Ash Harrell continued his preparations for the 2019 London Marathon with victory at a blustery Freethorpe 10M event on Sunday.

Eastern Daily Press: Bure Valley Harriers' Faith Viney won the senior women's race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodBure Valley Harriers' Faith Viney won the senior women's race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

The City of Norwich athlete was the first runner home in 53:15, ahead of last year's winner Alan Darby (Ely Runners) in 54:01. Bure Valley Harriers' runner Sam Coyne was third in 55:27 in what was the first race of the Sportlink Grand Prix Series.

Harrell was using the race to sharpen his preparations ahead of London and admitted the windy conditions were tough to combat at times.

'It was just a tough race from the start,' he said. 'I was kind of using it as training as I'm doing London this year.

'I had Alan (Darby) with me for five miles, we were working quite well together but as soon as we hit the hill at about five and a half miles I managed to get away and break a little bit.'

Eastern Daily Press: Race director Pat Brightman presents Ash Harrell and Faith Viney with their winner's trophies alongside Sportlink's Pete Johnson. Picture: Mark ArmstrongRace director Pat Brightman presents Ash Harrell and Faith Viney with their winner's trophies alongside Sportlink's Pete Johnson. Picture: Mark Armstrong (Image: Archant)

Harrell is pleased with how his training is progressing with his next race being the Big Half in March.

'The Big Half will be a change to familiarise myself with London and get my preparation right for that – sleep in my own bed the night before, eat my own food – it will be good to go through the process

'I'd like to get somewhere in between 2-20 to 2-22 (at the London Marathon). Fingers crossed – you never know with a marathon – the wheels can fall off after 20 miles.

'I've just got to keep training hard and hopefully it can all come together.'

Eastern Daily Press: Ely Runners' Alan Darby was second in the senior men's race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodEly Runners' Alan Darby was second in the senior men's race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Bure Valley Harriers' Faith Viney took the senior ladies honours at Freethorpe in 1-04:12 as she broke away from CoNAC's Kathryn Mathias (1-04:59) in the last two miles to take the win. Rosanna Andrews was third in 1-05:12.

'I'm really pleased – I think there are a lot of high quality runners in Norfolk and it's often a case of who's here and who's not on the day,' said Viney. 'I'm in training for the Cambridge Half and I just thought I'd stick with that pace and see how it went. Luckily I was able to stick with it.'

Viney was battling with Mathias for much of the race but managed to break away in the later miles to take the £200 prize money as winner.

'Once the headwind hit at about seven miles I think my legs just had a little bit more today,' she added. 'Any other day she (Mathias) would have got it because she's such a good runner. I was just lucky to have a bit left at seven miles.'

Eastern Daily Press: Bure Valley Harriers' Sam Coyne was third in the senior men's race at Freethorpe. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodBure Valley Harriers' Sam Coyne was third in the senior men's race at Freethorpe. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Viney said she's feeling the benefit of a consistent training programme and will be targeting some shorter distances this year after the Cambridge Half Marathon at the start of March.

'I've got about a month before Cambridge and that's what I'm working towards,' she added. 'After that I'll look at some of the quicker stuff. I'd like to get a quick 5K in the summer but I've only really been consistently training for about a year now so I'm really looking forward to seeing what another season brings.'

Eastern Daily Press: CoNAC's Kathryn Mathias took second in the senior women's race at Freethorpe. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodCoNAC's Kathryn Mathias took second in the senior women's race at Freethorpe. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Rosanna Andrews was third in the senior women's race PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodRosanna Andrews was third in the senior women's race PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

Eastern Daily Press: Action from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie HoneywoodAction from the Freethorpe 10 mile race. PICTURE: Jamie Honeywood (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)