Girlings Solicitors Ashford & District 10k – Sunday 04th February 2018

The 30th running of the Ashford & District 10k will remain a memorable event, not only because of the changeable weather the runners had to contend with on the day but also a close finish with the top 7 finishers all within 30 seconds of each other.

The weather was interchangeable. Sun, rain, sleet, snow and wind made for difficult conditions with Ben Hughes of Medway & Maidstone AC winning the race in 33m:07s with last year’s winner Robert Latala of Ashford & District RRC finishing 3rd in 33m:13s.

South of England Athletics Association Cross Country Championships  –  Saturday 27^th January 2018

Ashford & District RRC travelled to Stanmer Park in Brighton to compete in this year’s SEAA Cross Country Championships. The competition invites clubs to compete from anywhere in the south of England, from Cornwall to Norfolk. The competition was tough and so were the conditions as driving rain descended upon the runners and churned up the hilly course.

First up were the A&D ladies with Danyel Carter finishing in the top 200 in a time of 40m:48s with Christine Costiff just behind in 40m:59s (205^th). Gill O’ Connor was next up in 43m:29s (247^th) and Lucy Johnstone finished the 8km course in 48m:49s (310^th). Overall, A&D ladies finished 36^th out of 40 eligible teams.

Meanwhile, in the men’s 15km race, Robert Latala continued to impress with a great performance in difficult conditions finishing in 53^rd place overall out of a field of 740 runners. Latala crossed the line in 55m:47s.

Next up was Jon Pearce in 1hr:02m:18s in 222^nd followed by Jon Wells in 1hr:10m exactly (437^th). Dean Bracken’s return to form continued, finishing in 1hr:12m:51s (510^th) with Robin Butler and Adrian Moody not far behind in 1hr:13m:40s (533^rd) and 1hr:13m:47s (535^th) respectively.

Rob Barton finished in 1hr:15m:08s (557^th).Paul Moses, who succumbed to injury finished in 1hr:19m:33s (642^nd) and Richard Baker in 1hr:23m:20s (678^th). Overall, the A&D men’s team finished 40^th out of 75 eligible teams.

Ashford Parkrun  –  Saturday 27^th January 2018

A cold and frosty morning greeted nearly 300 runners at Victoria Park on Saturday in the latest parkrun event.

Running in A&D colours, Ben Smith came home 1^st for the club. The A&D junior also set a new personal best of 18m:34s finishing 6^th overall. Mark Attenborough was next, crossing the line in 21m:05s (17^th) with Ryan Edwards just behind. Mark Carlton finished next in 21m:43s (27^th) and Ricky Hickman in 21m:50s (28^th)

Gill Pragnell was 1^st lady home for the club in 22m:08s (34^th) with James Chapman in 22m:51s (44^th). Rod Kessack crossed the line in 23m:14s (52^nd) with Elodie Paviot and Mark Boorer not far behind in 23m:17s (55^th) and 23m:18s (56^th) respectively.

Will Whittington was up next in 24m:31s (68^th), Claire and Dan Green finished in 25m:43s (87^th) and 25m:44s (88^th) respectively. John Fidge in 27m:44s (131^st), Shelly Blake, completing her 51^st parkrun in 28m:36s (143^rd), Andrew Smith 29m:36s (157^th), Ann Fidge 29m:53s (165^th), Becky Hodgson 32m:57s (199^th) and Julie Foster in 46m:46s (269^th).

By Mark Carlton

Plain Crazy –  Wednesday 27th December 2017

Rhian Shrimplin blew away the Christmas cobwebs with a cross country run across the Salisbury plains in Wiltshire. The 12.5 mile course has been described as ‘hilly, cold, scenic, desolate and windy’ but Rhian completed the snowy course in 1hr:55m:59s and finished 8th female overall.

The Abominable Snowman 10 miler – Saturday 30th December 2017

Steve Hickman completed the extreme cross country Abominable Snowman 10 miler on the Isle of Wight in 2hrs:17m:24s finishing 111th overall despite a rather nasty fall early on in proceedings. Hickman had to contend with some wet conditions as well as some rather impressive undulating hills.

Fowlmead Challenge and New Years Day Marathon – Sunday 31st December 2017 & Monday 1st January 2018

Jon Wells ran the Fowlmead Challenge on New Years Eve. The event, which is held at Betteshanger Country Park, consists of 4.5 mile loops of the off-road course and the aim is to complete as many laps within the 6 hour time limit. Wells completed the marathon distance in challenging conditions in 4hrs:21m:43s.

The following day, Rik Holden completed the New Years Day Marathon at the same venue, however this time on tarmac in 3hrs:55m:57s finishing 10th overall.

