Blaydon Race
The Blaydon Race is a 5.9 mile athletics race from Newcastle upon Tyne to Blaydon, in England, that is steeped in local tradition. It takes place on June 9 every year and starts off with the singing of The Blaydon Races -- with the words as the basis for the race.
The actual race was the inspiration for Dr James Dewar of Blaydon Harriers, who organised the first 24 races starting in 1981. In the early years, the race attracted around 250 entries, but by 2004 a record of 4,000 people took part with more than 600 other hopefuls usually rejected.
The 25th anniversary of the race was run by the Blaydon Harriers in 2005 as the "Nike Jim Dewar Blaydon Race" in memory of James Dewar, who died in June 2004 just 2 days after the running of the 24th event.
The task of organising the race was guaranteed, with very heavy hearts, by other Blaydon Harrier stalwarts, and the event is now becoming more and more difficult to organise as its popularity means that the 4000 entry limit is now reached within hours of the race entry forms becoming available. The task is not made any easier by the fact that the race runs through some of the busiest roads in Tyneside during the early evening rush hour - close cooperation between local councils, police, and local residents ensures that everyone still manages to have a great night out.
To be fair to all, the organisers allocate 2000 entries to online entrants, with another 2000 being available by post to allow those with limited internet access to have an equal chance to enter. In 2010, the 2000 online entries were all snapped up within a few hours of entries opening. The local postman even asked for help from Santa Claus to carry all the mailbags for the postal applications!
Each year, the event adopts a local Charity - many thousands of pounds have been raised for them each year.
The 2014 and 2015 events were sponsored by the sports retailer Start Fitness.
Such was the demand in a few days in 2010, the event website became overloaded within a day of entries being announced. In response, the organisers quickly made alternative sites available:www.blaydonrace.co.uk and www.theblaydonrace.com
In keeping with the local flavour of this race, a lot of the instructions for entering, together with subsequent information mailed to competitors, is written in local Geordy Dialect. Some translations follow:
'Divvent wurri if ya moovin withoot ya legs waakin' : don't worry if you find yourself moving without trying to.
'Gan canny pet' : please take care.
'Wu wivvent charge ye owt extra or tyek any cut from it' : we will pass on to our charity everything you donate.
Past winners
Lads and Lasses
| Lads | Lasses | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Name | Club / Country | Time | Name | Club / Country | Time |
| 1981 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 26:27 | H Boyes | Morpeth Harriers | 34:10 |
| 1982 | K Forster | Saltwell Harriers | 25:16 | H Boyes | Morpeth Harriers | 31:39 |
| 1983 | K Forster | Gateshead Harriers | 25:59 | M Dodsworth | Houghton Harriers | 31:30 |
| 1984 | K Forster | Gateshead Harriers | 25:18 | P McFarland | Claremont RR | 32:05 |
| 1985 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 27:36 | Jill Hunter | Blaydon Harriers | 32:10 |
| 1986 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 26:35 | Jill Hunter | Blaydon Harriers | 31:13 |
| 1987 | A Richardson | S Shields Harriers | 27:59 | Jill Hunter | Blaydon Harriers | 29:56 |
| 1988 | P Cuskin | Jarrow & Hebburn AC | 25:35 | Jill Hunter | Blaydon Harriers | 28:03 |
| 1989 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 25:24 | L Harding | Houghton Harriers | 29:59 |
| 1990 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 26:46 | Veronique Marot | LeedsCity | 29:51 |
| 1991 | P Campbell | Sunderland Harriers | 32:14 | K Mitchell | Tynedale Harriers | 37:24 |
| 1992 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 27:59 | L Marr | Tynedale Harriers | 32:22 |
| 1993 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 27:53 | N Brown | Tynedale Harriers | 32:14 |
| 1994 | Mike McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 29:14 | K Mitchell | Tynedale Harriers | 37:24 |
| 1995 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 26:52 | S Allen | Houghton Harriers | 33:05 |
| 1996 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 27:37 | S Morley | Jarrow & Hebburn AC | 33:00 |
| 1997 | M Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:24 | S Griffiths | Cramlington AC | 32:13 |
| 1998 | Carl Thackery | Hallamshire Harriers | 27:25 | Birhan Dagne | Essex Ladies | 31:18 |
| 1999 | Julius Kimtai | Kenya | 27:15 | Birhan Dagne | Essex Ladies | 31:04 |
| 2000 | Julius Kimtai | Kenya | 26:35 | Birhan Dagne | Essex & Woodford | 31:18 |
| 2001 | Julius Kimtai | Kenya | 26:51 | Karen Hind | Gateshead Harriers | 31:18 |
| 2002 | Julius Kimtai | Kenya | 26:19 | Yelena Burykina | Russia | 29:34 |
| 2003 | Tesfaye Eticha | Switzerland | 26:25 | Yelena Burykina | Russia | 29:18 |
| 2004 | Julius Kimtai | Kenya | 27:15 | Miriam Wangari | Kenya | 30:51 |
| 2005 | Simon Tonui | Kenya | 26:43 | Catherine Mutwa | Birchfield | 31:20 |
| 2006 | Patrick Makau | Kenya | 26:13 | Ogla Kimaiyo | Kenya | 30:01 |
| 2007 | Tewodros Shiferaw | Birchfield | 26:28 | Catherine Mutwa | Birchfield | 30:35 |
| 2008 | Ayele Mergessa | Ethiopia | 28:34 | Roman Gessese | Ethiopia | 31:59 |
| 2009 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth | 27:44 | Justina Heslop | Clapham | 31:46 |
| 2010 | Ezekiel Cherop | Kenya | 27:41 | Justina Heslop | Clapham | 31:25 |
| 2011 | Edwin Kipkorir | Kenya | 28:25 | Justina Heslop | Clapham | 31:44 |
| 2012 | Peter Lemuya | Kenya | 27:35 | Lauren Howart | Leigh | 30:26 |
| 2013 | Boniface Kiprop | Kenya | 26:22 | Perendis Lekepana | 29:51 | |
| 2014 | Peter Emase | Kenya | 26:34 | Joanne Chelimo | Kenya | 29:42 |
| 2015 | Jonathan Taylor | Morpeth | 26:25 | Alyson Dixon | Sunderland Strollers | 29:40 |
| 2016 | Peter Newton | Morpeth | 27:11 | Alyson Dixon | Sunderland Strollers | 29:48 |
Gadgies and Dames
Gadgie (male over 40) and Dame (female over 35).
