Since we first heard that our legendary Mike Turner had suffered a stroke, the internet has been buzzing with people expressing concern and others giving updates after visits to Mike in hospital. It makes you realise how special he is when you find yourself in the same correspondence circle as Bruce Tullow and Dave Bedford.
I received an update from Mike's partner, Glenda, this morning. The Consultant told them that because this is a stroke on a stroke he has been knocked for six, and recovery will be more of a marathon this time, not a middle-distance race. He is 'definitely making progress', but it will be a long haul. He is in Addenbrookes hospital at present, but the plan is for him to be transferred to Brookfields Hospital (also in Cambridge) for rehabilitation and physio, once he is a bit more mobile. Sadly, staff shortages mean he is not currently receiving as much physio as would be ideal.
One recent visitor was Mel Edwards, who regards Mike as his inspiration. Mel ran for TVH, won many Scottish titles, and very nearly made the Olympic team for the Marathon some years ago. He reported that Mike may not yet have regained much strength in his left hand, but the handshake from his right hand was fearsome! David Bedford is planning to see Mike soon, so they will no doubt compare memories of duels in the National Cross-Country, including (if my memory is correct) the 1973 race, held at Parliament Hill Fields when Dave won and Mike was fourth.
Highlight for LHAC at the BUCS Indoors Championships at Sheffield over the weekend was the 3:47.65 clocking in the 1500m by Harry Harper. He was beaten into second, but the winner was James Thie who, after all, is 11 years older and has a PB of 3:37!
Rebecca Linney easily got through her two preliminary rounds of the 800m, but lost out in a close final, running 2:09.42 for 5th in a race won in 2:06. Ben Russell left the mud behind, and ran a PB 8:48.72 for 3000m in his heat, then slightly slower in the final. The experience will have done him good - it's time for his PBs to be shattered!
It was quite a lazy meet for our multi-eventer Mike Sweeney - only 4 competitions: 8.72secs for 60mH, 6th in the High Jump with a good 2.01m, a new PB of 4.50m for 5th place in the Pole Vault, and 11.71m in the Shot.
Over the last few weeks, we've noted the steady improvement in form by U17 Mathew Shirling... from a disappointing 4th in the Merseyside Cross-Country, via a convincing victory in the Northern Indoors 1500m, to a promising run in the Northern Cross-Country, where he was at the front and looking great most of the way before fading badly in the last kilometre. Then yesterday, at Parliament Hill Fields in London, he took the U17 English National title. After tracking the leaders most of the way, he broke clear on the fast finish - coming home by just one second but looking very much in command.
There were some good team performances too: the U17 Women were 7th (led by Katherine Walker who finished an excellent 18th)and the Senior Women ran superbly to come 6th, just behind Aldershot. Our Senior Men, with a much depleted team, came only 21st, but Dan Cliffe (in his sunglasses, of course!) again showed his class with 34th out of the field of around 1700 runners.
posted 25 Feb 2012 10:18 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 26 Feb 2012 04:58
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On Day 1 of the England U15/U17/U20 Championships at Birmingham, Katarina Johnson-Thompson competed in the U20 Long Jump, where her PB was more than half a metre better than the rest of the competitors.
Not surprisingly, she won! Her best jump was 6.30m, a new Championship Best Performance, with the second place athlete jumping 5.69m.
Wow! What a great start to the season Kat is having.
Also on Day 1, Alex Boyce was the fastest qualifier in the U20 400m, with a time of 49.43secs. Like Kat, Alex has the best PB in the field, so he must stand a great chance of winning the final tomorrow.
posted 16 Feb 2012 07:39 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 17 Feb 2012 02:48
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Back around Christmas 1967, our Club Handicap was won convincingly by Harry Oakes.
This month he achieved another important victory, taking first place in the February draw of the Club Bond. In 1967, as as an amateur, he won a turkey... this time it was £27 cash. Second place (and £15) went to Vic Black, who led our Junior team to victory in the first ever Lancashire Cross-Country Championships. Back in third (£5) was Brian Jones, winner of the Club XC Champs in 1967, part of the initial LHAC team in the British Athletics League, and now Team Manager for the "City of Liverpool" squad in the Premier Division of the BAL.
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Want to be part of the action? Entry works out at only £1 per month, but you can have more than one ticket to increase your chance of winning. For that you are supporting Club funds and giving yourself a chance to win a nice lump sum! Fill in one of the forms available at the Clubhouse, or contact Club Treasurer Mike Carney (0151 485 7058 or e-mail mikea.carney@hotmail.com)
posted 13 Feb 2012 09:33 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 13 Feb 2012 09:34
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In the Parbold Hill Fell Race on Saturday, 11 February, Adam Peers again showed his class on this going, with Richard Burney the only runner within 2½ minutes! They were followed by Glen Groves in 6th (first M40). Sadly, none of our other top runners was present, so we were denied an easy team victory. Our next finisher was Sarah Jackson (also 15th woman), followed by Peter Simpson (3rd M60).