Lamberhurst New Years Day Run – Monday 1st January 2018

Adrian Moody completed the annual New Years Day race in Lamberhurst finishing the 10k in 44m:25s, 29th position overall.

Ashford Parkrun  –  Saturday 30th December 2017

The last parkrun of the year saw Ashford & District runners feature heavily on the leaderboard with Jon Pearce finishing 2nd overall for the club in 18m:00s.

Julius Samson was just over a minute behind Pearce finishing 6th overall in 19m:05s with Dan Green hot on his heels in 7th in a time of 19m:07s. Jon Wells then crossed the line in 19m:20s (9th), Paul Moses in 19m:33s (12th) and Scott Lynch in 19m:46s (13th).

Rod Kessack was next to cross the line in 22m:49s (35th) followed by Terry Sellen in 23m:05s (38th), Stuart Nunn 24m:17s (52nd), Mark Harrison 24m:41s (56th) and Mark Boorer 24m:45s (58th).

Jaclyn Kay was 1st female home for the club in 25m:21s (61st), William Whittington in 25m:40s (65th), Heather Johnston in a PB time of 26m:12s (71st), Sandi Mortimer 26m:13s (73rd), John Fidge 27m:23s (84th), Lucy Johnstone 28m:49s (107th), Sarah Homewood 28m:52s (108th), Ann Fidge 30m:48s (136th), Chloe and Claire Green 33m:08s (156th) and 33m:10s (157th) and Raymond Morley 50m:40s (190th).

Meanwhile around the country, Robert Latala won the Folkestone parkrun in 17m:20s, Gill O’ Connor ran the Riddlesdown parkrun in 26m:37s (39th) and Christine Costiff completed the Melton Mowbray parkrun in 22m:45s (14th) In addition Costiff also completed the Rutland Water parkrun on New Years Day in 22m:24s.

Several events held an additional New Years Day parkrun and due to the staggered start times some of our members were able to take in 2 events, completing a parkrun double –

Daniel Green completed Maidstone parkrun in 22m:26s (62nd) and Shorne Woods parkrun in 19m:53s (12th). Tom Green in 22m:24s (61st) and 25m:29s (101st), Terry Sellen 23m:41s (86th) and 25m:30s (102nd), Claire Green 27m:51s (183rd) and 32m:47s (300th)  and Chloe Green 31m:31s (267th) and 33m:52s (325th).

By Mark Carlton

Ashford & District RRC were out in force at the town’s parkrun over the past weekend and Christmas period. Saturdays event saw Robert Latala come home in 1^st place in 16m:21s, followed in 6^th by Trevor Kay in 17m:51s with Keith Haynes, 15^th in 20m:50s.

Mark Attenborough finished in 20^th in 21m:46s, Scott Lynch 22^nd in 22m:01s and Ricky Hickman 27^th in 22m:41s. James Chapman was next to cross the line in 23m:02 (33^rd), Mark Boorer 23m:41s (41^st), Rod Kessack 23m:44s (42^nd) and Terry Sellen 23m:48s (43^rd).

Elodie Paviot, 1^st lady home for the club, finished in 24m:24s in 50^th position, William Whittington was next in 25m:34s (60^th), Andrew Smith 29m:18s (107^th), Lucy Johnstone 44m:13s (158^th) and Becky Hodgson in 56m:31s (172^nd).

Meanwhile, around the country, Gill O’Connor finished the Riddlesdown parkrun in 25m:29s (57^th), Jon Wells completed the Hillsborough parkrun, Sheffield in 19m:16s (9^th) and CJ Lattimer came 5^th overall at the Rutland Water parkrun in 18m:12s.

200 runners completed the annual Ashford Christmas day parkrun with Robert Latala completing the double by once again finishing 1^st in 16m:53s with Carl Jones crossing the line in 18m:33s in 5^th position. Jon Wells came home in 12^th in 19m:23s. Julian Samson & Paul Moses finished in 20m:12s (17^th) and 20m:14s (18^th) respectively.

James Chapman in 22m:54s (37^th), Aaron Homewood in a PB time of 23m:00s (40^th), William Whittington 24m:47s (52^nd), Sandi Mortimer 26m:09s (72^nd), Steve Hickman 27m:21s (86th) Helen Weeden 27m:27s (88^th), Mark Boorer 28m:20s (102^nd), Kevan James 29m:17s (116^th) and Becky Hodgson 48m:04s (200^th).

The Saltwood Boxing Day Run – Tuesday 26^th December 2017

The ever popular Saltwood Boxing Day run saw 4 A&D runners compete with Julius Samson finishing 1^st for the club in 15^th position in 19m:39s followed by Jon Wells in 20m:07s (21^st), A&D junior Connor Samson crossed the line in 22m:24s (68^th) and Steve Hickman in 31m:01s (334th).