| Gadgies | Dames | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Name | Club / Country | Time | Name | Club / Country | Time |
| 1981 | J Alder | Morpeth Harriers | 29:55 | V Robson | Gateshead Harriers | 38:53 |
| 1982 | E Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 28:30 | V Robson | Gateshead Harriers | 35:45 |
| 1983 | J Alder | Morpeth Harriers | 28:19 | M Anderson | Elswick Harriers | 34:41 |
| 1984 | R Highnam | Tynedale | 28:56 | S Wilson | Houghton Harriers | 33:54 |
| 1985 | K McNally | Gateshead Harriers | 28:56 | P McFarland | Claremont RR | 33:13 |
| 1986 | D Littlewood | Crook & Dist | 29:22 | P M Farland | Claremont RR | 34:21 |
| 1987 | H Matthews | Elswick Harriers | 28:45 | E Lawson | Elswick Harriers | 36:59 |
| 1988 | H Matthews | Elswick Harriers | 28:37 | P McFarland | Claremont RR | 31:59 |
| 1989 | A Whitfield | Chester-le-Street | 27:17 | R Haggan | Claremont RR | 32:40 |
| 1990 | H Matthews | Elswick Harriers | 28:17 | M Laney | Clayton-le-Moors | 34:15 |
| 1991 | H Matthews | Elswick Harriers | 34:01 | P Goddard | Claremont RR | 38:28 |
| 1992 | M McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 27:59 | E Robinson | North East Vets | 34:34 |
| 1993 | M McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 27:53 | A Adams | Chester-le-Street | 37:55 |
| 1994 | M McLeod | Elswick Harriers | 29:14 | E Robinson | Border AC | 34:33 |
| 1995 | L Atkinson | Morpeth Harriers | 28:02 | S Allen | Houghton & Peterlee | 33:05 |
| 1996 | I Haggan | Sunderland Harriers | 29:41 | S Allen | Houghton & Peterlee | 33:25 |
| 1997 | A Dent | Blaydon H & AC | 29:06 | L Harding | Houghton & Peterlee | 32:58 |
| 1998 | D Mullen | Sunderland Harriers | 29:13 | H Robinson | Chester-le-Street | 33:35 |
| 1999 | D Mullen | Sunderland Harriers | 29:11 | H Robinson | Chester-le-Street | 33:40 |
| 2000 | D Mullen | Sunderland Harriers | 28:46 | T Thomson | Pitreavie | 32:14 |
| 2001 | L Atkinson | Morpeth Harriers | 29:09 | T Thomson | Pitreavie | 32:34 |
| 2002 | R Hand | Durham City Harriers | 28:34 | P Affleck | Gala Harriers | 34:25 |
| 2003 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 28:35 | A Raw | Darlington Harriers | 35:32 |
| 2004 | P Embleton | Chester-le-Street | 30:49 | C Bowman | Chester-le-Street | 38:48 |
| 2005 | D Robertson | Sunderland Harriers | 29:36 | H Lambert | North Shields Poly | 38:15 |
| 2006 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 28:39 | L Parker | unattached | 36:19 |
| 2007 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 29:18 | F Lothian | Fife AC | 36:34 |
| 2008 | B Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 30:14 | H Robinson | Chester-le-Street | 38:26 |
| 2009 | Brian Rushworth | Sunderland Harriers | 30:11 | Yamuna Thiru | Elswick | 36:43 |
| 2010 | Gary Moore | North Shields Poly | 31:42 | Yamuna Thiru | Elswick | 36:54 |
| 2011 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 28:37 | Caroline Acaster | Blaydon Harriers | 39:25 |
| 2012 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:51 | Yamuna Thiru | Elswick | 35:32 |
| 2013 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:19 | Sue Phillips | Darlington Harriers | 36:46 |
| 2014 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:20 | Joanne Lee | Tynebridge Harriers | 36:07 |
| 2015 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:14 | Stephanie Dann Maclean | North Shields Poly | 33:04 |
| 2016 | Ian Hudspith | Morpeth Harriers | 27:31 | Alyson Dixon | Sunderland Strollers | 29:48 |