Another excellent turnout from BVAC for this well run event. The water splash adds an element of additional excitement to this one and boy was it cold! The course was reversed from previous years, which some preferred and others did not.
The ladies finished 11th out of 16 teams with Bridgit, Chris and Anne all being well placed in the points.
Overall, we finished 15th of 17 teams and have climbed off the foot of the league table for the first time this season. The times and positions of our top 4 men are very close together and we now have competition even within our ranks. With three more men to count and the excellent women's result, we're starting to show some form!
It was great to have competition for those points and to see everyone who turned up enjoying themselves. Terrific too that we had 2 guests joining in with Anne and Tony's son Paul running well despite a twinge or two and Claire, another prospective recruit from Orpginton Road Runners, being well up the field.
KFL - Meopham Race Report (Rob Bright)
We’ve now just gone past the halfway point of this season, and the league title is hanging in the balance. After another huge field had galloped around the paddocks, the plunging descents and, of course, the water jump at Nurstead Court there are now just 2 points separating the top fo
Martin Forder of Istead and Ifield was the runaway winner, but his elite status now bars him from scoring in the team contest. Consequently, Istead who were in need of an over 50 man, slipped to sixth place on Sunday and lost their place on top of the league.
Dartford Roadrunners had their two leading runners Andrew Green and Dave Hall out together for the first time this season – the duo took 2nd and 4th in the men’s race. With Michelle Flaxton once again taking the ladies’ race it looked as though the champions would be back in pole position.
But it was Invicta who came through to take that accolade for the second time this season, helped in no small part by their o50 veteran men – Paul Ross-Davies (17th) and Andy Girling (21st) and their vet ladies, Sharon Hawkins and Janice Moorekite (3rd and 10th).
Paul Hasler came into the competition for the first time this winter and showed his current form by shaking off Messrs Green and Pickett on the second lap to take the men’s race. However, Paddock Wood were struggling with Gareth Robb having to pull out of the race and they finished back in 7th place.
Medway and Maidstone AC were prominent in the team race despite missing Josh Nice. Another team made up primarily of veterans, but led in by Clayton Barrett in 5th place and Emma Harraden (6th lady), they secured third spot on Sunday and now hold joint first place with Invicta at the top of the league with three races still to go.
Elaine Murty, 18 years old, from Dartford Harriers has run every league race since the start of last season and looks stronger with every race. She finished second to Michelle Flaxton on Sunday – her highest placing yet – and it cannot be long before she wins a race outright.
Thanks once again to Annabelle Stearns for opening up the grounds of Nurstead Court to our competition once again – hope we didn’t make too much mess in the marquee ! Ground conditions turned out to be good; the reversal of parts of the course generally found favour with competitors and the water jump didn’t require a mandatory life belt this year. Thanks also to the marshals from Gravesend Roadrunners and the finish line officials who spent a lot of time in the cold.
We didn’t quite break our attendance record on Sunday, but all 17 clubs fielded a complete team of at least 7 men and three women (with the correct number of veterans) and I think that is the first occasion it has happened.