dixon to be on song for blaydon race

This is a favourite event for many, as the long list of individual and team prizes attracts a class field of both club runners and internationals for the 5.7 mile race.

Sunderland Stroller Alyson Dixon, a twice winner of the race and runner-up last year, is down as one of the runners chasing the first women’s prize of £1,600.

She is back in training following injury after missing out on the Sunderland Events of the North 10km at Keel Square on May 13.

This will be her first race since her sixth place finish in the Commonwealth Marathon which earned her European Marathon selection for Berlin through finishing as one of the first two British runners on the Gold Coast.

She was denied a hat-trick of Blaydon Road Race titles by her great rival Sonia Samuels last year, saying at the time: “I was alright for up to about three miles, before the wheels came off and Sonia started to pull away.”

The Sale Harrier went on to win in exactly the same time as Dixon recorded the year before (29.48) to take 20th spot overall.

An under-par Dixon was nearly a minute slower than her previous performance in taking second place in 30.45.

Samuel’s defends her title and Stockport’s Elle Baker, with a best of 33.09 for 10km, is another threat.

The local elites include Danielle Hodgkinson (Wallsend), Emma Holt (Morpeth), Tracy Millmore (Birtley), Jane Hodgson (Morpeth) and Georgia Campbell (South Shields).

Morpeth’s defending champion Peter Newton is down in the entries, but his form is unknown as he has not competed this year.

Carl Avery (Morpeth) and Saltwell Harrier Abraham Twedle completed the first three last year and they are back again on the start line in Newcastle.

Other challengers are Nick Swinburn, Jonny Taylor and 47-year-old Ian Hudspith, all Morpeth and Cheltenham’s Phil Wylie plus Callum Johnson (Gateshead).

Sunderland Harriers elite entries are Kevin Jeffress 13th last year and Kevin Calvert 24th.

The race starts at 3pm and finishes at the Shibdon Playing Fields on Shibdon Road, a bit further on from the shopping centre. The distance is 5.6 miles to finish at the playing fields on Shibdon Road.