By Isle of Wight Observer
by Geoff Watkin
A team of four Ryde Harriers made an early start to travel to compete in the annual Alton 10 Mile Road race.
With the sun out and a stiff breeze and on a rolling hilly course it was going to be a tough race. From the gun, Bournemouth’s Abdi Elmi set off at a cracking pace, with Chris Newnham and Gary Marshall letting him go and settled into their own race.
Chris was running solo in an isolated second place and moving well, and Gary was tucked in fifth spot.
Cliff Morley, competing in the 60-64 age category, was running strongly with the fourth member of the squad, Simon Joy, looking comfortable.
Chris continued to clip along at a fast pace and was rewarded with second place in a time of 54m 46s; quicker than he ran last year when he won the race.
Likewise, but even more extreme, Gary finished fourth overall, and first in his 40-44 age group in 58m 2s.
Cliff and Simon finished 169th and 192nd from a field of 450 starters. Cliff was eighth in his category.