Callendar Park, Falkirk.  A famous team victory came in the Stewarts Scottish National Cross Country Championships where Inverclyde pipped Shettlestone by a single point in the senior men's 12k. Dan Mulhare led the way in 5th for Inverclyde, well involved in the battle for bronze, with Mark Pollard 19th, having slipped from 10th-15th on the second lap and struggling to get back through the pack on the third loop. Mark has twice been a winner of this event. Full results

After this race Dan and Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab (Shettleston Harriers) ended up tied on 77 points at the top of the Men's Stewarts Cross Country Grand Prix 2009/10.

The Belgrave men's team took a step closer to the county title that has eluded them since 1996, winning the silver medals at Lloyd Park.  Missing James Kelly and Phil Wicks, it was left to Paskar Owor to lead the squad home by winning the individual race.  Great running came from James Fairbourn (14th) and Lander Eguia (16th) and their runs were key in the step up from last year's third team place. Winners were Herne Hill Harriers with Hercules Wimbledon AC in third.

Sarah Murphy rarely has a bad race and it was another typically "gutsy" effort from our leading lady who placed fourth in the women's race, just one second outside the medals.

Full results  | Report |  Photos by Alan Mead.

With a dodgy ankle that had given trouble during the week, Richard Stannard eschewed the county cross country championships over a rough 12k but turned out over the more predictable Bushy Park 5k course to run second to Basingstoke's Phil Tulba in 16:13. Richard would have added even more spice to the Fairbourn, Eguia, Cockerell shootout in Lloyd Park.

In Banstead Woods Richard Ward won his 57th - yes 57th! - parkrun.  He tops the most wins list (male) by a clear 27 victories.  At Heaton Park Paul Freary headed the field with 16:35.

Missed last week

A massive pb came last weekend from Vicki Goodwin in Seville where she clocked 3:12:09 to place 20th in the marathon.  Also last weekend Sam Amend placed 3rd in the 26.2 Runners Valentine's Day 10k - 37:12.

Results

Aviva UK Indoor Champs., Sheffield. Samson Oni claimed the indoor UK high jump title after a battle with Birchfield's Tom Parsons. Both athletes cleared 2.25 metres but while Samson nailed it at first attempt, Parsons needed his full quota of jumps.  Neither could make 2.28m.

The Belles were back with a full team and 6th team place on the Common.  The final league position was also 6th. Full results | Results

Missing his first Surrey league race in years Will Cockerell was engaged in one of his other passions - a serious backgammon tournament.  But he did get a run in by turning out in the Wimbledon Common parkrun 5k where his main opposition, Crawley man Matt Furber, carried a video camera throughout the race and still managed to outkick the Cockerpillar at the death. Result 

At Newlands Corner, near Guildford, the final Men's Surrey CC League saw a win for Herne Hill Harriers from Thames Hare & Hounds but their advantage was not enough to catch the latter who take the league title again.  The Bels placed 4th on the day and ended up 3rd overall in the league - fairly satisfactory.  First Belgravian was Paskar Owor in 6th; he finished equal 1st individual with Thames' James McMullan at the end of the series.

Individuals | Teams | Belgrave results | Plate

Irishman Dan Mulhare, at University in Edinburgh and a member of Inverclyde as well as Belgrave, took great delight in winning the Scottish 4k Cross Country Champs at Glasgow.  He fought off the challenge of Shettlestone's Eritrean contingent who filled 2nd to 4th places and in 6th spot came Mark Pollard. 

The results of the SEAA Cross Country Champs. don't make exciting reading as far as the Bels are concerned. Somehow this race proves to be difficult for us to crack and although we've hauled ourselves painfully up the result sheets and had two consecutive team placings of 4th in '08 and '09, and were the first Surrey team to get 12 home last year, we failed to complete a team this time around.

Good running from James Kelly, though, who takes the Endurance Cup as first Belgravian home in 25th place.

