Confused about what day of the week it is? Don’t worry so are we, but there’s one answer you can be sure of at the moment – it’s always a race day. Gill Bland brings you a whistle stop tour of the week’s racing on and off the roads. 

Donnelly’s excellent season continues

Leicester’s New College offers a great looped, smooth track for a 5K race. Despite rather soggy conditions, good times were in attendance at the Podium 5K  on Saturday.

The men’s A race saw Omar Ahmed take a solid win in 13:57, holding Kadar Omar and Fearghal Curtin who had a tight finished to cross the line in 14:03 and 14:04. Both winner and runner up were on the first leg of a double-race weekend so look out for more from them below.

A strong women’s field resulted in a chunky PB and a win for Abbie Donnely (15:25). She was followed over the line by Georgie Grgec (15:45) and Hannah Irwin (15:59).

In the Garmin Mile race held at the start of the day, Ricky Harvey (4:16), Jon Escalante Phillips (4:16) and Miles Weatherseed (4:18) went home with shiny new watches. Megan Davies was crown queen of the mile 4:36, with Milan Bains (4:37) and Alexandra Shipley (4:45) on the second and third steps of the podium.  

Courtney & Warner-Judd lead action action

The World Athletics Silver Level Competition & On Track Night – Track Fest in California had  Melissa Courtney Bryant and Jess Warner-Judd competing in the 5000. They ran solid season-operners of 15:02.93 for sixth and 15:13.95 for eleventh resepectivley. 

There are plenty of evening track meets happening in the US at the moment and many with British athletes featuring. James Gormley was sixth in the Oregon Twilight  3000m in 3:44:57.

On Wednesday the Watford Harriers Open Graded Meetings  gave chance for some fast midweek action. Over 1500m, Benjamin Davies and Baljeev Kandola both went sub-four, running 3:57.12 and 3:59.20. Revee Walcott Nolan ran a 4:09.44 to be the fastest woman of the night. In the 3000m races, David Lewis clocked 8:39.39 and Annabel Gummow 9:34.51 to be top of their class.

At the Brighton Open Jack Woods set a new best in the 3000m, winning in 8:28.23 with Beth Kidger running 9:22.25 for fourth overall and first woman. The event also hosted BMC Regional Races where Alex Riley PB’d to win in in 3:51.29 over 1500m and Annie Mann took on the men on her own, running 4:21.55 as the only woman.

World Mountain Champs Trials

The England Mountain Running Championships incorporated the British trial for the World Mountain Championghis. In the uphill only race on Friday, Sara Willhoit (Shrewsbury) was first to the top in 45:20, followed by Philippa Williams (Hallamshire) in 45:51 and Kate Avery (Shildon) in 47:12.

For the men, Joe Steward (Salford) won in 38:12 with Chris Richards (Salford, 38:37) and Jacob Adkin (Keswick, 39:14) taking the rest of the podium places with Joe Spencer claiming England Bronze. 

The England up-and-down champs, mountain Inter-counties and British up-and-down trial took place on Sunday and saw podium places go to Andy Douglas, Chris Richards and Joe Steward. For the women Phillips Willliams went one better to win from Alice Goodall and Caroline Lambert. Times TBC.

On the flatter end of the off-road spectrum, Geoffrey Cheshire won Centurion’s Thames Path 100 in 14:18:18 and Line Caliskaner was the winning woman in 17:02:08

Credit: Pierre Papet

On the roads 

After a relatively quick turnaround from a brilliant performance at London Marathon, Chris Thompson was in action at the Great Birmingham 10K, breaking the tape in 29:27 to beat Kadar Omar (29:34) and Dean Williamson (30:47).

Rachel Gifford was nine seconds clear at the front of the women’s field – 36:30 her winning time. Rounding out the podium were Roanna Vickers (36:39) and Emily Smith (37:42).  

The Great Birmingham Half Marathon saw  on winning form for the second day in a row as he crossed the line in 65:23. Jack Shayler was second in 67:50 and Edward Diamond third in 69:28. It was great to see Hayley Carruthers back on winning form and leading the women home in 81:11. Lisa Thomas (84:02) and Natasha Malin (87:57) took the runner up spots. 

Sunderland City Runs also had a 10K / Half Marathon combo on offer. Liam Taylor (32:17) and Charlotte Penfold (34:59) topped the 10K. Results for the 13.1 are still pending. 

Tracy Barlow took the outright win at the All Nations 10K, Dorney Lake, clocking 35:23. Adrian Thrush was first man in 39:18. The Alderley Edge Bypass 10K saw both winners race home over a minute clear – Ed Shephard in 30:43 and Luisa Candioli in 36:08. Aylesham 10K went to Harry Bishop (33:07.7) and Eleanor Grubb (37:06.10).

Run Through’s Olympic Park races on Saturday resulted in a first place for Raoul Metcalf (33:05) and Anastasia Lyne (40:57) over 10K and Harry Tullet (17:02) and Amanda Riley (19:32) over 5K. Earlier in the week they also held a Chase the Sun edition, where David Jenkins (35:35) and Naomi Lenane (38:01) beat the rest of the field over 10K and Ollie Garrod (15:39) and Coren Hanley (19:35) over 5K. 

Helping runners get over the hump day this week, the Kendall 10K  which saw Marc Brown race home first in 31:59 and Katie Percival in 41:18. The Dudley Kingswinford 10K winners were Henry Brocklehurst in 32:43 and Millie Smith in 37:2

Back on the last bank holiday Monday there was a slew of races which we didn’t catch in the last roundup. Milton Keynes Marathon was won by Alan Derby in 2:30:30 and Sarah Hoskin in 2:53:56. The half marathon went to David Brewis (74:01) and Rose Pefold (83:24) while the 10K victors were Craig Emmerson (32:13) and Olivia Mathias (36:16).. In Sweden, Maxwell Dumbrell came second in the DM 10,000 in 31:48.67