ELLIE Wallace leapt to second in the South West Rankings after smashing her personal best over 5000m in Nottingham this week.
In just her first season at the event the North Somerset AC runner (pictured left in action recently for the Midland Counties) carved 20 seconds off her debut tine of 16mins 38.42secs set when finishing seventh at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix at Loughborough University last month.
Wallace, who is coached by Julian Emery, clocked 16:18.82 to finish runner-up behind Rebecca Murray i the Nottingham 5000m Track Challenge.
That time is second quickest behind Plymouth’s Poppy Tank (15:45.07) and nudges Wallace ahead of west Olympic legend Jo Pavey (16:21.01), now competing in the over 45s veterans age group.
On the UK stage the time ranks Wallace 36th fastest and eighth in the under 23 age group.
Locally Wallace’s big PB puts her further ahead of Yate’s Ellie Leather (16:40.28), Bristol & West’s Zoe Wassell (16:41.31) and Westbury Harrier Floren Scrafton (17:38.07).
It is worth noting that all these women started competing as young athletes and are still going strong in the senior ranks.