The first Sunderland Harriers’ Christmas Pudding Run for 25 years was greeted by an enthusiastic response from the hardy participants at Silksworth Sports Complex on Boxing Day.
Despite strong winds, which hit competitors on the longest never ending path of the Sunderland 5k course, nine runners recorded personal bests for the distance. And it was fitting, in this sealed handicap race, that the first four runners home all recorded their best times to ensure that the handicapper got his sums right.
Each athlete was given a time allowance according to form and this was then deducted from their finishing times Sunderland senior men’s captain and Farringdon School teacher, Nathan Reed, was the man who got full marks for his handicapping.
The runner who made the most of his generous time allowance was young athletes’ middle distance coach, John Archer. Although finishing towards the back of the field, the Over-50 easily beat his pre-race estimated time of 30 minutes, with his finishof 27.34 to win with his handicap time of 13.04