Faith Viney continues great start to season whilst George Gay strides to Valentine’s 10K win

Bure Valley Harriers' Faith Viney continued her excellent start to the Sportlink Grand Prix series with an impressive win at the Valentine's 10K on Sunday.

Eastern Daily Press: From left, Sam Coyne, George Gay and Dominic Blake. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood From left, Sam Coyne, George Gay and Dominic Blake. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Viney was in a class of her own to take victory in the Norfolk Gazelles event in 38:00, to follow up her win at the Freethorpe 10m last month. Norwich Road Runners' Amy Beck was second in 38:47 whilst Rowena Leary was third in 40:25.

Viney feels she is in good shape as she targets the Cambridge Half Marathon at the start of next month.

'I'm really pleased, it's always hard when you have up to your speed for something like this and I really wasn't sure how it was going to go,' she said. 'I set off and tried to get in a group.

'I kept thinking that there was perhaps someone (another female competitor) on my shoulder but I'm not sure there was. There was a group of guys setting a really good pace so we just managed to work off each other.'

Eastern Daily Press: George Gay following his victory at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood George Gay following his victory at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Viney believes she is reaping the benefits of a consistent block of training and is using running as a nice distraction away from her studies.

'This is the first time I've had seven or eight months of really consistent training, luckily I've had no sickness or anything. At BVH we get a really good personal schedule and it seems to have suited me.

MORE: Check out our 2019 race calendar here'I've been trying too balance my training with my studies and I'm kind of favouring running over revision at the moment, which probably isn't the wisest idea!

'But I've got a couple of weeks now before Cambridge, probably one more long run before that, and then we will see how I go on the day.'

Eastern Daily Press: Sam Coyne takes second place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Sam Coyne takes second place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

The men's race saw an exciting finish with City of Norwich Athletic Club's George Gay taking victory in 32:59. He got away from second-placed Sam Coyne (BVH)in 33:03 and Dominic Blake (Reepham Runners), in third (33:17), in the last kilometre to take the win.

Gay was delighted to find there was still some energy left in the legs after competing at the Armagh International 5K on Thursday.

'I was expecting to feel that a little but I felt pretty good,' said Gay, who trains with James Senior's group at CoNAC. 'I just managed to tuck in behind Sam (Coyne) and Dom (Blake) and wait for the last kilometre before kicking at the end.

'I kind of gauged it on my breathing against theirs and I could tell that I was more comfortable than them.'

Eastern Daily Press: George Gay takes victory at the Valentine's 10K. Picture: JAMIE HONEYWOOD George Gay takes victory at the Valentine's 10K. Picture: JAMIE HONEYWOOD (Image: Archant)

Gay is competing at the National Cross Country Championships in Leeds next weekend and hopes to dip under the 15-minute mark for 5K later this year.

'I'm looking forward to the nationals and then I just want to do a bit more strength training and hopefully the big aim is to get under 15 minutes (for 5K).'

Armagh International Road Race

Eastern Daily Press: Dominic Blake takes third place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Dominic Blake takes third place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Iona Lake finished in 12th place in the 3km road race in Armagh in 9:28 with fellow CoNAC member, Sarah Astin, also performing well, posting a time of 9:38 for 25th place.

In the men's 5km Logan Smith set a new personal best of 14:32 for 54th place whilst Gay also set a new best of 15:29 in 170th place.

Eastern Daily Press: Amy Beck took second place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Amy Beck took second place at the Valentine's 10K. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Easton Valentine's 10k run. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Action from the Easton Valentine's 10k run. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Matthew Stone digs deep on the home straight at the Valentine's 10K last Sunday. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Matthew Stone digs deep on the home straight at the Valentine's 10K last Sunday. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Easton Valentine's 10k run. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood Action from the Easton Valentine's 10k run. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Archant)