The next day, in the Nick Beer 10k at Llandudno, it was Alan Ashton in the prizes, as first M40, in 4th overall. Martin Bateman ran well for 21st, not far ahead of Jenny Clague (38th, second woman, and first F35). There was also a decent run from Michelle Murphy (3rd F45), finishing 120th out of the 682 finishers!
posted 12 Feb 2012 10:31 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 13 Feb 2012 03:45
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Did you see the 3,000m race in the Aviva World Trials and UK Championships? What a cracker, with three different leaders on the last 200m lap. Happily, the one in front at the finish was Jonny Mellor, with a very powerful last 100m. His time of 7:58.36 was his best ever indoors and just outside his outdoors PB, but is not fast enough to take him to the World Championships: the UK qualification is 7:50.00. Clearly Jonny can go faster, and he's got until 20th February to get the time, but it's going to be tough!
Also at Sheffield there was another good run from Ashley Helsby in the 60m Hurdles, with a 4th place just outside her PB. She is showing a lot of potential for a good summer.
posted 8 Feb 2012 10:16 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 10 Feb 2012 02:38
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The Scottish National Open at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, on 21 Jan, witnessed the annual appearance of Martin Lipton at 800m! Better known as an excellent 400m Hurdler, he runs an 800m indoors most winters. This time he ran a PB of 1:58.34secs. Let's hope that hints at further PBs this summer.
Anyika Onuora ran at Mondeville, France, on 4 Feb, recording 7.57secs for 60m. The other Brit in the race, Laura Turner, was quite a bit faster (7.29secs).
The Alsager 5 Miles, on 5 Feb, was very popular, despite adverse weather, with 561 finishers! Among them were James Riley (29th, 26:04), Maria Barrett (66th, 6th Lady, 29:05), Martin Bateman (81st, 30:00 PB), Sion Wynne-Williams (87th, 30:19 PB), Jenny Pybis (90th, 8th Lady, 30:23), Gareth Howell (93rd, 30:32 PB), and Laura Stanley (197th, 24th Lady, 35:15). Our Ladies were easy winners of their team competition.
posted 6 Feb 2012 03:57 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 7 Feb 2012 07:15
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On the first day, it was good to see James Hunter in the 400m, running 50.18secs - a long way outside his PB, but it's been some time since he raced.
Day Two saw Jack Meredith following up his 8.01secs in the 60mH at Sheffield with times of 8.06 in his heat and 8.07 in the final where, worryingly, he was again beaten by Andi Pozzi (who recorded a PB 7.62secs).... but it's early season and there's a long way to go.
In the Pole Vault, Rachael Thomas was 3rd, just short of her PB, with 3.45m, and Michael Hartley high-jumped 1.93m to follow his 1.95 in the Northern Championships.
But the highlights for Liverpool Harriers both came in the 800m races. In the U15 race, Abigail Linney shot away from the starting line, opened a big gap, and won by a distance, in a time of 2:22.81, just outside her outdoor PB. Her "big sister" Rebecca (U23) was 4th in the Senior race, after trying to stay with the pace... her reward was a time of 2:07.58 - a new PB indoors or outdoors!
posted 5 Feb 2012 04:10 by Liverpool Harriers
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updated 5 Feb 2012 10:12
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In the McCain Indoor City Challenge at Sheffield, Katarina Johnson-Thompson produced more evidence that her lay-off to recover from last autumn's medical intervention has done no lasting harm. In fact, the opportunity to concentrate on strength and technique seems to be paying dividends.
Her performance is the lead story for the meeting on the UKA web site (http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/february-2012/04-02-12-mccain-icc-1/), from where this picture came, but the headlines are that she improved her Shot PB by nearly half a metre to 11.56m, ran a respectable 60m Hurdles in 8.63secs, and lifted her own UK U20 Indoors Long Jump record from 6.28m to 6.39m. Not surprisingly, Kat won the Combined Events crown based on those three events, with a score of 2593 points to the second placer's 2202. Worth noting that, in the main Long Jump event, a certain Jessica Ennis only managed 6.19m, despite having six attempts rather than Kat's three.
Kat was not the only Liverpool Harrier taking part. Jack Meredith started his season with a solid 8.01secs for 60m Hurdles, but that was only worth 3rd, with his constant rival, Andi Pozzi, taking the victory in 7.70secs. Northern Champion Katey Laurie ran 8.60secs for her 60m Hurdles, Craig Jones was not far off his indoor Long Jump PB with his leap of 6.85m, while, in the High Jump, Mike Sweeney made first-time clearances at 1.87m and 1.91m, but failed at 1.95m.
