KENT COUNTY ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION CROSS COUNTRY – LEAGUE RACE #2 – SOMERHILL SCHOOLS
Somerhill School in Tonbridge provided the perfect backdrop to the second race of the Kent County Athletics Association cross country season, with 33 A&D members taking on the 2 lap notoriously hilly course.
In the men’s Under 20 5k race and in a very competitive field, Kieran Hodges put in an excellent performance to finish 6th overall in a time of 20 minutes exactly, just 11 seconds ahead of brother Jack in 9th.
The senior ladies team, racing over a distance of 5 miles this season, put in another strong team performance, with Alison Waters coming home first for the club in 41st place overall in a time of 37:41. Hot on her heels was Alice Cook taking 47th place in 38:08. Tracy Calnan was next to cross the line in 39:19 and 54th place with Holly Cook right behind in 55th place and posting 39:35. Ailis Goddard finished strongly holding off the competition with a 39:42 and 57th place, and Sally Smith also grabbed a sub 40 minute finish with 39:59 and 61st place to complete the ladies 6 to score result. Emma Hanna, suffering from illness, was 71st in a respectable 40:49 and Jaclyn Kay completed the A&D field in 51:44 and 110th place.
At the half way point in the 3 to score competition, the ladies are sitting in 9th place out of 18 teams and in the ladies 6 to score league table, they are holding on to 3rd place. An excellent start to the league season.
The A&D men were out in force, also racing over a distance of 5 miles this season. Another stunning performance from Nick Collins saw him first home for the A&D men and in 24th place overall, with an excellent time of 28:41. Aidan Gorham stormed round the course and finished 47th in 30:26 ahead of Trevor Kay in 71st place with a time of 31:45. James Booth in 115th place completed the men’s 4 to score in 34 minutes exactly.
The ever reliable Scott Lynch was 120th and just 9 seconds behind Booth in 34:09, with Cris Francis in 130th position with another very strong outing in 34:39. Also enjoying the hills was Paul Moses just behind in 132nd and 34:44, just ahead of Paul Crisp in 133rd with a time of 34:46. Philip Marr was next to cross the line for A&D in 140th place in 35:14 just in front of Daniel Head who tore up the final hill to overtake some of the competition and finish in 35:43 and 154th place. Robin Butler took 157th place just in front of Dave Chappell in 160th, completing the men’s 12 to score team, with times of 36:03 and 36:10 respectively.
Adrian Moody took 170th place in 36:21, just ahead of Chris Boyce who crossed the line 36:49 and Mark Harrison just 2 seconds behind in 36:51 in 175th and 176th place. Darren Fagg in 183rd finished the tough course in 37:24, followed by Keith Haynes, 190th, 38:09 and Steve Hodges, 191st and 38:10. The sea of blue vests continued across the line with Michael Stanley in 193rd and 38:27, Richard Baker, 214th place and a time of 40:05 and Neil Woodham, 225th with 41:01. Stuart Nunn took 234th place with a finish time of 41:56 and Chris Field completed the team effort in 43:07 and 241st place.
In the men’s 4 to score table the A&D team are currently sitting in 7th place overall out of 22 teams, with a 12 to score league position of 6th place.
BEACHY HEAD MARATHON
If the hills were tough at the cross country meet, then the last minute change to the Beachy Head marathon, providing participants the opportunity to run across the Seven Sisters not once but twice, was a huge challenge.
Undeterred by the route change Ingvlid Drake posted a superb time of 4:18:38. Christine Costiff was not far behind, storming to a 4:37:15 finish. Alex Francis, completing only his second marathon, took on the hills and recorded an excellent 4:42:50.
Fresh from London just 3 weeks before, Simon Jackson also took on the Eastbourne coastline finishing the course in 5:01:38. Gill O’Connor was next to finish the 2 lap course in 5:18:32. Lucy Johnstone finished in 5:57:00 which was a personal best for her for a trail marathon by 13 minutes.
SVN 500
Back in Kent marathon man Rik Holden completed his latest 26.2 mile distance at the SVN event in a fabulous 3:35:01 and Becky Hodgson also ran at the same event, completing 14.1 miles on the trails and bike paths at Betteshanger country park in 3:50:50.
WOODCHURCH 5 & 10 MILE
A beautiful autumnal Sunday morning provided perfect race conditions for the team at the Woodchurch 5 and 10 miler.
Taking on the 5 mile distance Stuart Nunn impressed, finishing in a time of 38:18 despite racing cross country less than 24 hours previously and swallowing a fly! A&D stalwarts Ann and John Fidge ran the course together, both crossing the line in 47:47. Emma Jenkins finished in 1:03:50 and Julie Foster, back in racing action, completed the undulating route in 1:14:11.
The 2-lap 10 mile option provided plenty of personal best times for a competitive A&D team. Daniel Head, also running the day after cross country exploits, nailed a new PB in a fantastic time of 1:11:03. He was swiftly followed by team mate Richard Boakes less than a minute behind in 1:11:59. Not far away was Mark Attenborough, with a super 1:13:17 and he was followed by Linda-Jean Delport, who was 1st placed lady in 1:13:44. Sophie Edmonds also impressed for the ladies, showing how much she has improved – with a personal best of 1:17:38 and a 3rd placed lady trophy as a reward for her hard work. James Phillips, having already run over 5 miles to warm up before the start of the race, crossed the finish line in 1:25:06. Peter Buckley was next to finish, another club member setting a new personal best time, in 1:28:23.
Club chairman Sue Reader also set a new personal best over the distance, finishing strongly in 1:30:49 just behind Keith Lynn, fresh from Paris marathon last weekend, who brushed off any post-marathon fatigue to cross the line in 1:30:11. Trevor Sparkes battled through a stiff leg to post a time of 1:45:13 with Lesley Moody bringing it home for A&D in 1:48:30 – another excellent PB.
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