There was a record turnout on a sunny midwinter day for the Club 7.5 with 88 runners starting from which 78 finished (a number choosing to run less than the full course of one small and three large laps). It is great to see that so many local clubs support this race – we have never considered introducing a team prize before but if the upward trend in numbers continues it would be quite viable: this year had we done so then whatever team size we had chosen it would have been Dartford Harriers that would have won with Cambridge beaten into second place and Petts Wood, Orpington, Bexley and Dartford Road Runners all also being in the mix.
There were also a number of unattached runners, including Ben Howard who was the overall winner of the race. He was one of an early group of leaders together with Chris Biddle and Kieran Hughes of Dartford Harriers and Cambridge’s James MacDonald and Bayley Massey. Biddle was the first to be dropped and once Howard decided to put the hammer down there was no one who could live with his pace as he won by over half a minute from Hughes with MacDonald third, Biddle fourth and Massey having to retire.
So congratulations to James MacDonald for taking the trophy as club champion at this distance, James has meddled many times in races in this series but this was the first time that he has got his hands on a cup. Christian Poulton ran an impressive race working his way steadily through the field for fifth place overall and the silver meddle in the club championship: the bronze went to Steve Groom who was tenth overall.
One again Anoushka Johnson of Dartford Harriers was the first lady, followed by Sally Kyle of Dartford Road Runners and Laura Crane of Bexley. Lucy Hunt was the first of Cambridge’s women to finish.
Club member John Herpe and others from this company were out on the course taking photos which you can find here.
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