30 November 2009

Great Australian Run, Melbourne, 29 November

IN cool and damp conditions, Helen Clitheroe (Preston) made the podium on her 15km debut in her first visit to Australia since the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The 35-year-old finished third in 51:17 behind the Australian duo of Nikkie Chapple, who won the race in 50:18 and Benita Willis (Thames Hare & Hounds), second in 51:15, but Clitheroe took the scalp of the former world and Olympic 10,000m champion Fernanda Ribeiro, who finished fourth in 51:41. Clitheroe’s 5km splits were recorded at 17:03, 17:14, and 17:00. Austria’s Gunther Weidlinger won the men’s race in 43:01, defeating Australians Collis Birmingham and Martin Dent (Belgrave) while Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru was a distant fourth. Britain’s No.1 marathoner Dan Robinson (Stroud) was 13^th in a lifetime best of 46:29 and his 5km splits were 15:00, 15:29 and 16:00.

Cross de l’Acier, Dunkirk, 29 November

Mo Farah took fifth place at the race on Sunday in France against a high East African contingency who dominated the race. Farah clocked 28.18 in his first race following a stint training at altitude in Kenya.

The winner, Imance Merga, scored a third successive victory in the 9.95km race in a time of 28.20. 

Florence Marathon, 29 November  

BEN MOREAU (Aldershot, Farnham & District) was the leading British competitor, finishing 11^th in a PB of 2:21:14. David Kirkland (Alnwick) was the second British athlete to finish, clocking 2:24:49 for 14^th.

San Sebastian Marathon, 29 November   

JULIAN FERRARO (London Heathside V40) was the top Brit in 74^th in 2:44:02 while Natasha Pitman (North Herts) was fifth in the women’s race in a lifetime best of 2:58:51.

Atlanta Half Marathon, 26 November

THE 33-year-old Michael Green (Blackburn) won in a season’s best of 66:35.

Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, 26 November 

FORMER AAA 5000m champion and British No.1 Chris Thompson (Aldershot, Farnham & District) took third in this 5km race, setting a PB of 13:46. Former European indoor champion Alistair Cragg from Ireland (Clonliffe) placed fifth in 13:51.

XXXI Cursa Popular De La Sagrera, Barcelona, 26 November  

RIEL CAROL (Clapham Chasers V35) was eighth in this 10km race in 34:44.