Sunderland Harrier Over-40 Jacqueline Etherington gains her third vest when she represents Scotland in the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International at Liverpool on Saturday.
She will join clubmate Over-50 Micky Thompson who also competes at Aintree in the England team.
Etherington’s highlights of the season were winning the bronze medal in the World Masters Cross Country Championships at Torun, Poland, in March and the silver medal in the 2000m steeplechase in a personal best of 7.34.35 in the European Stadia Championships in September in Jesolo, Italy.
The well travelled Stanley athlete has also won the Scottish Masters indoor 800m title (2.24.45) at the Emirates Stadium, Glasgow. And she was second in the 800m (2.28.24) at the British Masters’ Championships at Lee Valley.
Early season she captured two silver medals over 1500m at the Scottish Masters championships (5.06.27) and at the British Championships at Lee Valley (5.06.47) followed by the silver in the 3000m (11.06.11).
Her final performance before Saturday’s international was at the Jedburgh Running Festival 10K where she finished sixth overall (40.06) and first woman on the 27th October.
Sunderland Strollers are proud, once again, to present the Clazey’s Doorstep Events on Sunday, December 1. They will be providing a Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K run to try and get as many people participating as possible.
The events are not races but social runs which will demonstrate the capacity of running to generate funds for charity and provide a great day.
The runs are also about getting people from North East Running clubs and no clubs to enjoy a Sunday morning run together, while at the same time, raising money for very worthy causes.
Last year almost £4000 was raised. They have ambitions in trying to match or even beat this amount this time.
The Strollers have been very successful in their request for T-shirt sponsors and it is thanks to those supporters that even more money maybe available to the charities. They wish to thank: PGS Law, Empress Security, Barnets Barbers, Red Onion Kitchen, Oracle Financial Planning, Toni Deary – Pole & Fitness, Road From L, Lomax Training Services, Town Centre Citroen, Apex Interactive Solutions, Peter Dunn & Co, Franklin Steel, Lofthouse & Partners.
On completion of the event you will be presented with a T-shirt along with a breakfast sandwich plus tea/coffee.
There are changing/shower facilities at the Yacht Club, you can also leave bags etc in a secure environment.
You are asked to meet at the Sunderland Yacht Club at 07.50 for the Marathon start, 09.45 for the Half Marathon start and 10.45 for the 10k start. Water will be provided around the route (marathon and half marathon only).
If you want gels or anything else please either carry them or you can hand them to the marshals at the start and they will drop them ahead at the feed stations.
While the runs are designed to be open to all, the Strollers rely heavily on their volunteer marshals and bike escorts and they would not want them suffering in the cold. So they are asking applicants not to enter the marathon unless they are confident of completing the distance in less than 4.5 hours and do not enter the half marathon if you are likely to take more than 2.5 hours to complete.
The event is organised primarily to raise money for charity, this year they will be splitting the proceeds between five charities selected by the event founder Graeme Clazey.
They are: Phoenix Cancer Unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital, Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Matfen Trust, St Benedict’s Hospice.