Robert Latala continued his excellent form in 2017, coming home 1st in the Folkestone 10k on Sunday.  After his excellent London Marathon club record last month, he held off the challenge of Charlie Brisley of Invicta East Kent to come home in 33m:13s, just 3 seconds ahead of Brisley in 2nd.  Trevor Kay was next in for the club with an impressive 13th place finish in 37m:20s, with Jonny Wells finishing 36th in 39m:47s, Kevan James 48th in 40m:52s, Stu Nunn recording a 3 minute personal best in 44m:43s and Brad Bunk coming home in 45m:19s.

Mark Carlton lowered his personal best to 46m:03s, Terry Sellen finished in 48m:17s, Rhian Shrimplin 1st lady for the club in 48m:26s, Matt Skipper in 52m:26s, Jaclyn Kay in 52m:54s, Sue Reader came home in 57m:25s, Julie Foster in 1hr:06m:44s and Sarah Ashberry, in her debut for the club finished in 1hr:07m:20s.

Edinburgh Marathon Sunday 28th May 2017

In very hot conditions, Helen Weeden and Eddie Rodger travelled to Scotland to take part in the Edinburgh marathon on Sunday.  Weeden completed her 39th marathon in a time of 4hrs:26m:49s and Rodger came home in 4hrs:45m:30s.

Kent Circuit Marathon Saturday 27th 2017

Rik Holden completed the Kent Circuit Marathon on Saturday in a time of 3hrs:56m:53s.

East Kent Relays Tuesday 23rd May 2017

At the first inter club  East Kent relays last tuesday at Folkestone, the club had an excellent turnout, with the club having 13 teams across the various ladies and men’s age groups and a junior team.  Highlights included a 1st place finish for the ladies senior team, 2nd place in the men’s Vet40 category, and 4th place in the very strong Senior male category.

By Keith Haynes

Ultra Draille Saturday 20th May 2017

Neil Cloke, had an impressive performance in the Ultra Draille on Saturday, finishing in 7th overall and 3rd in his age category. On a very difficult and demanding off road course of 120km, starting at Causse -de-la-Selle in Southen France with a very early 5.30 am set off, he had to overcome unforgiving terrain and extreme climbs to the finish in St-Mathieu-de-Treviers. Cloke completed the course in an excellent time of 17hrs:18m:56s.

Ashford Summer Series 5k Friday 19th May 2017

Robert Latala warmed up for the Folkestone 10k this coming Sunday with a win at the Ashford Summer series 5k race at Victoria park. Latala finished with a commanding lead of over 2 minutes over the 2nd placed runner to finish in an impressive time of 15m:57s.

Ryan Edwards continued his excellent recent improvement to record yet another personal best to finish 3rd in 18m:35s, just holding of the challenge of Paul Moses who finished 5th and 1st Vet50 in 18m:46s, with Dean Bracken close behind in 6th place in 18m:51s.

Richard Baker, after his ultra debut the previous weekend, ran a personal best to come home 7th in 19m:12s, Robert Carpenter was 12th in 19m:46s, Mark Attenborough ran a personal best in 19m:54s, Kevan James finished in 20m:46s, Brad Bunk 21m:26s(pb), Stu Nunn in 21m:41(pb), Christine Costiff was 3rd lady and 1st Vet55 in 22m:17s, Rod Kessack in 23m:00s, Neil Hope in 24m:10s(pb), Steve Hickman in 26m:09s and Becky Hodgson in 31m:14s.

Ashford Summer Series 10k Friday 19th May 2017

In the Ashford Summer series 10k, Trevor Kay finished in 3rd place in 37m:45s, Eddie Rodger was 13th in 49m:34s and Will Whittington 14th in 51m:18s.

Out of the blue Battle 10k Thursday 18th May 2017

In very heavy rain, Jonny Wells completed the Out of the blue Battle 10k around a muddy and hilly course of Ashburnham House near Battle in a time of 42m:34s.

