The Harriers Middle Distance Squad opened the new year with some fine indoor performance competing over 800m at the Lee Valley indoor open, and it proved to be a fantastic opening to the season.
Short of specific track speed the squad showed they have wintered well, with some fine performances off mainly winter endurance work sprinkled with some sharper session over the Christmas period, and this proved highly effective with a number of impressive opening races.
There was a fine race in heat 3 which saw three Harriers competing against each other in a field of 6 athletes. Dylan Bowley who is just returning to a good fitness level, lead out the race over the first 400m, splitting at a leisurely 60 seconds. As the race gathered momentum on the third lap Josh Geddes started to move through locking onto the leader until the last 70m where Geddes comfortably cruised past to take the win in 1:59.26, his fastest ever opening race, with clearly much more in the tank.
Jopsh Geddes (154) closing down the leader on the final lap to take the win in 1:59.26
Bowley rallied to take third place with his fastest race over 800m for two and a half years with a fine opening time of 2:00.47, and Ben Brooker improved on his opening time a few days earlier by some 5 seconds to record a time of 2:03.39.
V45 David Locker who joined the squad in September (Along with daughters Demi & Chelsie) has been putting in a great block of training and has proved to be a brilliant addition to the squad. Locker ran a fine even paced race to set a new V45 club record of 2:04.44 looking comfortable and with plenty left in the tank this was an ideal season opener as he prepared for the European Masters indoor event in Tampere Finland in February.
Dave Locker fine race to break the V45 800m club record with 2:04.44
U17 Alice Bennett venturing indoors for the first time since 2018 ran a brilliant opening 800m race, her best ever opening, in 2:11.55 to set an English Schools Qualifier & National Standard time. Bennett ran a superb race looking very comfortable and will be looking to go quicker in a weeks’ time at the BMC event as preparation for the English U17 championships still some 6 weeks away, while still maintaining an interest in the longer endurance schools XC events.
Alice Bennett with a brillint opening 800m of 2:11.55 a National Standard English Schools Qualifier.
U15 Chelsie locker making her KTH & Indoor debut ran a cautious race to record 2:29.66 and on the evidence, she has shown in training there will be much more to come from her over this distance.
With the County Championships and a quality BMC indoor event fast approaching this weekend, most of the squad will have an opportunity to open their account in 2022 and impress.
Well done to everyone who ran.