A top three under 13s and over 60s finish at the London event as we bring you our latest road racing round-up.
LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km, Hyde Park, London, February 27
There can’t be too many open road races where an under-13 and a 62-year-old have finished in the top three. Steve Smythe reports.
Recent English national under-13 cross-country team fifth runner-up Sophia Davies won the women’s race in a PB 17:35 despite windy conditions and a far from flat course at this monthly event.
Eleven seconds back, January winner Catherine O’Connor was second, while W60 Clare Elms won a sprint to take third.
Elms also received an award that day for easily being the best athlete in the event in 2025 based on last year’s top six age-grade results, where she averaged more than 100 percent in age-grade.
This was significantly his best for his age on the course, as his 18:19 was not only a W60 course record but was only four seconds off his world best on a much flatter course at Battersea last December.
The world record holder in several categories was returning from a week of illness in which she was unable to run, complicated by family problems that included the death of her mother over the weekend and having to visit her father in the hospital every day.
Elms started slowly, but a final kilometer of 3:30 gave him third place and he improved his December time by four seconds and, amazingly, now holds every course record from W40 to W60. It was also his fastest time on the circuit since 2019, when he set the W55 world best time of 17:39.
Fellow world champion Andrew Leach produced the next best age-graded performance (94.2 per cent) and the M60’s 17:07 gave him 11th overall.
Monkeys: 1M Mellor (Tun W) 16:08
M45: 1 J O’Mahony (Camb H) 16:34
M60: 1 A Leach (N Herts) 17:07
M80:1 T Rhea (H’field) 27:33
Women: 1 S Davies (Brent B, U13) 17:35; 2 C O’Connor (St Alb) 17:46; 3 C Olmos (Kent, W60) 18:19
W50: 1E Skinner (Kent) 19:10
W55: 1 A Critchlow (W4) 19:40: 2 S McDonald (S Lon) 20:04
W60: 2 R Hutton (S Lon) 21:04; 3 L Woolhouse (Veterinarians) 21:31
W70: 1K Hancock (Serp) 25:42
W75: 1M Rayner (G4) 29:00
ANGLESEY HALF MARATHON, North Wales, March 1
Monkeys: 1 To Iago 71:51
M50: 1R Mansell (Cybi) 80:05
Women: 1G Moore (Eryri) 82:43
BERKHAMPSTEAD HALF MARATHON, Hertfordshire, March 1
Monkeys: 1 T Charles (Chorl, M40) 69:54; 2K Lindars (VoA) 70:37; 3J Davis (Dac) 70:43
M60: 1S Townsend (Dac) 84:42
Women: 1F Weddell (St Alb) 78:42
W40: 1 B Beam (Tring) 83:55
W50: 1 A young man (Chilt) 95:38
W60: 1 R Eykelbosch (Dac) 1:43:15
BRIGHTON HALF MARATHON, East Sussex, March 1
Seyfu Jamaal retained the title she won here last year, albeit in a time one minute slower, 65:28, and comes after winning the Hampton Court Half two weeks earlier.
The London Heathside runner’s time was a minute ahead of Tosin Adedeji, who was a minute off his previous best of 66:21. Third place finisher Rubén Hoyte was also in new territory with 66:41.
The women’s race was won by local Phoenix runner Maisie Trafford in 77:32, a time about four minutes faster than her previous best and came after she returned to racing in 2025.
