Powell family double up for Christmas Pudding Run success

The start line for the Christmas Pudding Run

It was a great day for the Powell family in the Sunderland Harriers' Christmas Pudding Run at Silksworth Sports Complex yesterday.

Under-11 Emily won the sealed handicap race and her father, Andy, ran the fastest time of the day in a personal best of 15min 23sec.

A sealed handicap is where runners are handicapped to the fastest runner entered and according to their best time over the distance run. The handicaps are known only to the handicappers.

Prize winners (from left): Andy Powell, Emily Powell, Sam Field and Christine Hann.

Emily went into the race with a best of 28 minutes for the 5k distance and she finished in 25.04 for a winning time of 12.39, to win by more than one minute. Andy finished ninth, running from scratch.

There was a big turnout from Silksworth Striders and one of their members, Christine Hann, took second place, completing the course in 28.16. With her handicap, her time was brought down to 13.46.

Sam Field was another Under-11 to finish in the frame, with third place, after clocking 21.57 for a handicap time of 13.57.

There was a familiar name in fifth place in Sunderland Harrier Mike Pomfret, whose father, Ernie of Houghton Harriers, competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic steeplechase final.

Results: 1 Emily Powell (12.39) act time 25.04, 2 Christine Hann (13.46) 28.16, 3 Sam Field (13.57) 21.54, 4 Neil Wilson (14.04) 28.04, 5 Mike Pomfret (15.06) 20.36, 6 Aidan Crowe (15.14) 17.14, 7 Gillian Allinson (15.16) 30.46, 8 Darren Dodd (15.16) 18.56, 9 Andy Powell (15.23) 15.23, 10 George Harden (15.22) 21.13, 11 Linda Mudford (15.23), 20.53, 12 Paul Mustard (15.25) 24.55.