Fifty Year's of Club Membership Awards
On Saturday, at the Club 7.5 mile cross country, writes Phil Pape, we caught up with those members who have been with the Club continuously for fifty years. Plaques to mark this achievement were presented to:
Keith Penny - Endurance; GB & NI International, Senior Men's club record holder at 5000m & 10,000m.
Mick Bond - Sprinter, Club Chair Person, Senior Men's & U20M club 200m record holder.
Peter Hodkinson - Race Walking, GB & NI International.
Graham Maynard - Endurance and Race Walking.
Mick Bond - Keith Penny - Graham Maynard - Peter Hodkinson
Those not able to attend were:
Glen Grant - Endurance, GB & NI International, Welsh International, Senior & Masters club 1500m record holder.
Paul Williams - Endurance, Welsh International, U20M 1500m club record holder.
David Tull - Endurance.
Anthony Lancaster.
Cambridge Harriers Club 7.5 mile Cross Country, Joydens Wood (Sat. 30th Dec.)
Bobby Babaker added to his win in our 5 mile race with a win in the 7.5, writes Clem Dixon. Will he make it a clean sweep by winning the 10? Come along on the 3rd February to find out. Bobby was made to work for the win by James Macdonald in second place recording his fastest ever time for this distance. U17 runner Olly Buck seemed untroubled by a big step up from the distances he is used to racing to take the bronze medal.
Bobby Babaker - Delilah Lester
In the women's race Melody Kane of Petts Wood was a clear winner with Nicole Bygrave second. Nicole has run in these races many times before for Plumstead Runners, this time, following a move to Scotland she was representing Galloway Harriers. I would like to report that she and Keith had travelled down just to run this race but am told that that would be an exaggeration. In third place it was a second third place for the Buck household for Olly's mum Victoria who runs for Kent AC. Just behind Victoria, in fourth place and winning the new trophy kindly donated by outgoing president Dean Lacy for being the first Cambridge Harrier was U15 runner Delilah Lester, a great achievement. The medals for second and third Cambridge ladies went to Christine Bond and Marian Hine.
We had another good turn out and welcomed many friends from Bexley, Tritons and all three Dartford clubs as well as from further afield. We were again honoured to be joined by the inspirational blind runner Eros Adamides and his guide runner Sarah Tizzard.
The full results can be viewed here
Buntingford Year End 10, Buntingford, Hertfordshire (Sat. 30th Dec.)
The Buntingford Year End 10 incorporated the 2023 British Masters Championships. Congratulations to Susan Dixon who finished 115th overall, taking the British Masters W55 title in a time of 1:11:16. Sally Carr crossed the line in 199th place overall in 1:18:38.
Cursa dels Nassos - Barcelona 5k, Barcelona (ESP) (Sun. 31st Dec.)
Holly Dixon rounded-off 2023 in style with a 5k seasons best of 16:11 for 10th place in Barcelona.
New Ash Green 10k, Longfield, Kent (Mon. 1st Jan.)
A handful of the club's road runners started the new year with an outing over 10k at the inaugural New Ash Green 10k. Clinton Lowe recorded a personal best of 36:22 for second place. Kate Curran finished third overall and first women in 37:19. Mark Penny was next home for the club in 5th in 39:20 and Jessica Lowe finished as second women in 24th place with a time of 43:48.
Lee Valley New Year's Day Indoor Open, Lee Valley (Mon. 1st Jan.)
Six club members got themselves out of bed early on New Year’s Day to compete in the first track meeting of the year at Lee Valley, writes Mick Bond.
Elijah Olaleye saw the fruits of his winter training program taking nearly two seconds off his 300m PB with an impressive 37.69s. The tight bends on the indoor track mean times over the circular races are generally slower than those run outdoors but Josh Wellings still managed to nick a small PB over 400m finishing in 54.36s, whilst Keziah Olaleye and Rhys Joyeux were just outside their 300 PB’s and certainly quicker than this time last year running 42.76s and 39.84s respectively. Over 800m U15 Ayotunde Dauda had an easy win in 2:37.14s
Serpentine New Year's Day 10k, Hyde Park, London (Mon. 1st Jan.)
Christian Poulton and James Floyd took on the traditional 10k road race in Hyde Park, finishing 62nd (39:03) and 183rd (44:43) respectively.
Sutcliffe Indoor Hurdles & 60s
This coming Saturday afternoon sees the clubs first attempt at staging an indoor sprint hurdles meeting at Sutcliffe and entries are currently at 56 athletes, whilst on Sunday we are organising our second flat 60m event and entries are currently at 143.