Telford 10k 24.01.10

Telford 10k

Chris Davies was a comfortable winner in the 26th Telford 10k road race on Sunday, organised by Telford Athletic Club. The race which had twice been postponed due to icy conditions finally got underway with a slightly lower than usual number of finishers. Despite the rearranged date there were still 407 finishers, the race all time best is 476 in 2007. Davies from Newdale, Telford recorded his 6th victory in the race since he first victory in 1996 when the race was held around the streets of Wellington based on the Wellington Swimming Pool. His winning time was 30.21, well outside his course record of 28.52 set in 2003, but he had very little competition as he finished over a minute clear of his nearest rival Aaron Scott from Lincoln, 31.22 with James Lawler from Bedford 3rd in 31.25. Chris is now focussed on the forthcoming Alsager 5 mile race before heading to Brugge for a 10 mile race in March.

The fast Telford Town Park course did produce fast times in the womens race as Gloucester's Gemma Turtle set a new course record of 32.52, the first woman to ever run under 33 minutes on this course and 24 seconds quicker than the previous best set by Amanda Wright from Much Wenlock who ran 33.44 in 2001. Gemma's time is the fastest in the country so far this year and would have been the 6th fastest throughout 2009, behind Mara Yamauchi's 31.43 set in Japan. It was an impressive performance by the 23 year old who the previous day had run a personal best 1500m at the Indoor Welsh Championships of 4.14. Her training partner and team mate Rose Anne Galligan was second in 34.12 with Telford Ac's Claire Martin the 3 times winner of the race 3rd in 34.50, the fgastest performance by an over 35 this year and would have been the 10th fastest in the whole of 2009.

Oswestry's Oli Blake, one of the country's leading 800m runners ran well to finish 6th finishing in 31.41, whilst Paul ward from Telford AC and Wrekin Road Runners was 9th and sescond over 40 in 32.40. Other leading Shropshire rtunners were
12th Robin Sedman Smith, TAC 33.21
15th Jon Bowie, Trismart 33.54
16th Ian Coupland, SAC 33.58
23rd Greg Wilson, TAC 34.19 and first over 50.
45th Jamie Anderson, TAC 36.40
47th Gary Vickers, 37.14


Telford AC's Ryan Heath who had finished 3rd in the Shropshire Schools Cross Country Championships the previous day had the distinction of winning the mass race in his first ever 10k in 38.00 which put him 54th overall. Cameraon Scott Stamp was 58th for Wrekin Road Runners whilst Huw Dolphin was the first Shropshire Shuffler to finish in 39.18, with Robert Sharam the first Whitchurch Whippet home in 39.35 with Phillip Hill leading the Newport and District runner in 39.54.

Michelle Tappy led the Telford Harriers home as 12th woman overall and first over 45 in 40.19. Michelle Clark of Telford Ac was the second Shropshire finisher as 7th on the womens race in 38.45. Her team mate Cheralyn Evans 14th overall in 41.26 with another TAC lady Juliet Hoad the first over 40 in 42.52 and 16th overall.

Paul Sanderson