Blyth Running Club

© 2016 Blyth Running Club All Rights Reserved

 History

1987 saw the first Blyth-Blaydon-Claremont social night, a race around the Town Moor followed by a social night.  In 1988, Blyth returned the favour and organised the Blyth Links 10K, although other Clubs were also invited.  Since then the event has grown, with several clubs incorporating the race in their Grand Prix.  The basic route and format has stayed the same, although the venue for the after race drinks has changed several times, we seem settled at the Quay pub now.  The race has always been on the Tuesday evening after the August Bank Holiday Monday.  The latest course starts alongside the children's playground opposite the 'Mermaid' Cafe, runs along the footpath nearly as far as Gloucester Lodge Farm and then follows the dunes cycleway to Seaton Sluice.  From here it's a left turn onto Colywell Bay Road and then another left onto the cliff top path to the caravan park before turning right, up hill to the Delavel Arms pub.  Then it's back along Colywell Bay Road, the dunes path and the promenade before finishing at the bandstand on the seafront.  This is an annual event, where we invite runners from several local clubs to take part. They in turn return the compliment by inviting our members to their own similar events during the year. A buffet is provided by our members, free to our guests who all assemble in a local pub afterwards to have a drink to see the prizes being presented, and to complain about injuries and so on.  In recent years, North Shield's Poly have used the race as the first race in their Grand Prix handicap series.

Since the race's inception in 1991, the course has virtually been as at present with only a couple of minor differences and has always been a 10k.  On this basis, below is a list of the the ten best male and female times since 1991.

Posn

Male


Female

Name

Club

Time

Year

Name

Club

Time

Year

1

Ivan Hollingsworth

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

31:50

2007

Charlotte Penfold

NSP

35:50

2018

2

Steve Body

Bedford

31:58

2005

Charlotte Penfold

NSP

37:23

2017

3

S. O'Gara

Wallsend harriers

32:01

1992

Stephanie MaClean-Dann

NSP

37:46

2017

4

D. Swinburne

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

32:09

2005

Stephanie Dann

NSP

37:47

2010

5

Ryan Stephenson

NSP

32:11

2007

Jaqueline Penn

NSP

37:50

2017

6

P. Wright

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

32:17

1992

L. Williams

NSP

37:52

1999

7

Ian Harding

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

32:18

2010

Stephanie MaClean-Dann

NSP

37:54

2013

8=

Michael Morris

NSP

32:25

1996

Gina Rutherford

NSP

37:54

2014

8=

Ian Harding

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

32:25

2011

Susie Stephen

Darlington H & AC

38:09

2010

10

M. Brown

Morpeth Harriers & A.C.

32:33

1999

Susie Rutherford

Darlington

38:21

2009

The best times by Blyth runners are:-      32:46 by Andy Brown in 1992 (13th best overall)

                                                           40:19 by Jacqui Lumsden in 1998

Thanks to all who have took part, and especially to all those who have helped.  Hopefully, we'll  see you all again in future years.

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Links 10k

7:15 pm on Tuesday 27th August 2019

Started in 1991, this year saw the 29th running of our own Links 10k invitational “training run” and with 300 finishers it was just below last years record of 315. Including Blyth a total of 12 different clubs were represented on the night. First back and making it three wins in a row was Kurt Heron in a time of 34:34,  with North Shield’s Poly’s Claire McManus first lady in 22nd place overall with a time of 40:04.  Congratulations also to Jon French who was the winner of this years Brian Stringfellow Memorial Trophy, awarded for being the fastest Blyth master.

RESULTS