On a crackling February night, a pack of Belgrave’s top talents thundered around Battersea Park at the prestigious PUL5K, claret and gold dust floating through the gulping black.

Belgrave gave a superb account of themselves, shoulders rubbing with some of the top runners in the country. Getting to the start line is a reward for years of graft: our men needed 5km qualifying times of 15:45, our women 19:00. 

Roared on under the lights by a bumper home support, our 20 runners raised the curtain on an exciting road season ahead.

‘I put a target on his back and blew by him’

The night began with the men, 208 of whom were spread across three waves. James Wootton was our fastest outside the elite men’s category, finishing just two seconds ahead of Ugur Altan. This men’s side is deep, and talented: less than 20 seconds separated our six fastest runners.

As witnessed in this season’s cross country campaign, Belgrave runners have worked each other through races, often finishing just seconds apart. Conall McNally and Rob Kelly traded their spikes for flats and stepped up their rivalry, both duking it out for position and personal bests.

“I didn’t quite feel in PB shape but knew anything could happen with a race of such depth,” Kelly said.

“The plan was to get out hard and grind to 3km where I could try and pick off those ahead over the last 2km. This played out well.”

Tearing through 3km in 9:15, Kelly had McNally in his sights, 50m up the road. 

“I put a target on his back and blew by him with 500m to go. I thought I’d finally take a coveted head-to-head victory over him as I petered out towards the finish line - only for him to nip me at the line.”

Home advantage

The Belles look equally ready for the road season.

Naomi Lenane, who is in red-hot form, led the women home in 17:21. Eyes will be on Jess Saunders at April’s London Marathon, but her 17:33 time showed her versatility and sheer talent.

One athlete, in particular, had overcome a lot to get here.

“The race was a marker to kickstart 2023 for me,” Steph Hewitt said. That she even traced the starting line was remarkable enough.

Having torn her hamstring in September, Hewitt has carefully nursed herself back to form. She was delighted to return below 18 minutes once more.

“It was tough!” she admitted. “But racing on home turf at Battersea Park is always so much fun and with so many of our team racing and supporting you couldn’t not enjoy it.”

We saved our best man for last: Josh Trigwell, Belgrave’s national 1,500m champion, our sole representative in the elite men’s category, which closed the evening. Trigwell finished in 14:38.

The new road season is here. New Harriers, backed by old. New PBs, new threads. 

The teams will line up anew on April 2 at the Olympic Park for the South of England Road Relays. The ambitions remain the same; Rob Kelly will get his man eventually.