Trafford Grand Prix, Stretford, Manchester (Tue. 30th May)
Lara Atkinson removed a big chunk of time from her 3000m personal best, to dip under ten minutes for the first time, clocking 9:54.49s.
Watford Harriers Open Graded Meeting (Wed. 31st May)
Iris Williams (U15) is certainly reaping the benefits of travelling to events where quality fields are guaranteed, removing just over a second from her 1500m personal best, which now stands at 4:40.72s.
Dartford RR Joydens Wood Summer Series 5km #1 (Wed. 31st May)
The Dartford RR Joydens Wood Summer Series got underway on Wednesday with sixteen club members taking part. The club won both the men's and women's team competition and a number of individual age groups. James Macdonald took the overall win in a time of 17:31 and Susan Dixon finished 3rd female. Other individual prizes went to Mark Penny (M40) and Christine Bond (W55).
Results: 1. James Macdonald 17:31, 4. Luke Ford 18:32, 7. Liam Carr (U20) 20:27, 8. Mark Penny 20:31, 9. Raymond Ramsay 20:54, 23. Susan Dixon 22:51, 39. Christine Bond 25:21, 43 Paul Ford 25:21, 44. Ian McCarthy 26:09, 45. Sally Carr 26:14, 63. Joanne Barber 27:54, 66. Angela Ford 28:15, 67. Keith Dungate 28:37, 90. Maria Macdonald 32:14, 93. Peter Hadley 32:32, 104. Stephanie Dungate 34:41.
Assembly League 5km, Crystal Palace Park (Thu. 1st June)
The first day of June felt like summer had arrived with warm weather and a gloriously sunny evening, reports Graham Maynard. Eleven club members competed in the second mid-week Assembly League of the 2023 season, around a new and challenging 5km course within Crystal Palace Park. Andrew Doyle was the first club member to finish in 18:07. Lucy Foreman made an impressive debut as finishing 4th female in a time of 19:07.
Results: 35. Andrew Doyle 18:07, 57. James Pitts 18:59, 61. Lucy Foreman 19:07, 65. Will Longhurst 19:16, 68. Tom Castle 19:22, 70. Christian Poulton 19:32, 79. David Reader 19:49, 115. Graham Maynard 21:34, 121. Vi Chu 22:00, 124 Katica Puga 22:03, 152. Antonio Irranca 23:54.
Southern Counties Veterans League (Kent), Tonbridge (Fri. 2nd June)
Exactly one week after the last match our masters athletes were in action again, this time in Tonbridge. The men's team finished fourth again, but just one point behind Blackheath. Wins on the night came from Chris Loudon in the M35 800m (2:02.8s) and Wole Odele, M50 high jump (1.40m), who contributed the most points to the teams overall score. Martin Leat confidently led the M60 800m (2:26.7s) for the majority of the race, but lost out on the win by one second.
The women's team finished third on the night with just six ladies covering all the events with the exception of the pole vault. There were no wins but a number of second places from Lucy Marlow (W35 800m), Natalie Mann (W35 JT), Christine Bond (W50 JT) and Joanne Murphy (W60 100m) added good points to the overall team result.
Left: Rose Baker - Maggie Illingworth - Lucy Marlow - Joanne Murphy
Right: Michael Pape - Chris Loudon - Paris Hunt - Wole Odele
Youth Development League (Lower Age Group), Woodford (Sat. 3rd June)
In our first match in the “YDL” we were 6th out of the seven clubs competing, however it was all change for this match as some new recruits, some specific field event training and the availability of some of our best athletes saw us move up to finish second behind clear league leaders Woodford, writes Mick Bond. A strong head wind on the home straight blowing at close to -5m/s at times put paid to really good times in most of the sprints and hurdles but PB’s still fell left right and centre as the day went by.
Under 15 Boys: Our Under 15 boys’ squad has never been stronger and would be a match for any team in the country right now. Firstly Elijah Olaleye and Hans Nmaju spent the day together demolishing the opposition winning both strings of the 80 hurdles, high jump and long jump before separating for the relays at the end of the day. Michael Bridge was almost as successful winning the javelin and shot in PB’s of 41.06m and 13.97m respectively and taking second in the discus 28.42s. Josh Wellings dipped under 39 seconds again to win the 300m with good back up from Rhys Joyeux who was a clear winner of the B-string. Aniket Iyengar ran a great PB of 4:37.42s to take 3rd in the 1500m whilst sprinter Immanuel Jegede volunteered for and then won the B-string race in 4:51.16s. the 4 x 300 was won in a time that ranks them second in the country just behind Blackheath with a showdown at the next Kent League looming.
