Kempson and Taylor shine at Pinchbeck 10k

Nene Valley Harriers’ youngsters took the top honours at the West Pinchbeck 10k on Sunday amid sweltering conditions.

Spalding’s international duathlete and triathlete Charlotte Taylor narrowly missed the six-year-old course record by 20 seconds (held by GB athlete Gemma Steel), when she finished fifth overall in a speedy 35.45mins.

This represented the 20-year-old’s 10k debut on the roads, having only run the distance once before on the track, when she competed in the England Athletics 10,000m championships with elite athletes such as Jo Pavey.

Club-mate Lloyd Kempson, also just 20 years old, won his first ever 10k in a solid 35.15mins, having taken up the lead from Taylor with 3k to go.

Kempson has made huge leaps this year, improving his track times to 1.56.55mins and 4.00.48mins for the 800m and 1,500m respectively, as well as running an impressive 4.29mins to win the illustrious BMC Elite Mile race in London back in May.

Philippa Taylor (no relation to Charlotte), who has been battling an Achilles injury for more than a year, took the second ladies’ spot with a time of 37.56mins.

The Stamford-based veteran international is hoping her time will further improve her chances of selection to represent England for the fifth time at this year’s British and Irish Masters Cross Country International, to be held at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, in November.

Werrington Joggers’ Anthony Johnson ran a huge personal best (PB) time of 35.26mins to finish second, just ahead of Sleaford Striders’ V45 Andrew Richardson in third, who crossed the line in 35.41mins to also record a PB, just holding off the Harriers’ veteran Sean Beard, who ran a season’s best of 35.45mins.

The third-placed woman was Katja Eravisto in an impressive 39.23.03mins, which was a PB by more than three minutes for the Notts AC athlete, who ran the race with her partner and club mate, Matt Blunden, who himself has a 30.42 10k PB to his name.