A warm and pleasant evening on Thursday 16th July saw a field of 38 runners including some of the best ever Manx distance running specialists toe the line at the NSC roadway. The wind had got up a little in the 2 hours before the race but eased somewhat by 7.30pm so all was set for the hoped for fast race.
From the off it was almost as though everyone had received a memo saying set off fast and hang on! Ollie Lockley lead the way at a blistering pace followed by Alan Corlett and Wil Draper. Close behind followed Andy Nash and Rachael Franklin with a number of younger and more experienced runners competing over the first half of the race for a good base to work on. They included Christian Varley fresh from his marathon heroics and Ieuan Owen who has now moved into the Under 20 age category. A little further back but going well were scutch of Manx Harriers ladies all going well lead by Elissa Morris with Caroline Mayers, Macy Hillier and Ciara Hardisty.
After half way the positions began to settle down and Ollie, Alan and Wil began to lap runners on the multi lap course. However, at the front the pace continued to be very impressive and records looked like they would be under threat.
As the race moved into the final mile Ollie had stretched his lead in first place and Alan had stretched away from Wil Draper. Rachael had overtaken training partner Andy Nash and was charging towards a fast time. The final lap saw everyone putting everything into their races. Ollie broke the tape in 14 mins 10 seconds to set a Manx Senior Men’s record and record a time that would win most road 5kms in the UK. Allan recorded a new road PB as did Wil and Andy Nash.
Rachael held her lead over Andy and powered through the line in a very impressive 15 mins 42 seconds and yet another Manx Senior record. This also would win many a 5km race in the UK and if things were different at present would mean she would probably have had a shot at winning an England or GB vest this summer over 5km on the road as has Lockley in recent years at different distances. All others in the first 6 ran PBs on the evening! Looking further down the field there were some great times and performances by all with PBs run by at least 15 other runners and pleasing performance s by all.
The Isle of Man records did not end with the first male and female athletes over the line as Macy Hillier set a new mark in the under 15 girls category running 19 minutes and 7 seconds. She ran a really gutsy race and finished very strongly indeed. At the other end of the scale Andy Fox also bettered the old over 60 men’s time.
Manx Harriers would like to thank all competitors for taking part in such a great event, the many spectators who added to a great atmosphere and most importantly all the time keepers, Marshals, Lap Scorers etc. Without the officials it would not have been possible to put on such a successful event. So the first road race on island over a standard distance after lockdown lead to the first time the Senior Men’s and Women’s records have fallen in the same race. In addition 2 other Manx records were set and many athletes ran faster than ever before. Roll on the rest of the season – it could be a record breaking one in more ways than one!
Manx Harriers 5km Road Run
Thursday 16th July 2020 – NSC Roadway.
Name No. Club Age Group Time
- Ollie Lockley 295 Manx Harriers Sen M 14 mins 10 secs R
- Alan Corlett 291 Manx Harriers Sen M 14 mins 48 secs
- Wil Draper 288 Unattached Sen M 15 mins 04 secs
- Rachael Franklin 290 Ribble Valley H. Sen W 15 mins 42 secs R
- Andy Nash 292 Unattached Sen M 15 mins 45 secs
- Ieuan Owen 268 Western AC U20M 15 mins 53 secs
- Christian Varley 272 IOM Fell Runners V35M 16 mins 29 secs
- Alex Bell 265 Manx Harriers Sen M 16 mins 51 secs
- Luke Phair 293 Northern AC U20M 16 mins 57 secs
- Corbyn Schade 278 Western AC U15B 17 mins 31 secs
- Paul Sykes 266 IOM Fell Runners V45M 17 mins 35 secs
- Ryan Corrin 286 Manx Harriers U17M 18 mins 09 secs
- Daniel Pownall 296 Manx Harriers Sen M 18 mins 14 secs
- Richard Shipway 271 Western AC V50M 18 mins 23 secs
- Andy Watson 263 Manx Harriers V50M 18 mins 38 secs
- Andrew Fox 300 Manx Harriers V60M 18 mins 39 secs R
- Elissa Morris 299 Manx Harriers Sen W 18 mins 55 secs
- Paul Rodgers 277 Manx Harriers V40M 19 mins 06 secs
- Peter Callin 297 Western AC V45M 19 mins 07 secs
- Macy Hillier 298 Manx Harriers U15G 19 mins 07 secs R
- Caroline Mayers 289 Manx Harriers V45W 19 mins 14 secs
- Ciara Hardisty 281 Manx Harriers Sen W 19 mins 23 secs
- James Wright 264 Unattached V35M 19 mins 28 secs
- Jamie Hayes 275 Unattached V35M 19 mins 30 secs
- Jake Ashton 274 Unattached U17M 19 mins 50 secs
- Guy Wood 279 Unattached Sen M 19 mins 53 secs
- Josh Wade 287 Unattached Sen M 20 mins 02 secs
- Dawn Atherton 194 Western AC V35W 20 mins 03 secs
- Laura Dickinson 269 Manx Harriers Sen W 20 mins 31 secs
- Mark Corrin 285 Manx Harriers V45M 21 mins 51 secs
- John Robertson 273 Unattached V65M 22 mins 33 secs
- Niall Killey 276 Unattached Sen M 23 mins 11 secs
- Kathy Lane 270 IOM Vets V45W 23 mins 13 secs
- Fiona Bullough 284 IOM Vets V40W 24 mins 55 secs
- Keith Green 280 Manx Harriers V60M 26 mins 04 secs
- Anne-Marie Rivers 282 Unattached V45W 27 mins 13 secs
- Katie Lawrence 283 Western AC V35W 28 mins 09 secs
- Gethin Owen 267 Western AC U15B DNF
R = Isle of Man Record, subject to ratification.