Monkeys: 1 S Jamaal (Lon H) 65:28; 2 T Adeji (NEB) 66:21; 3R Hoyte (Phoe) 66:41; 4 S Anthony (C&C) 67:24; 5 S Cooking 68:39; 6 N Lawson (Altra) 68:52; 7J McGraw (BRAT) 69:21; 8 J. Fielding (ESM) 69:33; 9 A Jones (Ports, M40) 69:46; 10 C Lorimer (B&H) 70:00
M50: 1 P Medium 77:22
M65: 1 To Benn (Shoreham) 89:40
Women: 1M Trafford (Phoe) 77:32; 2 R Whyte-Wilding (Lewes) 78:14; 3 liters of lavender (Tri Lav, W35) 78:44; 4S Chapman 80:00
W40: 1R Hillman (Lewes) 82:53
W50: 1 A Wright 95:04
W55: 1B Pradham 96:15
W60: 1 L Chislett (Sand) 1:40:07
BURGHLEY 7, Lincolnshire, March 1
Monkeys: 1 M Kallenberg (Swan) 36:01
Women: 1T Clayton-Woods 42:23
NEWPORT CITY HALF MARATHON, South Wales, March 1
Monkeys: 1 A Cambell (Llis) 69:38; 2 M Roderick (Tri Duro) 69:34
M50: 1 R Hartley (P’pridd) 80:44
Women: 1 M Sutton (vegan) 77:43; 2C Merwood (CDF) 69:53
W60: 1J Roscoe (Chep) 1:41:26
W70: 1 J Ormé (Portis) 1:48:00
GREAT YARMOUTH MARITIME HALF MARATHON, Norfolk, March 1
Monkeys: 1 M Bathroom 69:38
Women: 1 D Page 88:38
LEICESTER 10km, March 1
Monkeys: 1 H Robinson (Nun) 33:07
M50: 1C Nicholl (Der Tri) 35:33
Women: 1 C Frankland (west end) 35:44
LIVERSEDGE HALF MARATHON, West Yorkshire, March 1
Monkeys: 1 J Sagar (Leeds) 71:21
Women: 1 S Armitage (Ilk, W45) 88:29
LONDON HALF MARATHON, Stratford, March 1
Monkeys: 1 H Fry (Belgian) 67:54
Women: 1E Davison 82:08
MIDDLESBROUGH HALF MARATHON, March 1
Monkeys: 1R McLeod (Morp, M40) 67:06; 2 A Theaker (Loftus & W) 69:11; 3 N Postill (Frontera) 69:13
M40: 2J Anderson (NSP) 70:56
M60: 1 G O’Connor) 84:35
Women: 1R Blain (Tyne Br) 83:16
W45: 1 W. Pawsey (NSP) 86:50
W50: 1 T Biney (New York Moors) 86:41
W55: 1K Neesam (N Marske) 89:58; 2C Howard (R’hay) 90:33
W60: Room 1 H (NE Project) 93:20
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE 10km & HALF MARATHON, Scunthorpe, March 1
Total (10 km): 1 T Straw (Linc W) 31:25; 2 R Page (Linc W) 31:36
Women: 1H Gill (Mansf, W50) 37:48
Total (13.1 million): 1 R Psyne (Clle) 68:28; 2 J Lonsdale (Worksop) 68:50; 3 A Plows 69:22
Women: 1 C Thornton (Linc W) 75:47; 2E Holt (C’field Tri) 80:12
TAUNTON HALF MARATHON, Somerset, March 1
Monkeys: 1 J Williamson (B&W) 68:03; 2C Hewitt (Tiv) 69:28
M60: 1 million shots (mine) 85:59
Women: 1 Stone S (Bide, W45) 89:10
TRAFFORD 10km, Greater Manchester, March 1
It was the Scottish invaders who took top honors in the men’s race, but Abbie Donnelly kept up the English spirit by winning the women’s section in 32:06.
Cambuslang’s Kevin Campbell was comfortably the better of the two Scots with a 30-second margin of victory over Falkirk’s Scott Stirling while Derby’s David Bishop led 11 more men in or at the 30-minute barrier.
For Campbell, 38, a time of 28:49 was comfortably a personal best and came after a 2:17:38 to place third in the Manchester Marathon last year.
Donnelly was not in personal best territory, with her best of 31:42 set at her home race in Lincoln in 2023, but it has been in the country where the 29-year-old has excelled in recent years with European and world championship vests, as well as victory at the 2025 inter-county championships.
Everything was on the line here after a battle in which Emily Haggard-Kearney just lost, but was rewarded with a new personal best of 32:07.
Third-placed Charlotte Dannatt was also in new territory with a personal best of 32:14 in third place.
