10K weekend: UK Champs & Hatfield Broad Oak

It was a big weekend for our 10K runners with the BUPA 10K incorporating the UK Championship and the popular Hatfield Broad Oak 10K.

Hats off to the BUPA 10K organisers who invited clubs to submit 12 athletes (6 men/6 women) free of charge to this major Central London event which attracted over 10,000 finishers. It is generally accepted to be a slow course with its many twists and turns which mean that most runners are running 200-300m over-distance, representing possibly 45-60 seconds. Mo Farah won in 29.13, while Phil Wicks was second in 30.05.

For the women, Sara Bird was 19th senior woman home in 36.06. Then there followed: 26, Lauren Stewart 36.57; 98, Rachel Lund 41.02; 165, Lauren MacGregor 43.34; and 186, Maxine Davies 44.16; Evie Serventi 45.48.

Our first man home was Bertie Powell in 54th place in 32.40, just two days after a highly disappointing 16.03 5000m in the Middlesex Champs. Then came: 61, Gavin Lewis 32.55; 108, Ronnie Sparke 34.01; 18, Angus Holford (who ran 15.47 for 5th in the Essex 5000m on Saturday) 34.02; 158, Tim Prendergast (Paralympian, partially sighted) 35.04; 204, Gareth Cavell (M45) 35.41; 278, Tony Russell 36.47.

Of note, Gavin Lewis was making his 10K debut, while former GB U20 cross country international Ronnie Sparke was not only making his 10K debut but racing for the first time since February 2011.

The pretty Essex village of Hatfield Broad Oak held its annual 10K and it was won for the second consecutive year by our U20 Ed Shepherd in 32.43, comfortable around 30 seconds ahead of the second-placed man. Then came: 12, Lorcan Murphy (U20) 35.18; 18, Robbie Cox 36.07; 24, Dave Cox (M55) 36.27; 173, Martin Mack (M45) 43.17.