Golden oldies, county champs and prosaic parkruns

The main event of the weekend was the SEAA Masters and Inter-Counties Championships at Claybury, where the weather was perfect for cross-country but apparently the course was a bit of a mule, with people falling over all over the place.

In the Mens V50+ race, Ash Abrha led the Heathside contingent home with a fine run over the 10km course, to finish 18th overall, followed by Gavin, Paul (returning from injury) and Carl.

In the Vet Women, Sarah took a tumble and promptly got trodden on - spikes and all - but got up to finish 8th to lead Heathside home.  Jackie continued her fine cross-country season and solid runs also  from Bridgit, Caroline, Ruth, Jo, and Gabi on what was by no means a forgiving course.

Sue Rust (SW), Yanna (U17), Lily (U17), Rachel (U17), Johnny (U15M) and Lucy (U15W) were representing Middlesex and presumably bereft at being deprived of the chance to wear their fine Heathside vests.  Special mention to Lucy - 3rd scorer for the bronze-winning Middlesex team - well done!

However, there was more Heathside glory for the men in the final race of the day - over to Chris.

"In the Masters V40+ Men's race, six Heathsiders completed a brutal 10km on what was, by that stage, a very muddy course indeed (Claybury Park will take some time to recover from the cross-country season this year!). With three to score, we stormed to third place in the team event - beaten by Colchester AC and Kent AC, and therefore finishing first amongst the London teams represented - including you-know-who. Mike, Julian and Steve, take a bow. 

"Also finishing strongly were Chris, Howard and John. Some good team running, and little doubt that we'd have won the competition had it been five or six to score," said Chris, before drawing a very deep breath and going off for for a celebratory game of bingo.

There was more cross-country at the weekend in the Sunday League, but as no one's posted any results up for that one yet, I'll just have to leave you all in suspense.

On the parkrun front, Georgie was the fastest lady at Gladstone parkrun, which was presumably to her advantage as the cafe in the park is tiny so you need a quick finish if you want to get a seat.  Elsewhere, Rob and Adrian had podium finishes at Ally Pally and Pymmes parkrun respectively, although as there were only six finishers in this latter, I doubt Adrian's going to be dining out on it.  

Thanks to a lack of adventurousness all round, I'm awarding 'Most Prosaic parkrun' this week to the seven staycationers who rocked up at Finsbury parkrun, probably not having got out of bed until quarter to nine.  Special mention to Alex for being the last home, although before his rejoicing Turner Shield rivals throw away their voodoo dolls, I feel it's worth mentioning that he was probably pacing the lovely Mrs Galloway.

One noteworthy result that slipped under the radar from the last couple of weeks was Clare Miller's win in the Bicton Blister, a punishing boggy off-road ten-miler.  The race organisers were agog and paid awestruck tribute to her on their website as apparently she achieved this in her regular road flats.  The fleet-footed Miller was unavailable for comment as she's currently climbing K2 in a pair of roller skates.  (Not true, although conditions underfoot at Finsbury Park are scarcely any better at the moment.)

RESULTS

SEAA Inter-Counties Championships, Claybury, 08/12/12

SW

16  Sue Rust 25:42  

U17W

37  Lily Beckford 25:03
38  Rachel Secki 25:09        
56  Yanna Raykov  26:08        

U15W

26  Lucy Carter 17:36

U15M

35 Johnny Naylor 15:50

SEAA Masters Championships, Claybury, 08/12/12

W40

8 Sarah Swinhoe 27:15  

20 Jackie Wastell 28:45

21 Bridgit Napleton 28:54

30 Caroline White 30:43

34 Ruth Miller 31:32

46 Joanne Irwin 32:35

58 Gabrielle Johnson 34:03

M40

12 Mike Stocks 36:35  

15 Julian Ferraro 36:56  

18 Steve Monaghan 37:01  

21 Chris Hartley 37:22  

23 Howard Gold 37:43  

30 John Flahive 39:21  

M50

18 Ash Abrha 38:23  

33 Gavin Evans 39:41  

56 Paul Lemmon 42:24  

63 Carl Heap 43:12  

Assorted parkruns, 08/12/12

Ally Pally parkrun, event number 51

2 Rob SHULMAN 00:20:06

Finsbury parkrun, event number 154

5 Liam PROUDLOCK 00:17:43

6 Stuart MEIKLEJOHN 00:18:59

25 Jane HIGGINS 00:21:28

45 Helen SMITH 00:23:49

47 Ben CLARKE-JANSSEN 00:24:20

64 Andrew Simon CONWAY 00:25:42

74 Alex GALLOWAY 00:26:40

Gladstone parkrun, event number 24

14 Georgie KENNEDY 00:23:06 (1st lady)

Hampstead Heath parkrun, event number 82

9 Elspeth STORRAR 00:20:55

29 Michiko THOMAS 00:24:44

Highbury Fields parkrun, event number 57

25 Claire THORNHILL 00:23:19

Pymmes parkrun, event number 87

3 Adrian ESSEX 00:24:47

Wanstead Flats parkrun, event number 82

7 Brian BOYLE 00:20:47

Wimbledon Common parkrun, event number 308

39 Cathy COLLINS 00:21:38

Bicton Blister 25/11/12

36 Clare MILLER         1:18:23 (1st SW)