Monkeys: 1K Campbell (Cambus) 28:49; 2S Stirling (Falk) 29:20; 2 D Bishop (R) 29:25; 4M Peare (BRAT) 29:27; 5L Jagger (Newark) 29:29; 6 J Harrison (Corn) 29:42; 7 S Loughlin (Liv PS) 29:46; 8M Clowes (Wrex) 29:50; 9J Beattie (Leeds, M40) 29:56; 10 J Niven (Liv) 29:57; 11 J Firth (Tad) 29:59; 12J Gilbert (Kent, M45) 29:59; 13 O Roberts (Merr’dd) 30:00; 14 R Owen (Merr’dd) 30:00; 15R Donkin (Barton) 30:01
M40: 2 A Baker (Leeds) 31:14
M45: 2 A Davies (Mald) 30:34; 3J Horman (Liv) 30:47
M50: 1P Sneak (Wilm) 33:09; 2 J Perst (Traffic) 34:19; 3 A Haney (chorus) 35:05
M55: 1W Pearson (Crook) 34:52; 2D Bennett (Roch) 35:42; 3 A goalkeeper (Bramhall) 35:53
M60: 1 R Johnson (Alt) 36:29; 2R Evans (High) 36:41; Park 3 B (Sport W) 37:29
Women: 1 A Donnelly (Linc W) 32:06; 2 E Haggard-Kearney (Warriors) 32:07; 3 C Dannatt (Camb’ly) 32:14; 4 S Dufour-Jackson (Vale R) 32:46; 5 E Twentyman (R&N) 33:04; 6 L Hesketh (CleM, W40) 33:23; 7 N Phillips (Dund H) 33:33; 8 J Piasecki (Stock) 33:36; 9H Townsend (Leeds, W40) 33:52; 10D Corradi (Leeds) 33;57; 11S Pennycook (Leeds) 33:58; 12 R Brown (Edge, W40) 34:22; 13K Latham (Nant, W40) 34:52; 14CArnell 35:13; 15R Jackson (Wilm) 35:20
W40: 4E Taylor (Stoke) 36:25
W60: 1 C Higgs (Trenth) 43:49
W65: 1 J Cordingley (Sale) 46:43
CHICHESTER CORPORATE CHALLENGE, Race 1, West Sussex, February 25
December Victory 5 winner Lachlan Wellinton, who also ran 28:41.60 in the 10,000 meters in the USA last year, was a big winner in four laps totaling 4.5km in a time of 12:54.
This was very clear to Onjuro Sumba, who, as in the last race last spring, came second.
Total (4.5 km):1 L Wellington (Ports) 12:54; 2 O Sumba 13:27; 3 Or Priston) 13:44
Women: 1 A Fal 15:28; 2 B Naylor-Davis (Seaf Col) 15:40; 3 C Jones (Ports) 15:57
INTERSCHOOL RACE CHALLENGE, Race 1, Chichester, West Sussex, March 29
In the age group races, Year 7 Riley Ayre improved the Year 7/8 course record with 6:38 over the 2.1km course.
Children Year 9 and 10 (2.8 km): 1L De Giovani (Petersfield) 8:14; 2 M Gayle (B Luffa) 8:18; 3J Stewart (B Luffa) 8:19
Year 7 and 8 (2.1 km):
1 R Ayre (O Romero) 6:38;2 C Carman (Casa) 6:41; 3 F Smith (H chambers) 6:49
Girls Year 9/10 (2.1km): 1 B Lendrum (B Luffa) 6:54; 2 I Shaw (Swanmore) 7:16; 3 F Fooks (GS Ports) 7:20
Year 7/8: 1 E Pemberton (Churcher’s) 7:06; 2 L Jones (Meon) 7:17; 3 E Fowler (Meón) 7:25
LEEDS SERIES 5km 5km, West Yorkshire, February 25
Monkeys: 1T Hodgson (Salf) 15:37
M50: 1D Smithers (York) 17:05
Women: 1 Yo Burke (Sale) 17:29
LASSWADE 10, Rosewell, March 1
Monkeys: 1R Anderson (Tev) 56:17; Walker 2G (Tev, M40) 56:47
M60😀 Cruz (Edin) 67:37
Women: 1 To Frankland (Girl) 63:01; 2J Dickson (Fife, W50) 66:33
W60:M Scott (E Edin) 76:30
SMOKIES WOMEN 10, Arbroath, March 1
Women: Sara takes advantage 66:41
HFBC NAIRN 10km, March 1
Monkeys: 1 Ross Gollan (E Suth) 30:19; 2 S Chalmers (A’deen) 30:37; 3F Roberts (HHR) 31:26; 4 S Cumming (E South) 32:00; 5 F Murray (E South) 32:58; 6 S Gardiner (me) 33:04
M40: G Lennox (E Suth) 33:52
M50: G Jenkins (Moray) 36:08
EQUIPMENT: 1 E Sut 95:18; 2 HHR 1:40:25; 3 Moray 1:44:39
Women: 1 R Pinder (A’din) 36:23; 2 C Tombs (HHR) 38:01; 3 A Gollan (Dees R) 38:26; 4C Cook (Metro) 38:39
W40: S Naysmith (N’burgh D) 39:45
W50: J Barker (Moray) 43:30
U20: J needs (A’deen) 42:30
EQUIPMENT: 1 Moray (W40) 2:10:33; 2 N’brgh D (W40) 2:18:32; 3 Moray B 2:23:09
