Dixon scoops British Masters’ gold in fast Blyth 10km ahead of Boston Marathon

The Sunderland Stroller clocked her fastest time in perfect conditions with no wind, since she set her personal best of 32.17 in the 2015 Middlesbrough 10km.

She stopped the clock on 33.28 for the 40-year-old to shoot to the top of her age group in the British rankings, displacing Wakefield’s Julie Briscoe (35.04).

In the overall British rankings, she comes in at number 10 in the ranking list headed by Morpeth’s Laura Weightman (31.40).

Dixon set off the way she intended to finish in a time her marathon training indicated she was capable of, leaving many decent male club runners in her wake.

She finished 17th overall to win the race by a street from Morpeth’s Jane Hodgson (37.10). Dixon also won the British Masters’ gold medal in her category to round off her perfect day.

Now she faces the might of Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners in next Monday’s Boston, where she could be on course for a time not too far away from her best of 2hr 29.06 for the 26 miles 385 yards distance.

Also in good form was her clubmate Wendy Chapman, who finished second Over-50 after clocking 39.15 for 13th woman. And Mark Anderson was fourth Over- 35 after finishing one place behind Dixon in 33.41.

Sunderland Harriers’ hopes of appearing in the in the team and individual medals in the championship were sunk before the start when leading veterans, Kevin Jeffress, Rob Walker, Paul Blakey and Tim Field all cried off with injuries.

It was Michael Barker who led the way in 24th (34.23), Michael Thompson took the Over-50 silver medal in 31st (34.37) and Steve McMahon was 56th (36.43).

Jacqueline Etherington recorded a personal best (39.14) to close in 12th woman for fifth in her category.

Houghton Harrier Lee Dover finished in 29th position in 34.37.

Results: 1 Noah Hurton (Milton Keynes) 31.18, 2 Richard Mair (Kilmarnock) 31.38, 3 Jordan Bell ( Blackhill ) 31.45, 4 Terry Scott V45 (Tyne Bridge) 31.48, 5 Jordan Middlemist (Wallsend) 32.22, 6 Conrad Franks V35 (Gateshead) 32.29, 7 Luke Adams (South Shields) 32.31, 8 Michael Joyeux V35 (Quakers), 32.41, 9 Mark Fenwick (Tyne Bridge) 33.00, 10 John Butters V40 (Morpeth) 33.08, 11 Nick Jones V40 33.11 (Warrington), 12 James Meader (Heaton) 33.12.

Women: Alyson DixonW40 (Sunderland Strollers) 33.28, 2 Jane Hodgson (Morpeth) 37.10, 3 Tracy Millmore W35 (Birtley) 37.52, 4 Robyn Bennett (Morpeth) 38.02 5 Sophie Marr (Tyne Bridge) 38.49, 6 Stephanie Maclean-Dann (North Shields) 38.53.