University of Kent 10k Sunday 21st May 2017

Jonny Wells completed his 2nd 10k in 3 days when he took part in the University of Kent 10k in hot conditions on a undulating out and back off road course. Wells completed the course in 41m:12s, with team mates, Anthony Brown finishing in 43m:07s and Rhian Shrimplin in 50m:04s.

By Keith Haynes

Bewl Water Ultra Saturday 13th May 2017

On a busy weekend of racing for club members in the Bewl Water Ultra, Darren Santer was first home for the club on a 3 lap hilly 37.5 mile  course of the Bewl water country park in Lamberhurst.  Santer outsprinted  Richard Baker,  at the finish to come home 24th in 6hrs:54m:46s, just 1 second ahead of  Baker, who was making his ultra debut in 25th in 6hrs:54m:47s.  Close behind was Richard Holden, who finished 26th in a time of 6hrs:57m:29s.

North Downs Way 50  Ultra Saturday 13th May 2017

On a tough 50 mile course along the North Downs way national trail, starting at Farnham in Surrey and taking in a brutal climb at Box hill and finishing at Knockholt Pound on the outskirts of Greater London, Neil Buckey completed the ultra race in a time of 11hrs:30m:06s.  Steve Wellsted, despite having his training for the race effected by injury, came home in an excellent time of 12hrs:46m:27s to record a new personal best.

Bewl Water Half Marathon Saturday 13th May 2017

Run on the same course as the Ultra, Christine Costiff and Gill O’Connor finished together at the Bewl Water Half marathon,  in a time of 1hr:48m:09s

Stelling Minis 10k  Sunday 14th May 2017

At the Stelling Minis 10k, Trevor Kay ran an excellent race on a testing course to finish 4th in a time of 38m:17s, with Paul Moses finishing in 10th place and 1st MV50 in 39m:47s and Jaclyn Kay finishing in 55m:05s in her debut race for the club.

Sittingbourne Invicta 10k Sunday 14th May 2017

At the Sittingbourne Invicta 10k, Scotty Lynch finished in 10th place and 2nd MV40 in a time of 40m:04s.

By Keith Haynes

Round the Houses Junior race  Sunday 7th May 2017

Tom Green won the year 3 and 4  junior race in a course record time on Sunday at the Round the houses race at Hythe.  On the 922 meter course, Green knocked 5 seconds from the previous best time to win in 03m:16s.

Ashford parkrun Saturday 6th May 2017

At the latest Ashford parkrun on Saturday, Dan Green was first home for the club with his 18m:50s time, giving him a 3rd place finish and 1st MV45, Dean Bracken came home 6th in 19m:29s, Richard Baker 8th in 19m:37s, Paul Moses 10th in 19m:39s, Shane Dragwidge 12th in 20m:01s, Robert Carpenter 14th in 20m:10s, and Mark Attenborough 22nd in 20m:47s.

Carl Ireland ran  a personal best with his 32nd place finish in 21m:38s, Gill O’Connor was 3rd lady and 1st in WV55 category in 21m:44s, Stu Nunn 38th in 22m:33s, Rod Kessack 45th in 22m:54s, Terry Sellen 48th in 23m:06s, Mark Carlton 49th in 23m:15s and Will Whittington finished in 25m:17s.  Jaclyn Kay ran a personal best in 25m:30s, Trevor Kay finished in 25m:38s, Ann Fidge in 28m:57s, Julie Foster in 31m:16s and Simon Jackson in 31m:20s.

By Keith Haynes

Milton  Keynes Half Marathon Monday 1st May 2017

Gill O’Connor ran an excellent race at the Milton Keynes Half marathon on Monday, finishing 2nd in her age category, battling the wind and rain around the course in a time of 1hr:40m:41s.  

