Sophie Carter enjoyed her first victory as a veteran athlete when winning the Potters ‘Arf Half Marathon at Hanley, near Stoke.
Carter, from Woodstock, who turned 35 last month, was the first lady home and 23rd overall.
The Belgrave Harriers athlete completed the hilly 13.1-mile course in 1hr 25mins 03secs to take victory from Cheadle’s Rebecca Harrison (1.26.15).
And her peformance was all the more impressive as she has battled back from a stress fracture in her foot.
Carter entered on the advice of her husband Neil, who hails from the Potteries, but he did not warn her about a notorious stretch known as Heartbreak Hill.
“It’s a good course, but incredibly tough,” Carter said.
“It’s not an easy one at all and Heartbreak Hill was one of the toughest stretches I’ve come across.
“I’ve only done a four-miler since I was injured, so I didn’t know what to expect.”
RESULTS ROUND-UP
(senior men unless stated)
MOTA-VATION SERIES 2ND ROUND
Top 20: 1 D Bellinger (Oxf) 21.51, 2 J Bolton (Wds, V40) 22.18, 3 P Fernandez (Abn, V40) 22.34, 4 A Burgess (Oxf) 22.53, 5 J Richardson (Oxf, V40) 22.58, 6 T Jones (Wit) 23.05, 7 T Wright (Ban) 23.11, 8 L Newell (Oxf) 23.21, 9 N Jones (Oxf) 23.24, 10 S Kimber (WSEH) 23.29, 11 M Marshall (Oxf, U19) 23.33, 12 O Stepney (Abn) 23.36, 13 P Jegou (WHH) 23.43, 14 M Maxwell (Oxf, V40) 23.49, 15 M Tyrrell (Eyn) 23.51, 16 F Campbell (Hed, V40) 24.01, 17 E Mezzetti (Oxf) 24.20, 18 R Skilbeck (Hed, V40) 24.23, 19 D Cantwell (Wds, V40) 24.26, 20 R Meredith (Oxf) 24.30.
Top 5 ladies: 23 D Moore (Hed, V35) 24.57, 41 S Carter (Bel) 25.49, 48 M Pank (Alc) 26.06, 49 F Bunn (Abn, U19) 26.09, 62 J Bruce (Hed) 26.45.
Abingdon: 42 J Webb 25.47, 79 N Hamilton (V50) 27.36, 83 J Bones (V40) 27.43, 87 J Moore (V50) 27.49, 108 S Lackman (SL) 28.42, 116 T Clarke (V40) 28.56, 129 S Smith (V50) 29.31, 130 D Smyth 29.36, 133 P Stepney (V50) 29.40, 193 T Greenland (V60) 32.06, 209 P Terry (3rd LV45) 32.44, 211 C Penton (V40) 32.47, 221 S Douglas (LV45) 33.04, 222 C Matthews (LV55) 33.06, 225 M Edwards (V40) 33.16, 227 B Mabbut (V40) 33.17, 248 J Newton (V40) 34.18, 249 A Milliken Tull (LV45) 34.28, 251 G Lodowski (LV45) 34.31, 253 L Herbert (SL) 34.37, 261 A Garner (V50) 34.55, 269 M Seager (V40) 35.06, 283 P Wilson (LV55) 36.00, 305 J Styles (V50) 37.48, 317 J Francis (LV45) 38.18, 318 C Onions (LV45) 38.22, 323 A Moger (LV55) 38.57, 326 H Bower (SL) 39.05, 330 M Jefferies (LV55) 39.22, 331 G Sinclair (LV35) 39.23, 332 N Steinke (SL) 39.23, 337 H Smith (SL) 40.18, 350 G Lenik (SL) 44.34, 361 E Moore (LV45) 52.23, 362 M Hamilton (LV45) 52.24.
White Horse Harriers: 32 J Cooke (V40) 25.20, 47 I Lambourn (2nd V50) 26.05, 76 M Lane (V40) 27.25, 114 A Evans (V40) 28.55, 238 J McCabe (LV45) 33.57.
