Kentish Express Ashford & District
Squad take on county’s best
An Ashford & District RRC team of 17 competed against elite athletes from the the county’s top clubs in Kent Cross-Country Championships at Brands Hatch on Saturday.
The first finisher for A&D was Trevor Kay, 77th overall in 45min 42sec. He was followed home by John Pearce in 80th (46.04) and Dan Green 87th (46.50). Paul Moses was fourth home for the club and fourth in the V55 category, 115th overall (48.34).
Scotty Lynch notched up a personal best on the course to finish 117th (48.48), followed by Julius Samson 122nd (49.17).
Keith Haynes continues to show good cross-country form, finishing in 137th (50.34) with club cross-country captain Adrian Moody close behind in 140th (51.06), and Paul Ridley 148th (51.46).
A good run from Carl Ireland gave him 153rd (52.29), with pleasing improvements in times being achieved throughout the season. Rob Barton, coming back from injury was next home with a determined run to finish in 163rd (54.11), followed by Mark Harrison 168th (54.11), Adrian Beresford 178th (56.44), and Stu Nunn 191st (62.31).
The combined efforts gave A&D 10th place in the six-to-score competition and a creditable fifth spot in the 12-to-score.
The ladies were led home by Becks Macey with an outstanding run to finish in 21st with a time of 34.23, finishing fourth in the V35 standings. Claire Green snatched 88th place (42.53), with a strong sprint finish. Jaclyn Kay battled to finish in 98th spot (46.13). The ladies’ team finished in 13th place in the three- to-score competition.
Gill O’Connor competed in Tadworth 10-mile race on Sunday, finishing in 1:23.30. A mixture of grass, trail, road and paths, the twolap course covered areas of the Epsom and Walton Downs.
Christine Costiff faced the steep inclines of Plymbridge Woods, Devon, on Saturday. With a time of 22.10, Costiff was second lady home and broke the VW55 record by 30 seconds.
Jon Wells was first to cross the finish line of the opening Ashford parkrun of 2019, with a time of 18.39. Mark Attenborough was seventh overall in 21.01. Other A&D times: Darren Fagg 22.45, Will Whittington 23.35, Shaun Snowwolf-Harris 23.36 PB, Terry Sellen 24.05, Keith Lynn 25.14, Hugh Scarlin 26.13, Rod Kessack 26.42, Trevor Sparkes 26.44, Sarah Taylor 32.08, Lesley Moody 32.36, Andrew Smith 34.53, Sukai N’Dure 35.28 PB, Debbie Payne 38.46, Heather Tutt 41.14, Julie Foster 42.26.
Julius Samson was 14th overall, with a time of 40.56 and Adrian Beresford (47.08) was 61st in the Lamberhurst 10k on New Year’s Day.
On the same day Paul Ridley travelled to West Sussex for the 5-mile race in Worthing. He crossed the finish line in 36.50.
Rik Holden started 2019 on fine form, completing the SVN coastal marathon in 3:44.59.
Several A&D runners took on the Maidstone parkrun onn New Year’s Day. Jon Wells was first home for the club in 18.19, followed by Will Whittington in a PB time of 26.10, Keith Lynn (26.39) and Rachel Jenkins (32.09). Lucy Johnstone and Emma Jenkins both finished in 35.43.
In the Sittingbourne parkrun, Dan Green broke the V45 course record with his time of 18.28 (the previous record time being 18.34) to take fourth place. Jon Wells was next home in 19.18, with Will Whittington (25.26), Keith Lynn (26.49), Lucy Johnstone (33.46) and Emma Jenkins (36.08) following.
Dan Green claimed first place in the 5k around Kingsnorth on December 30, with a time of 18.50.
Gill O’Connor was sixth lady home in the Riddlesdown parkrun on December 29, with a time of 23.30.
On the same day at Ashford’s Victoria Park for the weekly 5k, Trevor Kay finished in second place overall in 17.27. Dan Green (18.01) was fourth overall and first vet home. Other A&D finishers: Jon Wells 18.14, Jon Pearce 18.32, Keith Haynes 19.45 PB, Scotty Lynch 20.19, Mark Attenborough 20.53, Mark Harrison 21.07, Carl Ireland 22.23, Terry Sellen 23.43 (200th parkrun, Stu Nunn 24.02, Sandi Mortimer 24.08, Shaun Snowwolf-Harris 24.17, Will Whittington 25.11, John Fidge 25.41, Rod Kessack 27.34, Ann Fidge 28.44, Emma Jenkins 32.10, Becky Hodgson 35.06, Sukai N’Dure 36.23, Julie Foster 45.13.
Four A&D runners took on the post-Christmas 3-mile run around Saltwood. Dan Green finished 11th in 18.15. Andrew Noble (19.13) was next home, followed by Adrian Beresford (23.44) and Steve Hickman (31.10). Ashford Christmas Day parkrun: Dan Green 18.06 (first), Jon Wells 18.15 (second). Paul Moses (11th) 19.39, Mark Attenborough 21.06, Christine Costiff 21.45, Julius Samson 23.10, Aaron Homewood 23.34, Eddie Rodger 24.02, Don Dewar 24.57, Rob Carpenter 24.58, Will Whittington 25.00, Sandi Mortimer 25.34, Keith Lynn 25.55, John Fidge 26.02, Hazel Turner 27.33, Sarah Homewood 27.39, Ann Fidge 28.55, Shaun Snowwolf-Harris 32.05, Lucy Johnstone 32.07, Emma Jenkins 32.52, Debbie Payne 35.33 and Sukai N’Dure 35.57.