Stubbington Green Runners

YOU can't keep a good man down. A month ago, Mark Le Gassick wasn't the happiest bunny after fifth place at the Totton 10km. But in the latest round of the Hampshire Road Race League, the Alton 10, Mark was once again at his best by chalking up a superb victory to strengthen his grip at the top of the leaderboard with one race remaining.

The 33-year-old bagged his second HRRL victory of the season - he won the Hardley Half last October - to put himself in a strong position to win the individual title.

The one person who could claim the honour, Southampton Running Club's Andy Morgan-Lee, didn't run at Alton. He won at Totton, to add to to second places at Lordshill and Hayling 10 milers, plus the Overton 5.

In the end, though it will all come down to the Brading 10km on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, June 18th, where if Mark wins, he is crowned champion, but if Andy wins and even if Mark comes second, the Southampton Runner will claim the title.

Mark, who has been experimenting with his training of late, is certainly running with confidence - second behind Andy at the RR10 last Wednesday, and now this commanding victory at Alton in an impressive time of 54min 35sec.

The course record, incidentally, is held by an unattached runner called T Ntabo, who completed the distance seven years ago in 50:41! The race starts and finishes at the Lord Treloar College at Holybourne on the outskirts of town, and takes runners on a testing run through some beautiful villages and country lanes.

It is a course which gives and takes. The Alton 10 takes with some testing climbs, but gives with some lovely downhill stretches and fantastic countryside. There were 468 finishers overall - 309 men and 159 ladies.

Second behind Mark was Denmead Striders' Nick Baker in 55:41, with James Buis from Lordshill Road Runners in third in 55:58 and another Denmead runner, Pete Turrell, who won the Vet 40 category, fourth in 56:03.

Ray Gunner hasn't run a 10-miler for yonks, yet admitted afterwards that the mile markers just slipped by in a blur. Not surprising, really, since Ray, cheered on at the finish by Team Gunner, ran superbly for 29th place in 1hr 1min 16sec.

Jon Leigh ran one of his fastest 10-milers ever in 1:09.04 for 88th, which, coming less than a month after his London Marathon exploits, is pretty good going.

Phil May and Mike Bell completed the men's A team with Phil going well in 77th place with 1:07.38, and Mike, as ever finishing looking as cool as a cucumber without a hair out of place, checking in with 99th in 1:09.47.

That helped Stubbington into eighth place in the team rankings, with Winchester & District AC, whose men packed well in the first 100, taking the honours, ahead of Denmead, with Southampton Running Club in third.

After throwing up half way round the RR10 at Ashurst on Wednesday, Dave King was pleased he had the stomach to come home in 132nd in 1:11.30, with Eric Beck, who found the second half of the race pretty tough, a minute or so behind in 1:12.37 for 143rd. Marcus Lee was 198th in 1:16.17 to complete the B team.

Colin Elderfield ran well for 207th in 1:17.17 and Gilbert Yeates continues to defy the years with a performance many would envy. Neat eight minute miling for a 10-mile time of 1:19.31 and 241st. And Gary Littlecott will have been pleased with his run. He was not far adrift of Gilbert in 1:21.25 and 222nd.

Sadly, Stubbington was only able to field one lady, but Lauren Coates made the most of the opportunity.

Without doubt the star lady performer this season with a string of outstanding times and placings, Lauren was 23rd in the ladies race, 187th overall, with a excellent time of 1:15.11.

The ladies race was won by Rachel Townend from Winchester & District AC in a time of 1:02.35, which earned her 33rd place overall.

Rachel Kenchington from Overton Harriers was second in 1:03.42 for 42nd overall, and Karen Rushton from Southampton Running Club claimed third spot and 46th overall in 1:03.56.

Winchester's women took first and third in the team rankings, split by second-placed Lordshill Road Runners.

For a full list of results, log onto: http://www.altonrunners.org/MainPages/alton_ten.htm

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