Heathside women & super-vets win Middlesex gold

Now that we’re in the final countdown for the cross-country season, our men and women have been taking to the streets in huge numbers for a final burst before mud, sweat and tears take hold. So, lots of races to report, but the big one, which comrade Dan calls ‘the sexy 10k’, was the Middlesex championships at Victoria Park on Sunday, where Heathsiders excelled at every level.

 

Middlesex 10k Championships, Victoria Park, Sunday October 4

It’s hard to know where to start, but perhaps the collective should take precedence over the individual. So, 52 of our weekend warriors ran this one on a glorious autumnal day in perfect 10k conditions, and we ended up with exactly half this number getting PBs and, even more impressive, with 28 going under 40 minutes. We walked off with the gold medal in the Middlesex champs for our senior women (Rebecca Piggott, Cas Wright and Colette Monahan) and the gold medal for our V50 men (Chris Hartley, Gavin Evans and Paul Jarman). The senior men (Andrew Brooker, Ed Samuel and Dan Madams) won silver as did the V40 men (Dan, Mario Cadete and Jacob Howe) and the V35 women (Angela Howe, Sandra Buckton and Emilia Vynnycky) while the V45 women (Sandra, Emilia and Jo Irwin) won bronze.

On to the individual Middlesex medals: Rebecca Piggott won the silver medal and Andrew Brooker won the bronze. Sandra Buckton won the V45 gold, Emilia Vynnycky the silver and Jo Irwin the bronze.  Chris Hartley won the V50 gold, I got the silver and Paul Jarman the bronze. Caroline White, who has barely slowed over the last couple of decades, would have won the V55 gold by a mile if she’d put a tick in the Middlesex Championships box (only those who did this qualified for medals).

Next, the race itself, where several stand-out performances deserve mention. Andrew Brooker ran an impressive PB of 33:22 to take 7th place overall, followed by Adrian Lowther (who is a second claim Heathsider) in eight place, the rapidly improving Tom Stephenson in 10th place (33:58), Ed Samuel who is showing a rich vein of form, in 11th place (34:09) and in 21st place, Dan Madams (34:52).

Rebecca Piggott, coming back from a fortnight of injury-induced ease, was the third woman overall in a PB of 38:30 (which she is bound to improve on by at least a minute once she has fully recovered). She was followed by Cas Wright in a PB of 39:54 and Colette Monahan in a PB of 42:35. Caroline White’s V55 winning time was 46:13. Also highly impressive was our cross-country captain Chris Hartley who, despite nursing a cold, managed 35:42, putting him in 31st place overall, and the first V50). Jacob Phillips, making his 10k debut, was the only under 18-year-old in the race, coming in at a highly promising 37:54. One other: 400-meter specialist Big Richard Macaulay also put in a eye-catching PB (35:23).

Results (292 finishers)

  1. 7th Andrew Brooker – 33:22 (PB & Middlesex Championships bronze medallist)

  2. 8th Andrian Lowther – 33:23 (2nd claim Heathside)

  3. 10th Tom Stephenson – 33:58 (PB)

  4. 11th Ed Samuel – 34:09

  5. 21st Dan Madams – 34:52

  6. 22nd Andy Barnes – 34:52 (PB)

  7. 29th Richard Macaulay - 35:23 (PB)

  8. 31st Chris Hartley – 35:42 (1st V50 & Middlesex Championships V50 gold medallist)

  9. 36th Ryan McCrickerd – 35:54

  10. 41st Allan Whatmouth – 36:05 (PB)

  11. 44th Chris Shipley – 36:13 (PB)

  12. 52nd Gavin Evans – 36:52 (1st V55 & Middlesex Championships V50 silver medallist)

  13. 58th Mario Cadete – 37:16 (PB)

  14. 62nd Paul Jarman – 37:29 (Middlesex Championships V50 bronze medallist)

  15. 65th Jacob Phillips – 37:38 (1st U18) (PB)

  16. 67th Jacob Howe – 37:40

  17. 74th Rob Walker 37:54 (2nd claim Heathside)

  18. 82nd Jonathan Litchfield – 38:07 (PB)

  19. 85th Jonathan Hopkin – 38:16 (PB)

  20. 92nd Michael Cockings – 38:29 (PB)

  21. 93rd Kris Milovsorov – 38:29 (PB)

