Weekly Update - 3rd Dec. 2025

Friday Night Under the Lights 5k, Battersea Park (Fri. 28th Nov.)

Holly Dixon clocked a time of 15:49 for 4th in the elite women's race.

Southern Inter-County CC Championships, Horsenden Hill (Sat. 29th Nov.)

This was the first time these championships have taken place since 2022 - having been previously cancelled due to the weather conditions, writes Mark Newell.

Nine of our young athletes (Peggy O'Leary (13G), Sophia-Rose Bonnar (U15G), Lizzie Sanders (U15G), Ayotunde Dauda (U15B), Oliver Cook (U17M), Meredith Cummins (U17W), Elena Oliphant (U17W), Amelia Lawrence (U20W) & Emer Tynan (U20W)) represented Kent, with at least one in each age group excluding the under 13 boys. For Peggy, Elena, Emer and Ayotunde, this was their first time representing the county. 

The highlight of the day came in the under 20 women's race where Amelia Lawrence (3rd) and Emer Tynan (4th) were first and second scorers for Kent, enabling the team to secure team gold.

Emer Tynan - Amelia Lawrence

Meredith Cummins put in a strong performance in the under 17 women's race, placing a very respectable 33rd (4th for Kent). Ayotunde Dauda was highly placed in the under 15 boy's race, coming home in 35th place (2nd Kent) in the largest field of the day.

Southern Area Masters CC Championships, Horsenden Hill (Sat. 29th Nov.)

These days the Southern Masters is a shadow of its former self; it is ironic that the Kent Masters a week earlier attracted more runners and of a generally higher standard than the similar event that covers all of the South of England, reports Clem Dixon. Perhaps some poorly organised past events and some previous last minute cancellations have something to do with this. Falling numbers have meant that rather than multiple races for each age group there is now a single race covering all of the men's categories and it seems like something of an afterthought being run at the end of the Inter-counties.

However the prospect of running on a highly regarded course that is new to us and that is not too far from home was sufficient to lure three of us to Horsenden Hill in NW London. To give credit where it is due it is indeed a fine course and the organisation was impeccable. As the three of us were all in different age categories it worked out well that there was a single combined race, for the record Ben Rew was 9th M45, Christian Poulton 15th M55 and Clem Dixon 28th M60. If the SEAA use this course again perhaps we can coax a few more from the club to join us.

Christian Poulton - Clem Dixon

Estra Firenze Marathon, Florence (ITA) (Sun. 30th Nov.)

Marco Piccirillo recorded a personal best of 3:17:33 in Florence on Sunday.

British Masters 5km Championships, Battersea Park (Sun. 30th Nov.)

Lucy Marlow finished 165th overall and fifth W40 with a time of 19:07.

From the Archives

A ticket from the Club’s Christmas Draw in 1937. Interesting first prize which included a ton of coal, 50 cigars and 200 cigarettes!