Gebreselassie stars as Belgravians enjoy brilliant Night of the 10,000m PBs
Seven Belgravians ran - and four scored PBs - at Highgate Harriers’ brilliant Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill.
Many more Bels and Belles were in attendance to enjoy what has become the social event of the endurance running year - this time in sweltering conditions.
Race entries were limited to men with a sub-32 PB and women with a sub-38, but spectating was free for the thousands lining lanes four to eight and beyond.
Race 1
Steve Gardner (32:59) and Brad Courtney-Pinn (32:52) both scored new track 10,000m PBs but were more than a minute off their road 10k bests - thanks in part to the 3pm sunshine and zero breeze to offset it. Both ran sensible races, working from the back of a 35-strong field to finish 6th and 8th with Brad just pipping Steve in the final 600m.
All photos in the following gallery by Jerry Sun unless otherwise stated:
Race 2
Jonny Scott found the searing heat tough going and finished in 33:36 for his 10,000m debut - a fair chunk off his 31:57 road PB but credit that he stuck it out to the end in a race that saw four DNFs and two DNS.
“A mental battle from 4k,” says Jonny. “Possibly could’ve gone slightly quicker, but I’m happy to have taken part and come away unscathed.”
Gallery by Jerry Sun:
Race 3
Sam Amend enjoyed the shorter distance - what’s 25 laps when you’ve just run a 100-mile PB? - and was even caught dancing her way through the beer tent with 2km to go. Jess Saunders never looked comfortable in the heat and sensibly called it a day just after halfway, feeling like she was going backwards and with a long track season still ahead.
Photos by Steve Gardner:
Race 4
Callum Stewart was only just back to full training after a period of illness but didn’t want to turn down the opportunity to race in front of the huge Highgate crowds. But at this race you need to be on top of your game at confident too: here Callum felt cooked at halfway and took a forward-looking DNF, stepping off soaked in sweat eager to enjoy the rest of the night’s spectating.
No Belgravians in race 5.
Race 6
As conditions began to cool off, Sam Gebreselassie ran a brilliant race and was in a very small minority of athletes who ran quicker at Highgate than at the Vitality 10k ten days before. Through 5k in 14:45, Sam faded only slightly in the second half and fought back with a 63-second last lap to finish in 29:49, scalping internationals including Adam Craig, Andrew Davies and Alex Teuten.
Photos 1-5 by Jerry Sun, others by Steve Gardner:
Elite races - incorporating UKA champs
Belgrave Run Club coach Jack Rowe was disappointed to miss out on the World Champs qualifying time - his 28:20 was a 30-second track PB but some way off the 28:06 he ran on the road in Manchester last year. Italy’s Yeman Crippa won the men’s race in 27:16 ahead of Sam Atkin, who won the British title, in 27:31.
The women’s title was won by Blackburn’s Jess Judd in 31:22, a time that saw her qualify for the summer’s World Championships in Oregon.