  22. 94th Rebecca Piggott – 38:30 (3rd woman & Middlesex Champs silver medal) (PB)

  23. 97th Alan Smith – 38:34 (PB)

  24. 100th Gareth Marshall – 38:46

  25. 103rd Trevor Wilson – 38:57

  26. 115th Joe McKeown – 38:57

  27. 120th Philip Hogg – 39:45 (PB)

  28. 123rd Cas Wright – 39:54 (PB)

  29. 142nd Mark George – 41:30

  30. 164th Colette Monahan – 42:35 (PB)

  31. 168th Roger Hadwen – 42:55 (PB)

  32. 173rd Angela Howe – 43:24

  33. 177th Richard Peachment – 43:36 (PB)

  34. 179th Sandra Buckton – 43:50 (1st V45 & Middlesex Championships gold medal) (PB)

  35.  182nd Robert Bowler – 44:11 (PB)

  36. 188th Emilia Vynnycky – 44:25 (2nd V45 & Middlesex Championships silver medal)

  37. 191st Satu Hietanen – 44:45 (PB)

  38. 194th Hannah Carmichael – 44:52

  39. 198th Jessica Vinluan – 44:59 (Middlesex Championships ? medal) (PB)

  40. 208th Tammela Platt – 45:37

  41. 211th Jo Irwin – 45:59 (Middlesex Championships V45 bronze medal)

  42. 215th Caroline White – 46:13 (1st V55)

  43. 226th Louisa Pointon – 47:49

  44. 227th Alun Nash – 47:50

  45. 229th Raymond Watts – 47:52

  46. 231st Chloe Adler – 48:00 (PB)

  47. 236th Kerstin Kinkelin – 48:19 (PB)

  48. 237th Noelle O’Regan – 48:25 (PB)

  49. 240th Ken Townson – 48:37

  50. 245th Edyta Szot – 49:25 (PB)

  51. 258th Sue Eedle – 51:16

 

Battersea 10k, Battersea Park, Saturday October 3

Three of our speedier men raced each other in this event, which started at the unreasonable hour of 8am. James Lynch came in 10th, followed by Jack Ridings (13th) and Chris Burke (17th), all of them easily breaking 38 minutes.

Results:

10 James Lynch - 36:37
13 Jack Ridings - 37:13
17 Chris Burke - 37:46

 

Round Ripon 35-mile Ultra, Yorkshire, Saturday October 3

Emerson Paul, an émigré from North London, sent this report on this extremely gruelling, mainly off-road event: 

“Having recently moved south of the River to Downe in Kent, I’m sadly missing the delights of running at Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath, Ally Pally Park Run etc but cheered myself by taking part in the “Round Ripon 35 mile Ultra”.The course took a circular route following the northern section of the Ripon Rowel providing a very scenic 35 mile route which included a world heritage site, pretty Yorkshire villages, woodland tracks & open moorland, with a wonderful downhill run through Studley Royal deer park and back into Studley Roger. I was more than happy with the result given my longest training run all summer had been a 2 hour, 15 miler which was the weekend before. I would highly recommend it and likely to participate again in 12 months-time.”

Result (58 starters)

75th Emerson Paul - 7hours 15 minutes.

 

Bournemouth Marathon, Sunday October 4.

Edward Adams finished in 3:11 and sent this report:

“I felt good at the beginning of the race. Up to and around mile 10 the terrain was mostly flat running, with some downhill. There was some wind approaching the coast, but not much at that point. Once I began to approach mile 10, or just after it, I would say that things became more undulating with there being some wind along the course. There was a small hill at mile 13, that wasn't great but nothing too bad, and clocked in at under 1hr 30 mins on the half-way mark. 

“The second half proved to be more challenging; with the wind, sun and a slightly upset stomach slowing me down toward the end. I found myself becoming too well acquainted with the infamous 'wall' at around mile 19/20.  Very friendly course, despite having to dodge pedestrians on the beach front. Well organised and great atmosphere in most parts of the race, but sometimes the 'crowd support' could be a little bit sporadic at times. Looking forward to recovering and getting involved in the cross country now.” 

Chester Marathon, Sunday October 4

New member Luke Leighfield completed his first race since signing up, and felt nothing short of a full marathon would do – and he finished in fine style in a promising time of 3:29.

Gavin EvansComment