Witney RR: G Petts 24.55, F Howard (V40) 24.59, A Reynolds (V50) 25.29, J Young 25.34, T Garrod (V40) 25.36, G Ferris (V40) 25.41, E Kay 26.09, K Hennessy (V40) 26.25, K Read (V40) 26.52, F Snare (SL) 27.07, P Ainslie (V50) 27.35, M Butler (V40) 27.58, N Moglia (V50) 28.13, N Morley (V40) 28.13, T Clarke (V40) 28.39, K Hutchings (LV35) 29.00, A Church (V50) 29.03, M Sheehan 29.09, P Taylor 29.29, M Lock (U19M) 30.34, D Wymer 30.34, D Brown (SL) 30.35, B Moore (V50) 30.57, J May 31.04, W Downey 31.06, R Redford (V40) 31.37, J Mccormac (V60) 32.37, N Moss (V40) 32.47, J Whelan (V50) 32.51, C Morris (V50) 32.55, L Jones (LV35) 33.14, H Smith (LV45) 33.33, J Jones 34.15, T Moss (LV45) 34.38, C Morley (LV45) 35.35, P Rushby (V50) 36.05, A Rouget (LV45) 36.46, S Christie (LV45) 38.33, H West (LV55) 38.36, M Kite (LV35) 41.42, E Baker (LV35) 47.09.
OTMOOR CHALLENGE
Top 10: 1 D Bruce (Oxf) 1.15.24, 2 P Fernandez (Abn, V40) 1.15.40, 3 D Bellinger (Oxf) 1.17.27, 4 A Burgess (Oxf) 1.18.36, 5 J Bolton (Wds, V40) 1.18.56, 6 A McIntosh (Garden City) 1.19.15, 7 G Hope (Kid) 1.20.46, 8 D Hollis (Reading RR) 1.22.27, 9 L Newell (Oxf) 1.22.37, 10 J Reburn (unatt, V40) 1.22.44.
Top 3 ladies: 31 J Bruce (Hed) 1.32.18, 38 K Pardoe (unatt, LV35) 1.34.23, 41 K Philp (Garden City, LV35) 1.35.09.
Abingdon: 27 C Bedford (V50) 1.30.45, 42 N Hamilton (V50) 1.35.16, 45 I Bourne 1.36.42, 72 M Bourne (V40) 1.40.55, 168 A Muir 1.57.28, 229 L Bedford (LV40) 2.08.05.
Eynsham RR: 139 T Evans (LV35) 1.53.13, 158 T Baker 1.55.53, 217 K Baker (V60) 2.06.06.
Headington RR: 31 J Bruce 1.32.41, 32 K Lowies 1.32.41, 44 R Campbell 1.35.49, 46 L Hurman 1.37.08, 84 K Byrne 1.43.45, 85 A Walton 1.44.20, 97 J Tyler 1.46.06, 124 C Slator 1.51.22, 136 C Noakes 1.53.16, 171 S Proctor 1.57.43, 190 S Cowls 2.00.25, 222 J Tranter 2.06.52. Kidlington: 7 G Hope 1.20.46, 26 C Martin 1.30.23, 49 J Finnigan 1.37.35, 79 C Brading (V50) 1.42.14, 105 A Finnigan (SL) 1.47.15, 120 B Alden (V40) 1.50.47, 162 W Bunce (V50) 1.56.50, 193 D Cassidy 2.00.43, 226 J Searle (LV40) 2.07.27, 232 L Hosier 2.08.35, 253 T Langrish (V50) 2.12.59, 265 N Holford (LV40) 2.15.41, 280 M Rogers (V50) 2.19.15, 300 D Sandy (V50) 2.26.24.
CHILTERN CHASE
Top 10: 1 T Jones (Wit) 35.48, 2 B Barwick (Winchester) 37.03, P Haynes (Add) 37.14, 4 P Wileman (WHH) 37.22, 5 P Brown (unatt) 37.26, 6 M Pearce (Hed) 39.12, 7 M Suggate (Did) 39.28, 9 E Hodson (OxU, SL) 40.18, 10 N Grove (unatt, V40) 40.19.
CHILTERN CHASE 5K
Abingdon: 4 A Pennington (JM) 22.24, 15 B Kippin (JL) 26.40, 24 J Pennington (LV45) 28.34.
WARGRAVE 10K
Didcot Runners: J Talbot 55.25.
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