Cambridge Harriers 5 Mile Cross Country, Joydens Wood (Sat. 21st Oct.)
We had another bumper turnout with 71 runners taking on our club's 5 mile race in Joydens Wood, the majority of whom enjoyed the cake, bacon rolls, etc. back at our clubhouse afterwards, reports Clem Dixon. There was some confusion at the start for which we apologise: the whole field carried on up the hill rather than turning left after 200m. This was soon rectified but for one moment it was a case of the first being last and the last being first.
The performance of the day came from young Amelia Lawrence (pictured above); she followed her third place in the U17 race at Footscray Meadows a week ago by being first female here, she will be a great asset to the senior women's squad when she is old enough to join it! Last year's winner Julie Backley was beaten into second place with Liz Brookes of CPA third and Susan Dixon taking the bronze medal as third Cambridge Harrier.
The men's race was dominated by Bobby Babaker and Tom Brooke who kept each other company for the small lap and the first of the two large laps before Bobby put in a surge to win by a comfortable 24 seconds. Simon Wells of Bexley was third with Luke Ford in fourth taking the bronze medal in the Cambridge race.
Bobby Babaker - Tom Brooke - Julie Backley - Amelia Lawrence
I said that the performance of the day came from Amelia, but what about Eros Adamides of Runhead? He ran this race a year ago, came back this year and knocked two minutes off his time. Eros is blind and was again accompanied by guide Sarah Tizzard. I can just about get my head around being able to run a road race if you can't see but negotiating the twists and turns, rough ground and mud of our Joydens Wood course defies belief.
Results are here:
Cambridge Harriers Open Track Race Walks, Sutcliffe Park (Sun. 22nd Oct.)
Cambridge Harriers hosted the first of four events that comprise the newly established Ray Hall Memorial Winter Track League, which has been established as a tribute to the contribution Ray, who was a member of Belgrave Harriers, gave to race walking. He was the long time coach of the league organisers, club member Noel Carmody and Verity Snook (AFD) and mentored them both when they started their journey into coaching.
The event attracted a strong field, including athletes from the National Centre for Race Walking in Leeds and was held in ideal conditions. The 5000m entry was seeded into two mixed races with the faster athletes going in Race 1. This race was won by Chris Snook (AFD) in a PB of 20:35:30s. Luc Legon was third in a seasons best of 22:48.40s.
Abigail Jennings (AFD) took the ladies honours in 24:36.60s. Hannah Hopper took third in the ladies race with 25:37.60s.
In Race 2 Mark Culshaw finished 4th overall in an inaugural M55 club record (subject to ratification) of 31:31.77s, Mark Ashby (M60) recorded a time of 34:01.78s.
Trinidad Alfonso Zurich Valencia Half Marathon, Valencia, Spain (Sun. 22nd Oct.)
In perfect weather conditions, James Pitts (M40) recorded a personal best of 1:23:29 at the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain.