Two Sunderland Harriers just failed in their quest to clock personal best times when they travelled to Cheshire for a 5k road race on one of the fastest courses in the UK.
The Mid-Cheshire 5K, which also hosted the England Championship, has a reputation has a super-fast course and both Andy Powell and veteran Ian Dixon came very close to achieving their aims.
Powell finished 17th (15min 35sec) and Dixon was sixth Over-40 to finish in 38th (15.59).
Ironically, they recorded their fastest times in the Sunderland 5k in July. The Silksworth course is regarded as another fast course, on which Powell recorded 15.32 and Dixon 15.58.
The Cheshire race was won by Sale’s Charlie Hulson in 14.36. The Gateshead Business Forum 5k, on the Newcastle quayside, was won by Gateshead Harrier Lewis Moses in 14.49.
New Marske’s Dominic Shaw came home second (14.57), while the first Sunderland Harrier was Ian Ritchie in 22nd (16.04). Paul Blakey finished 30th (16.31) to win the first Over-40 prize, Simon O’Donnell took 48th for fourth Over-40 (17.11) and Kris Cantle was 68th in a personal best of 18.06.