Djanira coasts to Southern Inter-County silver

Top honours in this week’s race report goes to Djanira Costa for winning silver in the U20 hurdles in the Southern Intercounties on Sunday, a day after she turned out for her club for the final SAL fixture, while Gavin’s account of his London tri – “a long litany of idiocy” – cannot fail to make you laugh, as luckily it did him, too. [report updated]

A separate report on the final fixture of the Southern Athletics League, which was the main club event this weekend, will follow, so for now here a mix of other results from road races and triathlons – plus a scattering of individual track & field results, including Djanira’s silver in the Southern Inter-County Championships. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to see her skim those hurdles at an SAL or other track meet then keep your eyes peeled for her in action during training at the track – you’ll probably know it when you see it. Congratulations Djanira.

I also know that Ni Hothersall and Tony Killilea raced in the Mile End open meet yesterday, with Ni running a SB of 2.15 in the 800m, but full results were not out at the time of writing. I’ll add them when they’re available. I've also added results from the Dorney Dash, a 10k race that took place two weekends ago and, according to Leigh, featured a few ding-dong battles among the four Heathside ladies that tackled the flat'n'fast course, with Caroline and Jane pushing each other on to PBs, and a chunky one at that for Caroline. On finishing positions the ladies probably would have been first team, but they were edged out based on total team time (three to score).

Result submissions for the weekend just gone came from Caroline, who ran in and recommended the Regents Park 10k on Sunday (next race in the series is on 7 September), Tim, who was “totally gobsmacked” (and very pleased) with a PB in a Victoria Park 10k on Sunday after having low expectations on account of having been below par recently, and then … well, then, we have this account from Gavin, who I hope will not mind me reproducing it in full. I can’t not. I imagine other Heathsiders will have taken part, too, but I couldn’t search by club. In any case, condolences to Gavin, whose race did not quite go to plan, but also thanks for telling the tale, of how not to do it…

“It started 10 days ago when my re-rooted post delivered a surprise package: a London tri entry. I had no memory of signing up, let alone paying up (ominous, I know). Then I discovered my start was at 6.40am, so I woke at 3.45 and set off on the 17km cycle to ExCel (and, needless to say, got a bit lost along the way), only to discover on arrival that I had left my ID at home. Eventually, I convinced them I was, indeed, Gavin Evans (despite forgetting my mobile number – ominous, I know). Next came a big PW in the swim, not helped by going way off-course after my goggles misted up and having to get re-directed by a canoeist. (I have now finally realised that the more I train with swimming, the slower I get).  The damage should have been repaired by all my cycle training, but, for the second time in the London Tri, I missed the turn on the short leg and ended up doing more than 53km instead of 40. When this bit of supreme idiocy dawned on me, I slowly sulked my way back and then sat down for a think. After a few minutes, the old truth occurred to me: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (which, I’m told, means, ‘It is right and fitting to die for cross-country’). Well, this wasn’t cross-country – just a silly three laps through and around ExCel - and so, as a compromise , I decided to jog the so-called 10k (closer to 9, I think) and felt neither indignation nor shame when two muscle-bound City boy types strode past me. And then I cycled the 17k home, and got lost again. Oh well, there’s always next year…”

Or earlier, if it comes to the ‘It is right and fitting to die for cross-country’ motto … Surely it’s allowed to start banging that drum now that the SAL season is over?

To be discussed.

For now, the results:

Dorney Dash 10k, 26/07/2014
41st Cathy Jeremiah 39:32
44th Leigh James 39:50
90th Caroline 90th 43:18 (whopping PB)
96th Jane Higgins 43:35 (PB)

Sri Chimnoy AC Self-Transcendence 3x1 mile relay, 04/08
10th team: Tim Marshall (5:28), Phil Freeman-Bentley (5:04), Ryan McCrickerd (4:50): Total 15:2
49 teams

Regent's Park Summer 10K Series, 03/08/2014
2    33:44    Adam Kirk-Smith
5    35:53    Dan Madams    (1st V40)
92    45:26    Alice Lighton    
102    46:23    Caroline White (1st V55)
105    46:33    Jo Irwin    (2nd V35)
221    53:10    Alun Nash
225    52:02    Tom Hosking

South of England AA U15 / U20 Inter County Champs, Hendon, 03/08

100HW U20W
2    15.46s         Djanira Costa    

Shot Putt 4K U15M
6    11.85m    Peter Onuba    

Discus 1.75K U20M
10    27.36m     Izaiah Turner

Self Transcendence 10K, Battersea Park, 02/08
10    35:44    Ryan McCrickerd

Watford Open, 30/07
3000m
7    9:45.55         Miron Woldemichael
10    9:53.76         Daniel Szajna

200m

4 Anne-Christine Scherer 27.76

10

London Triathlon, Docklands, 03/2014
Gavin Evans
Swim: 35:11 (PW)/Bike: 1:42.28 (PW)/Run: 38:09 (course PW)
Total: 3:02.44 (PW)

British Heart Foundation 10k, Victoria Park, 03/08
Tim Sander 44:53 (PB)

The consolidated Heathside parkrun results here, from Finsbury Park to Waterstown (Ireland!):

http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017