A wrongly placed hurdle caused mayhem for hurdler William Sharman during training last week. He tried hard to avoid the barrier as he came upon it far too soon but couldn't miss hitting it and went down in a bad fall which resulted in a multiple fracture of his wrist.  Will was taken to hospital and underwent an operation the following morning.  His indoor season and warm-weather training are now cancelled.

Ruislip. Stephen Sharp made a successful foray back to his old stamping ground to clearly win the Middlesex Cross Country title; his winning margin over the 12k course was over a minute.

The Under 20 men's race did not feature our European silver medallist Nick Goolab  but it did give a chance for Max and Dom Kiralyfi to show their paces.  Max picked up the bronze medal while twin brother Dom placed 6th.  Full results

Belgrave brothers were also prominent in the McCain UK Cross Challenge in Antrim where Michael Mulhare placed 10th and Daniel was 14th. Full results

Russell tells us that he was very disappointed. Published information before the race was that the Championship was to be the main basis for selection but it seems that a lack of supporting performances let him down.  A bit tough when he'd actually been injured, came back from that to place 6th and it's six to make up a team.  More.

 Belinda's baby

Arien Caser Howard made his appearance on 14 January at 12:48pm, weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and a son to our hammer throwing Belinda Heil.

 Kev's band on air

 Up & Running offer

This Dulwich based running shop are offering a £40 jacket for free if you buy a pair of running shoes from them.  See more and mention that you found out about this via the Belgrave website.

 Just 100 days to go

Jackie Bye has been struggling with illness but is still determined to complete the Virgin London Marathon, running for charity. Her son Graeme is 9 and suffers from a neurological problem known as Charcot Marie Tooth. Jackie is determined to raise as much as she can to aid him and others like him. Donations

Sat. 16 January. SEAA Indoor Champs. The indoor season moved up a gear at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre this weekend and Samson Oni displayed good form to take the high jump title with 2.25m, equalling his own Championship Best Performance.

Belgrave results | Full results

Sat. 16 January. Pole vaulting for the first time since last June, Joe Ive cleared 5.18m to win his competition at Vault Manchester.

Sun. 17 January. The Scottish Inter-Regional Championships saw Mark Pollard win the A string 1500m in 3:59.09.

Snowy, icy and freezing conditions caused many county Championships to be postponed or cancelled altogether.

The Surrey County Cross Country Champs. have been rescheduled for Saturday 20 February at Lloyd Park, near Croydon, and the race programme will be as originally planned for 9 January.

It's easy to say that we always used to go ahead with the championships in the old days, but one has to remember that the programme then only consisted of three races - Senior and Junior men, and Youths. Women's events were held on a different day.  Nowadays the event includes races for all age groups from Under 13 upwards - for both male and female - more than three times the number of races once held.  Officials are not getting any younger and their duties at the County Champs are now spread over about six hours.

Nonsuch Relay to be renamed in memory of Dave Davies

Held early in July each year in Nonsuch Park this Dave Denton organised event has been renamed in memory of our own late Dave Davies who frequented this race and just about every other within a fifteen mile radius of Epsom.

As reported on the Running with David website the race: " ... always attracts around 60 teams and has been renamed as a memorial to a lovely man who ran for both Belgrave Harriers and Epsom Oddballs.  The event has categories for men, women, V40  & V50 men and V40 women as well as a corporate category and prizes are awarded to the winners of each category. The relay starts at 7pm."

We'd best make sure we enter a team then, eh?  It'll be held on July 1st in 2010.

Charles Henn 1931-2009

It is with very great sadness that we report the death of Charles Henn early on Christmas Eve in Kingston Hospital.  He had been fighting illness for some time but was still a regular among the "Saturday Crowd" until recent weeks.

Charlie had been a member since 1950 enjoying regular runs from our clubhouse from that date to the present day and was an ever-present competitor when it came to club races - particularly over the longer distances. He stepped in to become our General Hon. Secretary in the mid-90s through to the millennium and beyond, and brought a meticulousness to the job which was almost unparalleled.  He was elected a Life Member of Belgrave Harriers during this period but, a quiet and modest man who preferred not to appear in the limelight, he firmly shunned any greater recognition.