Under 15 Girls: Emily Cadman’s return to the team certainly helped the points score as she won both the 100 and 200 and then move the team from 6th to 2nd on the last leg of the 4 x 300m relay. Her times of 12.42s and 25.33s, both into the strong head wind were very impressive. Isabelle Stevens won the hammer (26.52) and took second in the discus (21.85m) and was well supported by Ethel Olaigbe who won the B-string events (22.04m and 18.35m).
Under 13 Boys: Caleb Warnke set PB’s in all three of his events, winning the long jump with 4.62m and taking 3rd place in the both the 75m and 150m. Oscar Cadman gave good support in the B-string sprints in his first outing for the club whilst Monty Brown, Alex Van den Berg-How both set good PB’s in the 800m.
Under 13 Girls: The team benefited from a full squad covering virtually every event and with every member of the team setting a PB in one event or another.
George Jones ~ Alex van den Berg-How ~ Michael Bridge
Harvel 5 (Sat. 3rd June)
Tracing a path through the beautiful Kent countryside, the Harvel 5 covers woodland trails, some demanding slopes, tarmacked roads and enough 'off-road' to keep a cross-country runner satisfied. Ten club members who ran the Joydens Wood 5km on Wednesday tackled the demanding course of the Harvel 5 on Saturday. James Macdonald was the first club member finishing in 5th position with a time of 27:52 and first M40. Susan Dixon in 63rd overall was first W55.
Results: 5. James Macdonald 27:52, 10. Luke Ford 29:13, 63. Susan Dixon 35:14, 109. Sally Carr 37:30, 166. Ian McCarthy 40:36, 250. Angela Ford 44:20, 251. Paul Ford 44:20, 350. Maria Macdonald 47:48, 412. Keith Dungate 50:10, 545. Stephanie Dungate 57:49 & 673. Les Pullen 1:06:57.
South of England Senior/U20 Championships, Walton-on-Thames (3rd/4th June)
Hannah Bridge came away with a silver medal from the U20W shot with a best throw of 12.93m and a personal best of 34.61m in the discus. Craig Lacy appeared pleased with his 55.96m effort in the senior men's javelin finishing outside the medals. Derin (12.61s - PB) and Doyin Aderinto (12.98s) both made the final of the 100m, but were unable to medal.
Coombe Hill Fell Race, (7km, 220m ascent, BS) (Sun. 4th June)
We tried this race for the first time a year ago when the Chilterns were shrouded in mist so we returned this year to see the views that we had missed out on, writes Clem Dixon. We were not disappointed! At 260m Coombe Hill is no mountain but it is one of the highest points in the Chilterns and from the top you can see for many miles to the North and West across the Vale of Aylesbury, Chequers (the Prime Minister's country home) below you. The war memorial at the top is an impressive structure, unusually for war memorials not remembering the dead of the First World War but those of the earlier Second Boer War. Both the memorial and the view probably deserved closer inspection but no sooner have you slogged your way up and you are galloping back down to the finish. A short walk back to race HQ and before you know it you are queuing for your free pint of beer. With an entry fee of £5 (or just £3 for members of the Fell Running Association) which includes a pint the good people of Tring Running Club are obviously not putting on this race with profits in mind.
We try to include some beginner-friendly races in the club fell running calendar each year in the hope that we can attract newcomers into this branch of the sport and for this one regulars Christian Poulton, Graham Maynard and Clem Dixon were joined by fell newbie Ian McCarthy racing for the second time in the weekend having taken on the Harvel 5 the previous day. It is probably fair to say that at 66 years old Ian wasn't quite the young blood that we were looking for but he was welcome nevertheless.
Ian McCarthy - Christian Poulton - Clem Dixon - Graham Maynard
At the time of writing results have yet to be published but I can tell you that we all made it up and down and that Graham won the M60 category (although in my view he did rather let the side down by selecting a jar of chutney from the prizes on offer rather than one of the local ales).
Next race for the fell runners is the even more beginner-friendly Orion race on Friday 16th June. The only fell race inside the M25. https://www.orionharriers.com/fixtures/fell-race/
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