Alice Smith, Sunderland Harriers’ top female runner during the past year, made her debut in yesterday’s inaugural Morpeth to Newcastle Marathon with mixed results.
The 34-year-old finished second woman after going through halfway with a three-minute lead.
She passed halfway in 1.33.39, with Gillian Allen nearly a half a mile behind in 1.36.37.
But, after going through Whitley Bay at halfway and then onto Cullercoats and North Shields before finishing on Newcastle Quayside, she was nearly five minutes behind her rival.
Smith clocked 3hr 21min 46sec to finish in 27th place overall in a field of 337. Allen’s winning run was 3.16.11, with Kathryn Stevenson third in 3.27.31.
Smith went into the race after illness robbed her of much-needed training, while she will be delighted to finish in the medals, she will be disappointed with her time and how the race unfolded.