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A huge contingent of Harriers took part in the Bovingdon 10k, a fairly flat road race which started in the heart of the village and wound its way around local country lanes. Rich Coles wasn’t taking any prisoners as he was first club member to pass HMP The Mount and turn onto the High Street to cross the finish line, completing the course in third place overall and as first male vet 45+ (MV45), clocking a superb time of 35:23. Andy Symmonds was just three places further back and second MV55, crossing the line in 37:04, ahead of Michael Linden who also managed a sub-40 minute finish, claiming the first MV40 position with a time of 39:21.

David Goodman was participating in his third race of the week, after completing the Canterbury Half Marathon (1:39:11) on Bank Holiday Monday and the Chase The Sun – Brockwell Park 10k (41:54) on Wednesday, and took the silver MV40 medal at Bovingdon on Sunday with a time of 41:06, ahead of James Birnie (41:51) who was third MV45.

Phil Mercer had completed the Spitfire 10k at RAF Hendon on Saturday morning (44:33) and manged to better his time just 24 hours later, finishing the Bovingdon event in 42:29, ahead of Phil Heaton (43:06), Trevor Normoyle (43:36) and Andrew Watt (46:26).

Tracey Cotton was another Harrier to string together two races this week, completing the Hatfield 5K (22:36) on Wednesday before being first female from the club – and eighth overall – to cross the line at Bovingdon, picking up the FV40 prize with a time of 47:01.

Rupert Cavenagh-Mainwaring (51:25) was the next club athlete to complete the course and Bethan Heaton (51:59) finished a minute ahead of the first FV65 and club mate Isabel Wilson (52:29) while Helen Cook (53:27) was third FV50.

Jaqui Sampson (54:32) held off Angeline Cottrill (54:51) and Kirstie Hardiman (55:59). Holly Beckett and Mary McCluskey (58:59) ran together and recorded identical times, with Susie Ivin (59:06) just a few seconds, and two places, behind.

Philip Walker (1:03:09) and Helen Heathcote (1:03:24) rounded up a fine performance for the team.

15 GVH runners toed the line at the August club league race – the Bearbrook 10k.  Rich Coles came in 1st V40, and GVH were 2nd male team and 3rd female team.  Individual results as follows:

The Bearbook 10k treated runners to almost perfect race conditions – the polar opposite to recent weekends of racing in either wet and windy or hot and humid conditions – on a sunny day with a slight breeze and lower-than-average temperatures for August

Rich Coles was taking part in his first race since having surgery on his knee just seven weeks ago, for an injury sustained in February which aborted his marathon training. He bearly put a foot wrong as he was first Harrier to complete the course, which started with a long flat stretch before a gradual incline became a welcome,long-downhill finish.

He was also first Male Vet 40+ to cross the line, with a superb time of 36:16. Antony Beamish (39:43) passed David Goodman (40:43) – who had worked a night shift the previous night – in the closing stages. Simon Wallis (41:39) had been suffering with slight illness all week, but the quartet combined to pick up a second place award for the men’s team.

The next four club mates all finished within just over a minute of each other, with James Birnie (42:20) and Stephen Newing (42:25) finishing in consecutive places while Anthony Willcox (43:17) held off a sprint finish from Phil Mercer (43:22) who was completing his second race in three days after clocking a personal best (PB) at the Ealing Mile on Friday, with a time of exactly six minutes.

Tracey Cotton (47:21) was first Harrier female to cross the line, and she was nearly five minutes clear of her team mates. Helen Cook (52:23) led a trio of club athletes who all finished within ninety seconds of each other with Kim Morgan (52:51) and Angeline Cottrill (53:47) helping the ladies team to a bronze medal.

Jaqui Sampson (56:52), Susie Ivin (59:53) and Helen Heathcote (1:04:30) all completed a great team performance.

A fab turnout from GVH at the St Albans Summer Solstice 10k on 21 Jun, which was the GVH club league race for June.  Runners were rewarded with an excellent medal and a BBQ after their 10k performances.

St Albans has been the focal point of the longest day of the year for the last few years as it holds its annual Summer Solstice 10k and on Friday Harriers went in huge numbers to beat the sunset on a route which largely follows the Alban Way – a disused railway line that goes from the ancient city’s suburbs towards Hatfield.

Anthony James kept his fine recent form on track, after the previous weekend’s half marathon win, by being first club athlete to cross the line – and sixth overall – steaming round in 37:04, followed three places later by Al Flowers (37:52) who finished just ahead of Jon Roberts (37:58) to make it three Harriers in the top ten.

Chris Dowling (38:31) and Simon Geary (38:34) both picked up personal bests (PB) ahead of Antony Beamish (39:14) and Michael Linden (39:13) – who also managed a PB – and Anthony Willcox (39:35). Bill Hawes (39:35) was first Male Vet over 50 (MV50) and wrapped up an impressive sub-40 field from the club, meaning nine Harriers finished in the top 26.

David Goodman (40:08) held off Gareth Tucker (40:46), Andy Cook (40:45), Ross Deacon (41:04) and Phil Mercer (41:28) who all collected PBs.

Lisa Newing (42:17) was second FV35 – and fourth overall lady – ahead of Teresa Reason (42:46) and Edward Price (42:53) who was running for the first time after a long injury lay-off. Kathleen Smith (43:28) was eighth overall lady but third in her age category, with Gwyn Pritchard (43:45) crossing the line one place ahead of Lozza-tm Sharma-Smith (43:47) who made it four GVH ladies in the top ten and Andrew Watt (45:52), Tracey Cotton (47:05), Victoria Crawley Wise (48:29) and Sam Raffety (49:47) all put in great performances.

Kirstie Hardiman (50:42), Kim Morgan (51:01), Mel Hardy (51:07) and Andrew Terry (51:15) all finished within about 30 seconds of each other, and Helen Cook (51:25) picked up a PB in what was her second race in three days. Isabel Wilson (52:02) and Bethan Heaton (53:05) crossed the line ahead of Mary McCluskey (53:48) who nabbed a PB.

Angeline Cottrill (54:55) ran despite picking up a chest infection in the days leading up to the race, and finished ahead of Joanna Kidd (55:54), David Wilson (56:40) and Helen Terry (56:44). Leona Flaherty (Teresa Maryland) (57:23) was another club athlete racing for the second time in three days and was the penultimate member to cross the line in under an hour, ahead of Thomas Colligan (59:42), with Paula Cook (1:00:00) just missing out.

Gemma Tucker (1:02:11), Claire Pellett (1:03:45), Lisa Pinder (1:04:53), Paul Mosley (1:09:07) and Peter Tucker (1:12:17) completed the line-up.

Results as follows: