Former GB international is finding good form again ahead of the London Marathon after briefly retiring due to heart issues. Our road round-up also includes the Reading, Wilmslow and Hastings Half Marathon.
THIRSK 10, North Yorkshire, March 22
Ryan McLeod, now a master M40 and on the comeback from heart surgery, won in 49:58 in his first outing over the distance since his 48:20 personal best in 2015, as Georgia Malir added the women’s race in 59:02.
The former British half-marathon champion took around 10 years out from the sport after collapsing during a run on Newcastle quayside with his heart rate surging from about 50 to 300 beats a minute.
Surgery followed and he cautiously resumed running again, initially being part of a half-marathon team pushing his friend Drew Graham.
“I went from Ryan McLeod the international athlete to not knowing if I’d ever be able to run again,” he says.
The heart problems caused him to pull out of the London Marathon 10 years ago but he’s now entered again and aiming to complete it for the first time next month in around 2:30.
Overall: 1 R McLeod (Morp, M40) 49:58; 2 L Gamble-Thompson (N Marske) 51:44; 3 J Anderson (NSP, M40) 51:51; 4 A Ahmed (Leeds) 53:27; 5 J Bartlett (Hallam) 53:22; 6 D McKinnon (Goole) 54:04
M45: 1 M Hornsby (Durh) 57:19
M50: 1 R Watkinson (Roth) 57:04
M60: 1 G Dack (Bill’ham) 64:38
Women: 1 G Malir (Leeds) 59:02; 2 L Armoush (York, W35) 59:11; 3 F Birkby (Pudsey) 60:30
W45: 1 K Corcoran (Skyrac) 63:32
W50: 1 M Fowler (R’hay) 69:12
W55: 1 H Morgan (Barns) 69:48
W60: 1 J Johnson (Peni) 73:22
ASHBY 20, Ashby-de-la-Zouch (Leicestershire, March 22
Overall: 1 I Allen (Spa) 1:51:46; 2 R Deakin (Tip) 1:52;15; 3 J Branch (Shelton, M40) 1:58:52
M40: 2 A Rose (R&N) 1:59:47
M50: 1 G Sargeant (Coalville Tri) 2:04:14
M60: 1 B Nikoloff (Wreake) 2:11:20
Women: 1 A Byrne (R&N) 2:10:30
W40: 1 F Semmons (L Eaton) 2:14:05; 2 E Stevenson (Holme P) 2:15:07
W55: 1 S Walker (Tip) 2:27:11
BOURNEMOUTH BAY HALF-MARATHON, Dorset, March 22
Overall: 1 C Collins (Poole) 70:39
M50: 1 D Hicks (Twemlow) 78:26
M60: 1 J Critchlow (Purb) 79:25
Women: 1 L Allison (Poole R) 85:10
BRENTWOOD HALF-MARATHON, Essex, March 22
In only his second outing of the year, Adam Hickey, the 2019 Inter-Counties cross-country winner, won by almost two minutes in 64:59.
Lauren Reed, 41, was first home among the women in 75:59.
Overall: 1 A Hickey (S’end) 64:59; 2 O Adedeji (NEB) 66:41; 3 T Beedell (WG&EL) 70:22; 4 M Sanderson B’wood) 70:47
M55: 1 R Thorpe (B Stort) 79:57
M60: 1 J Barker (Hav’g) 84:47
M70: 1 N Wilkinson 93:41
Women: 1 L Reed (Hav’g, W40) 75:59; 2 F Stocco 82:02
W50: 1 E Prideaux (S’field) 87:19
W55: 1 K Hawton (S Woodham) 87:43
W60: 1 C Jay (Harl) 1:43:44
W70: 1 G Hennessey (Eton M) 1:51:49
CARLISLE HALF-MARATHON, Cumbria, March 22
Overall: 1 M Brown (Salf) 68:45; 2 C Muir (Shett) 70:32
Women: 1 S Rae (S’clyde) 84:01
W50: 1 T Medley (Border) 89:39
EASTLEIGH 10km, Hampshire, March 22
Overall: 1 J Rees (St Martin’s) 31:02; 2 A Matthews (Farn R) 31:17; 3 D Gaffney (Wallington, M40) 31:31
M50: 1 W Green (Seaf) 31:44
M55: 1 P Gilbert (H Wyc) 35:53
M60: 1 P York (ESM) 38:26
Women: 1 C Peers (Soton) 35:27; 2 E Willmers Salis, W40) 36:26
W40: 2 K Sheedy (Aylesf) 37:24
W45: 1 L Locks (AFD) 37:32
W50: 1 S Rushforth (Steyn) 37:27
W70: 1 H Dean (Chich R) 46:02
GLOUCESTER HALF-MARATHON, March 22
Overall: 1 S Derrett (W Tempo) 67:02; 2 S Griffiths (Les C) 70:08; 3 L Stopford (Stroud, M40) 70:16; 4 R Simkins (M50) 70:24; 5 L Trigg (FoD) 70:35; 6 A Raynor (FoD) 70:40
Women: 1 I Brinsden (CLC) 79:48
W45: 1 P Dendy (Almost A) 85:05
W50: 1 J Simkins 94:50
HASTINGS HALF-MARATHON, East Sussex, March 22
Seyfu Jamaal won another race in 65:17 while Charlie Purdue took the women’s race in 77:57.
Overall: 1 S Jamaal (Lon H) 65:17; 2 W Zerom (Ashf) 70:45; 3 D Irvine (Hy) 70:49
M45: 1 J McDonald Camb H) 75:16
M60: 1 K Klidzia (Folk) 83:31
Women: 1 C Purdue (AFD) 77:57; 2 G Baker (Hast) 80:40; 3 I Matthews (Hy) 80:49
W60: 1 C Crathem (Bexhill Tri) 98:27
HILLINGDON 20, inc Hertfordshire Championship, London, March 22
Overall: 1 M Waddington (Ware) 1:45:22; 2 A Ben-Israel ((THH) 1:48:53; 3 S Renfer (High) 1:50:00; 4 J Poole (Serp, M40) 1:51:06; 5 C Hayward (High) 1:52:07; 6 J Laing (Hill) 1:56:00
M50: 1 A Whitwam (Ton) 2:03:26
M60: 1 N Rackham (Metros) 2:11:27
M65: 1 M Hurford (Morn) 2:21:33
Women: 1 H O’Neill (Poole R, W35) 2:13:56
W45: 1 E Antcliffe (Harr) 2:15:27
HOSPICE HALF-MARATHON, St Ouen, Guernsey, March 22
Overall: 1 G Rice (Jers) 68:02; 2 T Atkinson 68:18; 3 S Maher 68:34; 4 T De Gruchy 69:07
Women: 1 C Inch (Holmf) 80:12
KEITH HALL MEMORIAL10km, Thorney, Cambridgeshire, March 22
Overall: 1 A Gibb (P’boro & NV) 31:00; 2 J Horman (Liv, M45)31:28; 3 M Sampson (Hunts) 31;55
M50: 1 B Corleys (B’field) 33:55; 2 J Lane (M&M) 34:07
M55: 1 W Pearson (Elvet) 34:47; 2 S Mugglestone (Bide) 35:31
M60: 1 A Leach (NHRR) 34:05; 2 J James (Wells) 35:06; 3 C Hollinshead (C&S) 35:35
Women: 1 H Gill (Mansf, W50) 35:54; 2 A Walters (Corby) 36:19
W40: 1 K Vargeson (L Goat) 36:33
W45: 1 M Duhig (L Goat) 37:35
W50: 2 K Sharman (Higham) 39:26
W55: 1 R Cooke (Bucks & Stowe) 37:38
W60: 1 C Thrussell (NHRR) 43:21
PULFORD 10km, Cheshire, March 22
Cheshire played host to yet another good quality race and this time it was Marc Scott who came out on top in 2925 after a narrow victory over Mark Clowes.
The 32-year-old who won the Great South 10-miler in 47:21 and in his first race of the year, wound up 11 seconds clear as Jade Morgan was just outside her best ever time when taking the women’s section in 32:52.
Overall: 1 M Scott (R&Z) 29;25; 2 M Clowes (Wrex) 29:36; 3 M Pickering (AFD) 29:43; 4 P Edwards (Dragons, M40) 29:43; 5 J Monk I(B’burn) 29:52; 6 C Avery (Morp) 29:53; 7 L Burgess (B&W) 30:04; 8 B Gebrebrhan (Sale) 30:06; 9 M Roberts (Herne H) 30:07; 10 C Smith Notts) 30:12; 11 C Rogers (Wrex) 30:16; 12 C Jones (W Tempo) 30:16; 13 A Kinloch (Ton) 30:25; 14 D Long (P’pridd) 30:33; 15 G Beardmore (Salf) 30:39
M45: 1 J Hart (W&B) 30:52; 2 S Cole (GOG Tri) 31:19
M50: 1 S Oliver (Chester Tri) 34:29
M55: 1 D Hamilton (S’port W) 35:43
M60: 1 R Evans (Alt) 38:34
Women: 1 J Morgan Liv) 32:52; 2 S Tucker (Cambus) 33:44; 3 E O’Dee (Dees) 34:01; 4 K Rodda (Read) 34:23; 5 D Morris (Builth, W40) 35:24; 6 R Woodhams (Kendal) 35:50
W40: 2 L Gawthorne (Vegan) 37:00
W45: 1 S Hawkins (Lawley) 39:46
READING HALF-MARATHON, Berkshire, March 22
Local runner Rob Corney led home the mass of runners in 66:47, in a race that is a shadow of its former self at the sharp end.
This was half a minute down on the Reading Road Runner’s best set here in 2019.
For the women, Kate Estlea-Morris won by well over two minutes in 74:55 but was more than two minutes outside her best of 72:27 set last year.
Overall: 1 R Corney (Read RR) 66:47; 2 P Roddy (THH) 67:16; 3 V Lehtoniemi (FIN) 68:41; 4 T Holiday (VP&TH) 68:54; 5 A Lanz 69:06; 6 O Garrod (Belg) 69:19; 7 I Farnworth (Read) 69:29; 8 T Phillips 69:23; 8 M Everett 69:44; 9 G Suthon (Read) 69:45; 10 H Abrha (Read) 69:58
M40: 1 D Wight 71:38
M55: 1 S Reid (Orion) 79:50
Women: 1 K Estlea-Morris (AFD) 74:55; 2 K Brown (Otley) 77:21; 3 A Braham (Ealing E, W50) 78:04; 4 N Harris (Read) 79:27; 5 S Wratten (Orion) 79:40; 6 M Wilkins (W35) 80:20
W40: 1 J Hinton (Lon H) 80:55
W50: 2 E Hines (Swin) 87:55; 3 C Quinn 90:18
W55: 1 E McDowell (Head RR) 91:35
W60: 1 M Janssen (Read RR) 89:01
SURREY HALF-MARATHON, Woking, March 22
A good quality field were led home by Birchfield’s Ethiopian Omar Ahmed in 64:24 when competing in his first outing of the year, as Jack Millar took second.
Andrea Clement, 42, who was second in the South of England cross-country championships won the women’s section in 75:05 as 45-year-old, Sarah Holt chased her home in a 75:36 personal best.
Overall: 1 O Ahmed Bir) 64:24; 2 J Millar (B&W) 65:16; 3 A Howard (Ton) 65:22; 4 J Cook (Phoe) 66:46; 5 S Gebreselassie (Belg) 67:21; 6 C Bruchhausen (Belg) 67:41; 7 S McCauley (Lon H) 67:47; 8 M Snowden (Ips H) 67:48; 9 H Smith (Soton) 68:18; 10 R Elphick (Kent) 68:19; 11 W Lewis (HW) 68:21; 12 E Chick (Dulw R) 69:00
M40: 1 A Winterbottom (Win RC) 70:05; 2 A Welch (G&G) 70:15
M45: 1 N Browne (Serp) 70:44
M50: 1 A Spooner (Best A) 78:15
M55: 1 P Sadler (Cranbrook) 77:46
M60: 1 D Williams (G&G) 81:01
M70: 1 P Sanderson (G&G) 96:20
Women: 1 A Clement (Kent, W40) 75:05; 2 S Holt (Strag, W45) 75:36; 3 H Dos Santos (Vegan) 76:18; 4 L Bailey (Strag, W45) 78:32
W50: 1 E Proto (Holl Sp) 90:00; 2 M Leach (R’mede) 92:30
W55: 1 R Moran (Edmon) 95:26; 2 A Thomas 98:27
W75: 1 S Garner (Ling) 2:11:25
THAMES RIVERSIDE 20, Richmond, Surrey, March 20
While Sam Cook won overall in 1:48:40, the third placed finisher was Aldershot’s Louise Small with a 1:54:45 clocking.
The 33-year-old hacked four minutes from her previous best set back in 2023 and has high hopes on an improvement to her Marathon best of 2:27:51 set in Amsterdam last year.
Overall: 1 S Cook 1:48:40; 2 C Job (G&G) 1:53:13; 3 L Small (AFD, W) 1:54:45; 4 J Yen (VP&TH) 1:55:46
Women: 1 Small 1:55;46; 2 M Lane (Dulw R) 2:16:01
W60: 1 R Hutton (S Lon) 2:25:06
THE ONE IN THE PARK 10, Victoria Park, London, March 22
Overall: 1 M Mazid 53:06; 2 N Ebrahim 54:07
Women: 1 R Weston 63:56
WAKEFIELD HOSPICE 10km, West Yorkshire, March 22
Overall: 1 M Bostock (Wake) 31:01
Women: 1 J Dos Santos (VP&TH) 36:22
WILMSLOW HALF-MARATHON, Cheshire, March 22
There was another good Cheshire race at the weekend as Laurence McCourt won here in 64:45, 21 seconds clear of Josh Griffiths.
Back in fourth place, top John Gilbert ran 65:32 for the second best ever masters M45 time. The actual best, recorded by Alastair Watson, did not have a gun time available when 65:27 was clocked in Manchester last year.
Steph Pennycook took the women’s race in 73:24 as Leeds team mate Heather Townsend was 13 seconds down and a similar distance ahead of top W40 Laura Hesketh.
Back in sixth, Olympic marathoner Jess Piasecki continued her come back with a 76:21 clocking.
Overall: 1 L McCourt (Morp) 64:45; 2 J Griffiths (Swan) 65:06; 3 C Perry (Vale R) 65:28; 4 J Gilbert (Kent, M45) 65:22; 5 C Davidson (Salf) 65:42; 6 J Firth (Leeds) 66:03; 7 J Battrick (Kesw) 66:22; 8 A Doyle (Vale R) 67:32; 9 E Hobbs (Ilk) 67:39; 10 G Stuart (Merr’dd) 67:41; 11 M Ross (VP&TH) ^8:13; 12 G Priestley (Salf) 68:33; 13 J Boden (Wall’sey) 68:34; 14 R Bentley (Merr’dd, M40) 69:28; 15 C Gidlow (Stoke, M45) 69:29
M40: 2 R Haw (L Eaton) 71:14
M45: 3 J Cleaver (Ross’dale) 70:24; 4 D Hawley (L Eaton) 71:26
M50: 1 P Speake (Wilm) 73:44; 2 G Raven (Salf) 74:01; 3 C Newton (N’owram) 74:17
M55: 1 S Fenwick (Harb) 76:34
M60: 1 M Wolstencroft (Bolt) 79:55
M65: 1 C Phelan (S Lon) 87:29; 2 I Norman (Heaton) 89:09
M70: 1 G Crewe (Wilm) 99:11
Women: 1 S Pennycook Leeds) 73:24; 2 H Townsend Leeds, W35) 73:34; 3 L Hesketh (CleM, W40) 73:46; 4 N Robinson (BRAT) 74:26; 5 E Barlow (Manch) 75:39; 6 J Piasecki (Stock, W35) 76:21; 7 H Tomlinson (Bolt) 76:52; 8 K Latham (Nant, W40) 78:24; 9 B Hansen (Alt, W35) 79:39; 10 L Holt (Wilm) 79:54
W40: 3 E Taylor (Stoke) 80:50
W45: 1 D Sherwin (Stoke) 83:57; 2 L Brown (Dids) 84:00
W50: 1 J Rosenberg (Alt) 81;55; 2 J Bentley (Velo) 89:06; 3 N Cox (Weth’by) 90:02
W55: 1 J Stanfield (Trenth) 84:15; 2 D Millington 96:33
W60: 1 T Carr (Liv) 1:41;13
W70: 1 D Kesterton (Steel) 1:47:02
WYMONDHAM 20, Norfolk, March 22
Overall: 1 M Bath (Norw RR) 1:50:16; 2 K Bowling (Col H) 1:51:40; 3 J Senior (Norw) 1:51:56; 4 K Brooks (Wym) 1:53:28; 5 L Williams (Herne H) 1:57:03; 6 T O’Neill (hi) 1:57:17
M50: 1 D Whiting (Bev) 2:02:58
M55: 1 T Marshall (R Nxt Sea) 1:59:22
Women: 1 D Robinson (Ryst) 2:16:05; 2 A Southam (Ryst) 2:16:32
W45: 1 C Cummings (Norw) 2:17;40
CONISTON 14, Cumbria, March 21
Overall: 1 P Waite (Leven) 73:52
M40: 1 T Harrison (Bolt) 81:06
M50: 1 S Smith (Hoad H) 81:50
M60: 1 R Williamson (Loftus & W) 87:06
Women: 1 C Williamson (Loftus & W, W40) 88:41
W55: 1 N McNally (Peni) 98:15