Kentish Express Ashford & District
Big turnout from Ashford
Thirty-three Ashford & District RRC members featured in the second race of the Kent Cross Country League at Somerhill School in Tonbridge.
In the men’s under-20 5k race, Kieran Hodges finished sixth in 20.00min, just 11 seconds ahead of his brother, Jack, who came ninth.
The senior ladies’ team, racing over a distance of five miles, put in another strong team performance. Alison Waters was home first for the club in 41st place in a time of 37.41.
Hot on her heels was Alice Cook who took 47th in 38.08. Tracy Calnan was next to cross the line in 39.19 for 54th with Holly Cook right behind in 55th place, posting 39.35.
Ailis Goddard timed 39.42 for 57th place, Sally Smith (39.59) finished 61st, Emma Hanna was 71st in 40.49 and Jaclyn Kay was 110th in 51.44.
At the halfway point in the three to score competition, the ladies are sitting in ninth out of 18 teams and, in the six to score league table, they are third.
The men also raced over a distance of five miles. Another stunning performance from Nick Collins saw him first home from the club in 24th place overall with an excellent time of 28.41.
Aidan Gorham finished 47th in 30.26, ahead of Trevor Kay in 71st, 31.45. James Booth in 115th completed the men’s four to score in 34.00.
Other results: Scott Lynch (120th) 34.09, Cris Francis (130th) 34.39, Paul Moses (132nd) 34.44, Paul Crisp (133rd) 34.46, Philip Marr (140th) 35.14, Daniel Head (154th) 35.43, Robin Butler (157th) 36.03, Dave Chappell (160th) 36.10, Adrian Moody (170th) 36.21, Chris Boyce (175th) 36.49, Mark Harrison (176th) 36.51, Darren Fagg (183rd) 37.24, Keith Haynes (190th) 38.09, Steve Hodges (191st) 38.10.
The sea of blue vests continued with Michael Stanley 193rd in 38.27, followed by Richard Baker in 214th in 40.05, Neil
Woodham 225th in 41.01, Stuart Nunn 234th in 41.56 and Chris Field completed the team effort in 241st with a time of 43.07.
In the men’s four to score table, the Ashford & District team are sitting seventh overall out of 22 teams, with a 12 to score league position of sixth.
If the hills were tough at the cross country meet, then the last-minute change to the Beachy Head marathon route provided runners the opportunity to run across the Seven Sisters twice.
Ingvlid Drake posted a superb time of 4:18.38, followed by Christine Costiff 4:37.15 and Alex Francis in 4:42.50.
Fresh from the London marathon just three weeks before, Simon Jackson also took on the Eastbourne coastline, finishing the course in 5:01.38.
Gill O’Connor was next to finish the two-lap course in 5:18.32 and Lucy Johnstone clocked a personal best 5:57.00.
Marathon man Rik Holden completed his latest 26.2 mile distance at the SVN event at Betteshanger in a fabulous 3:35.01 and Becky Hodgson also ran at the same event, finishing in 3:50.50.
Taking on the five-mile distance at the Woodchurch 5 Mile and 10 Mile, Stuart Nunn finished in a time of 38.18 despite racing the cross country less than 24 hours earlier.
Club stalwarts Ann and John
Fidge ran the course together, both crossing the line in 47.47. Emma Jenkins finished in 1:03.50 and Julie Foster in 1:14.11.
The two-lap 10-mile option provided plenty of personal best times for a competitive Ashford & District team.
Daniel Head nailed a new personal best in a fantastic time of 1:11.03 and was swiftly followed by team-mate Richard Boakes, less than a minute behind in 1:11.59.
Not far away was Mark Attenborough with a superb 1:13.17 and he was followed by Linda-Jean Delport, who was first-placed lady in 1:13.44.
Other results saw Sophie Edmonds with a personal best of 1:17.38, James Phillips in 1:25.06 and Peter Buckley, who set a personal best in 1:28.23.
Club chairman Sue Reader also set a new personal best over the distance, finishing strongly in 1:30.49, just behind Keith Lynn, in 1:30.11. Trevor Sparkes posted 1:45.13 and Lesley Moody came home in a personal best time of 1:48.30.