

WIRRAL SEASIDE 5km, Moreton, Merseyside, August 27

Overall: 1 E Brady-Jones (Wirr) 16:02

M60: 1 R McGrath (North M) 18:17

Women: 1 I Yorke (Warriors, U15) 17:07

LINCOLN 5km SERIES, August 26

Overall: 1 C Parkin (Linc W) 15:33

M50: 1 L Hopkinson (L Goat) 17:21

Women: 1 C Thornton (Linc W) 17:23

W40: 1 K Pearson (CoH) 18:26

W50: 1 C Payne (Granth) 21:06