September Stat Summary

September started with Mike King running the Rye Summer Series 5k on the first Friday, before Eren Muduroglu posted a great time at the multi lap Phoenix Midsummer Marathon on the Saturday.

(Over the same two days our erstwhile photo guru, Richard Craig-McFeeley, made his media accredited debut at the Diamond League Final in Brussels - how fantastic)

Sunday saw Harrier PBs across a number of races - Maria Gandara at the Littlehampton 10K, Chris Hulm at the Big Half in London and Elliot Hughes and Kannan Mahalingam at the Battle 10k.

The Battle race was the latest in the Club Grand Prix series and also saw age group wins for Dave Weston (M40), Ali Farrall (F50 + being 3rd woman overall) and Clifford Gray (M60) while El President Mark Taylor was 3rd M70.

The next weekend kicked off with another quick run from Dillon Hobbs in an elite track 10,000m race in Cambridge on Friday night, before Luca Calton was first U20 at the Battersea HM on the Saturday.

Sunday saw Sonja King placed third F45 at the Rye Ancient Trails 30k off roader, with Alex Holmes outdipping Keith Mitchell for 3rd M45, as they were both given the same time and Keith got 4th.

Midweek Tuesday saw four harriers racing the Sri Chinmoy Hasty Hare 5k in Battersea Park with Colin Timmins and Jillian Holford being first male/female harriers home, with Jillian setting a new F55 club record.

The penultimate weekend saw both World and Kent Championship action.

Kicking Saturday off, Sue Cooper ran in the World Road Racing Championships 5k mass race in Copenhagen.

Later in the day at the Kent Masters Track Championships in Medway, there was a County title (and inaugural club record) for Margaret Deighton in the F70 800m, with your truly picking up a Silver Medal in the M60 800m and Stuart Corke just missing out, with a 4th place in a very competitive M50 800m.

On Sunday, Stuart returned for day two of the championships and picked up a well deserved Bronze Medal in the M50 400m.

Over in Belgium, Josh Pratt ran the evocative In Flanders Fields Marathon, while the second day of the World Road Racing Championships in Copenhagen, saw 4 harriers racing the half marathon. Ella Bolton was fastest of three female harriers, while Stewart McIlwham became the first harrier to complete all six races in the SuperHalfs series.

(Richard Craig -McFeeley was again an accredited photographer and this time Athletics Weekly used his photographs throughout their online coverage of the various World Road Championship races)

Closer to home the Larkfield 10k was the latest race in the Kent Grand Prix and also the Kent Short Course Road Championships.

Four harriers finished with Ali Farrall picking up a Silver Medal in the F45 County Champs, while Janet Bird was third F65 and there was an excellent PB for Eren Muduroglu. (second claimer Amelie Karlsson was first woman and County Champion, running for Medway and Maidstone).

The low turnout at Larkfield was due to the clash with the annual Hospice Races in Tunbridge Wells, where nearly 40 harriers ran, some in tribute to loved ones and there were terrific performances throughout the races.

First harrier to cross the finish line was Matt Newman, participating in the Family Run, where his son William scorched to a fabulous 2nd place.

In the 5k race, Mike Brann was first harrier finisher and there were age category podiums for 3rd placed female, Sharon Evans (1st F35) plus Mike Sharp (1st M70), Margaret Deighton (1st F70), Nick Pierce (2nd M70 in his second day in his new category) and Rachel Kelly (3rd F35).

In the 10k race, we had both the overall winner Chris Hulm - by nearly a minute - and first female, Katie Allen, who was a fantastic 20th place overall.

There were multiple age category podiums; Andy Eames (3rd overall and 1st M40), Tom Evans (1st M50), Ed Steele (5th overall and 2nd M40), Katie Trowsdale (2nd F45), Megan Fradgley (2nd F40), James Palmer (3rd M50), Elliott Hughes (3rd M45), Andrew Deighton (3rd M60), Lynne Bristow (3rd F55) and Paul Kromm (3rd M70).

In the two lap Half Marathon race, Kelvin Desmoyers-Davis managed a hat trick of 4th overall, 3rd male and 2nd M40, while close behind Gareth Chapman also had a hat trick of 6th overall, 5th male and 3rd M40.

This months Serpentine Last Friday 5k saw 9 harriers led home by Gareth Baker on his debut, with Elliot Hughes and Dan Goddard posting PBs.

Saturdays Westminster Mile race had 4 harriers flying the deckchair past Buckingham Palace, while Sundays Vitality 10000 saw three of them return, being joined by Jess Begg, who ran a strong PB.

Also on Sunday was our very own Eridge Trail Challenge 10 race, with over twenty harriers running and many more marshalling and volunteering under the leadership of RD Simon Holford, to make this another successful and enjoyable event.

Our sole female runner was Lorna Jane Gittings, who had an excellent run to be the first F35 home.

Some fine performances amongst the male harriers included Ed Steele, in a tremendous 4th place and also leading Peter Bell (12th) and Mike Armitage (14th) to take the Men’s Team Prize.

The final racing action of the month was in a humid Battersea Park on Tuesday for the Sri Chinmoy Kangaroo Hop 5k, with eight harriers being supported by Mark Taylor.

There were fabulous PBs from Kannan Mahalingam and Ali Farrall (3rd F50) and a few seasons bests from others too.

Ali set a new F50 5k record - the eighth time she has broken it, while Jillian Holford took 15 seconds from her own F55 record, that she set two weeks ago at the same venue.