King confident of extra form
TEAM Bath AC endurance coach Paul King is confident there is more to come from the club’s elite runners after a tremendous showing at the Speedwell 10k road race.
The event held just over the Severn Bridge on a super-fast course at Beachley has developed into one of the premier events in the calendar with the course and top organisation now attracting a high-class quality field.
Sunday saw benign conditions that added up to a heady mix full of potential; and the Team Bath group of Dan Soltys, Dan Jones, Aidan Daniel and Amber Gascoigne took full advantage with sparkling personal bests.
International duathlete Daniel Soltys ended 2021 with a PB of 33mins 50secs finishing runner-up in the Bromham 10k; now he opened his 2022 campaign with a huge improvement clocking 32:20.
Furthermore, both Jones and Daniel broke 33 minutes for the first time.
Marathon man Jones showed there is nothing wrong with his speed as he carved 35 seconds off his five-year-old best with 32:48 while just behind him clubmate Daniel ran out of his skin to slash 1min 16secs off his winning time at the Corsham 10k last September.
“Yes, great results, from a great race, especially with Dan Soltys, Dan Jones and Aidan Daniel all going sub 33 minutes,” said King.
“I feel for Aaron Pritchard, who had to pull up with a calf injury. On paper and at training Aaron is usually the strongest of the four – so next time.
“In some respects, I am not too surprised with the race times as all have been working very hard at training and encouraging each other on.
“The senior men’s top squad is currently a great unit integrating solid training mixed with some friendly banter and fun. It’s a pleasure and privilege to coach them. In fact, there’s a great atmosphere all around the club at present.”
Not to be outdone, newcomer Ben Holding also came home with a PB and a big one at that as the M45 veteran slashed well over a minute from the time of 38:13 he clocked at the Telford 10k in December with 36:47 to complete the scoring team that finished ninth.
Not many runners in the West Country will eclipse Amber Gascoigne’s achievements over her long career but she is clearly relishing her
move to Team Bath and linking up with King’s weekly sessions.
Third at the South West Championships a few weeks back Gascoigne continued her good form with a PB of 36:38, easily eclipsing her previous best of 37:21 from 2018.
Team Bath’s W60 veteran Jo Thompson proved that her recent super time of 20:14 in the Street 5k was not a oneoff she clocked 42:10 to win her age group.
Clearly Thompson is never going to beat her lifetime best of 34:01 – set in 1996 at the Perivale 10k – but remarkably it was her fastest 10k for six years. What a class athlete she still is.
HAYESFIELD School’s Isobel Cotterill booked her place in the Avon team for the South West Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Chippenham next month (February 5) with an impressive performance at
the weekend.
The inter and senior girls all ran together so Cotterill wasn’t sure she had won the younger age group race until she crossed the line in second overall – and found that the only girl to beat her was new senior champion Megan Hornung.
“I am also pleased I have a good result for my GCSE PE evidence,” said Cotterill.
Cotterill’s gold was one of eight medals won by athletes from Bath & North East Somerset with success also for Wellsway’s Ewan Sparey in the minor boys’ race.
There were five silver medal winners comprising Holly Sanigar, Polly Pennicott, Finn Goodhew, Charlie Haines and Raffi Budd plus a bronze for Joe Milton.
The athletics coverage in the Chron is sponsored by Running Bath