Ashford Parkrun Saturday 29th April 2017

At the latest Ashford parkrun, after breaking the club marathon record at the London Marathon the previous week, Robert Latala finished 1st in a time of 16m:28s, Shane Dragwidge produced a personal best with his 7th place finish in 18m:53s, Paul Moses was 9th in 19m:01s, Patrick Butler 19th in 20m:41s, Richard Baker 21st in 20m:52s, Dean Bracken 27th in 21m:21s, and  Robert Carpenter 30th in 21m:32s. Mark Carlton ran a personal best finishing 47th in 22m:50s, Rod Kessack 49th in 22m:54s, Terry Sellen 50th in 23m:00s, Dan Green in 23m:36s, Stu Nunn in 24m:06s, Will Whittington achieved a new personal best in 23m:24s, Scott Lynch in 25m:50s, Clare Green in 27m:54s, John Fidge 1st MV65 in 27m:54s and Andrew Smith in 27m:58s.  

By Keith Haynes

London Marathon Sunday 23rd April 2017

Robert Latala smashed the Ashford & District Running Club’s Senior Male Marathon record on Sunday, with a superb time at the London Marathon. On the world famous London course, Latala finished 88th in 2hrs:32m:12s, in a high class field of over 38,000 runners, to knock over 6 minutes from the record of 2hrs:38m:41 set in 2012 by Carl Jones. Kevan James was next home for the club in an impressive time of 3hrs:09m:44s, followed in by Dan Green in 3hrs:14m:28s, Scott Lynch in a well paced time of 3hrs:16m:48s, Richard Baker was next in for the club in a time of 3hrs:21m:46s, and Neil Cloke close behind finished in 3hrs:22m:43s.

Danyel Carter, after breaking her personal best at the Brighton marathon two weeks ago, this time took over 6 minutes off, to lower it to 3hrs:38m:45s, and following her in was, Paul Brasington coming home in 3hrs:42m:23s, Dave Hunt who finished in 3hrs:49m:35s and Neil Buckley finished his second marathon in as many weeks in a time of 4hrs:19m:33s.

Fox Ultra Saturday 22rd April 2017

Steve Hickman completed the tough Fox ultra marathon race on Saturday. Covering a distance of 60 kilometers on a tough off road course around Guildford. Hickman finished in a time of 8hrs:00m:09s.

Rother Riverside 10k Sunday 23rd April 2017

Johnny Wells finished in 3rd place in the Rother Riverside 10k on Sunday. He completed the off road course in a time of 41m:07s.

By Keith Haynes

Good Friday saw a large turnout of runners from the club at the 34th Folkestone 10 mile race, with Dan Green finishing among  the top 10 finishers in the race.  Run on a fast, flat out and back course from Hythe to Folkestone,  Green finished in 9th place and 3rd MV40 in an excellent time of 1hr:03m:29s, with Paul Moses in 15th place and 2nd MV50 in 1hr:04m:49s.  The fast improving Shane Dragwidge cut 9 minutes off his personal best as he finished in 28th place in 1hr:07m:05s, Scott Lynch was 33rd in 1hr:07m:25s, Jonny Wells 39th in 1hr:08m:15s, Pat Butler finished as the 2nd MV60 in 1hr:09m:41s, Mark Attenborough was 49th in 1hr:10m:16s, Robert Carpenter 52nd in 1hr:10m:24s and Keith Haynes was 69th in 1hr:12m:36s.   Gill O’Connor finished as the 1st WV50 in 1hr:15m:25s, Rhian Shrimplin came home in 1hr:28m:17s, Becky Hodgson in 1hr:48m:05s (pb), and Eddie Rodger in 1hr:51m:11s.

Ashford Parkrun Saturday 15th April 2017

At the latest Ashford parkrun, Robert Latala warmed up for Sunday’s London Marathon with a new personal best, with his 1st place finish in 15m:58s. Jon Pearce finished 4th with a person

al best of 17m:24s, Ryan Edwards was 9th in 18m:50s(pb), Paul Moses 12th in 19m:22s, Richard Baker 23rd in 20m:27s, Stu Nunn ran a new personal best in 21m:29s and Scott Lynch finished in 21m:30s.  Christine Costiff was the 1st WV55 in 22m:05s, Robert Carpenter finished in 22m:29s, Terry Sellen in 22m:47s, Neil Hope in 25m:18s(pb), John Fidge in 25m:43s, Claire Green in 27m:15s and Julie Foster in 31m:10s.

By Keith Haynes