Race Date: Sunday 24th November 2024

Race Reports by Dot Kesterton & Fiona Jeffries

Dot’s Report
The annual Ken Mayor 5k Road Championships for NMAC members and guests was held today at the closed one mile circuit at the Brownlee Centre in Leeds. The snow and ice over the last week meant that the Championships might have to be cancelled so it was good to have only rain and blustery winds to contend with.

Fiona Jeffries and I joined 49 athletes from 35-90 for the three lap race on a fairly flat course. Medals were to be awarded to the first three in each five year age groups. I had fairly flippantly announced I was aiming for 23 minutes which would give me a decent age grading possibly enough to bring home the Ken Mayor Trophy for highest age grading.

The rain kindly held off for the duration of the race and though the wind at times buffeted us around, the circular nature of the course meant respite was there in equal measure.

Lap one was all about setting off strongly, asserting myself in the race and holding a decent pace at around 4.30min k pace. I felt good and was up for it. Lap two was to consolidate my position and maintaining the pace. Lap three should have been building on that to finish sub 23 minutes. OK, that would have been nice but I let a bit of the pace go in the third lap as the fatigue set in. A big push in the final 100 metres and I crossed the line in 22:46, my best 5k time since Hillsborough Parkrun last February. I was pretty elated to achieve my casually announced goal.

Once the results were announced at the award ceremony I discovered I was first of one W70 but with a 95.37% AG. Was it enough to lift the trophy? Believe it or not, Colin Spivey M90 who had never left Huddersfield or owned a passport in his long life but shot to fame in the World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg in 2024 as a 5000m track athlete, ran today in 30:24 minutes to achieve a 95.54% AG and thus lifted the trophy to rapturous applause from the area club. If you haven’t read about Colin yet read the AW article charting his remarkable achievements. He is a truly inspirational runner. There’s hope for us all. Colin says he’s taking up Decathlon in time for the next World Championships in 2026.

Fiona and I returned home after a very enjoyable outing to Leeds each with our shiny Northern Masters Gold medal. A day well spent.

Fiona’s Report
The 5k NMAC race was an opportunity to get onto the Run Britain Rankings. It was touch and go whether the event would go ahead because of storm Bert. Luckily an early morning email confirmed the race was on.

Dot and I arrived at the Brownlee Centre in plenty of time to collect numbers, warm up with drills and suss out the course. The rain had stopped though there was a strong headwind. After a short briefing from Jason Newell, organiser, we were off. There was some ascent into a headwind at the start and then on the descent we could really push it. I tucked in behind a few men and a lady who might have been in my age group. I managed to pass her on the second lap and then my focus was to stay ahead of her. My coach had told me on Thursday, ‘don’t be awesome, be better than awesome’, so I gave it everything and achieved my goal. With only 49 Northern Masters in the race, the oldest 90 years of age, you could really push yourself. Given the conditions on the day I was very happy to come in first W55 and gold medal winner at 21:44 with 81.33% age grading.

The winner today was Jonathan Wills, M45, Roundhay Runners, in 16:26. First woman was Sam Tecwyn, FV35, Hyde Park Harriers, in 19:07.

Dot and Fiona were the only Striders among 48 runners who lined up for the 5k.

Striders Results