Rodger chalks off first of four ultras

Ashford & District Road Running Club

Edward Rodger stepped up to the start line for the first in a series of four ultras to raise money for Scottish Huntington’s Association. Starting from Wendover (Bucks) on Saturday in the Country to Capital Ultra, runners made their way across muddy countryside towards London, following the Grand Union Canal tow path to the finish line in Little Venice.

Despite feeling utterly drained and frozen at the 26-mile mark, Rodger persevered through the mud, hills and bitterly cold winds to complete the 43-mile course in 9hr 29min 32sec. Also facing the biting winds, two club runners took on the SVN Chocathon at Betteshanger Country Park on Saturday.

Becky Hodgson completed her first half-marathon of 2020, finishing in a time of 3:13.44.

Less than two weeks into January, Rik Holden marked his second marathon of 2020 by finishing second overall and first in his age group, with a time of 3:39.39.

Will Whittington (28.04) and Emma Jenkins (38.47, course personal best) donned their trail shoes for some parkrun tourism at Kingdom, Penshurst.

Gill O’Connor (24.00) was fourth lady and first in her age group at Tilgate parkrun, West Sussex.

In Ashford, Trevor Kay

(18.02) was fourth overall in 18.02, followed by Dan (19.48) in seventh, Julius Samson (19.56) in 10th and Paul Ridley (20.00) in 11th.

Other times: James Booth (20.29), Paul Moses (20.47), Christine Costiff (22.19), Ian Grundy (22.54), Stu Nunn (22.58), Ian Cox (24.14). Rob Carpenter (25.07) and Pat Butler ( 25.08),Terry Sellen (26.09), Rod Kessack (26.19), Keith Lynn (26.27) and Rachel Jenkins (28.51), Cris Francis (31.03), Trevor Sparkes (31.36), Julie Foster (53.29). Other A&D volunteers included James Booth, John and Ann Fidge and Alison Waters.