HRRL Lordshill and TRXCL Queen Elizabeth Country Park
There were personal bests galore and some great Hampshire Road League team results for Farnham Runners at the Lordshill 10miler, followed by top place in the first of the Today’s Runner Winter League cross-country races at Queen Elizabeth Country Park (team photo above).
HRRL Lordshill
An impressive time of 1 hour 1 minute and 28 seconds from Ian Carley placed him 29th of 480 finishers and 7th in the M40 category at Lordshill. Next Jason East took 2 minutes off his previous best for 1-01-56. Charles Ashby, who has a string of recent personal bests, in 1-02-45 and Steve Kitney racing back to full fitness in 1-03-28 made up the A team that already look set for promotion back to Division One with a top place on the day and on aggregate after 4 races.
A fine B team of Sean Smith (1-04-26), Mike Walberton (1-04-29, PB by 2 minutes), Scott Salmon (1-07-26) and Nick Hill (1-07-52) came 3rd in B division 1. A complete C team comprised Steve Murphy (1-10-34), Tim Withers (1-14-32, PB), Chris Cramp (1-17-48) and Colin Pirie ((1-20-47) were 5th in B division 2 (aggregate 4th).
The A team ladies look safe back in the top flight this year, with an excellent 5th on the day and 7th on aggregate. Susie Chan made a huge contribution to the team with a superb 1-10-11 and a sprint finish in her first 10 mile race (16th lady of 177). Suzanne Munton took a huge 7 minutes from her PB with 1-15-31. Sue Boxall, after placing 4th, one second form 3rd in her age group in the Great South Run, recorded 1-16-10.
A full B team of Lindsay Bamford (1-17-27), Emma Doven (1-20-36, PB) and Helen Cathie (1-25-37, PB), who gave a 4th (aggregate 9th), were followed by an under par Wendy Carley in 1-32-00.
TRXCL Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park provided the ideal setting on a sunny and unseasonably warm Autumn day for the first of the Today’s Runner Winter League cross-countries. Waiting for the results to be announced after the race was exciting for those who stayed after the lunch as they are announced in reverse order, incomplete teams first, 11th……. 6th… joint 4th…3rd… 2nd… still no Farnham Runners so we knew we were top! The men were 1st and ladies 3rd. The scoring team were the first five men and three ladies. Organisers Portsmouth Joggers were astounded by the numbers, with almost 400 taking part compared to the normal 300. No fewer than 34 made up the Farnham contingent.
Ian Carley 5th, Charles Ashby 13th, Mike Anderson 18th, Richard Strode 20th and Charlie Hill-Venning 23rd were the first 5 men for the club. Laura Boon, on her debut in Farnham colours showed her potential with an excellent 5th place in the ladies section Jane Georghiou (13th) and Gabi Hitchcock (19th) completed the team. Abigail Ashby followed in a fine 42nd in her first Today’s Runner cross-country.
Other results:
Men
Bob Brimicombe 31, John Hill-Venning 33, Steve Kitney 36, Mike Walberton 41, Andrew Ellison 42, Steve Parker 48, Tim Cummins 49, Dave Armstrong 54, Nick Hitchcock 58, Steve Murphy 81, Martin Billett 89, Matt Burns 112, Alistair Wilson 136, Mark Beeson 181, Andrew Perrin 193, Neil Powers 201, Bruce Peto 213, Richard Sheppard 232.
Ladies
Tori Shaw 60, Christy Roxburgh 62, Wendy Carley 74, Emma Doven 82, Emma Drinkwater 88, Beccy Martin 98, Elaine Ashby 121.
Other races
Peter Strange flew the flag for Farnham in the New York Marathon with a fine 4 hours 39 minutes 42 seconds for a new age group club record.
Nicolette Overy was 2nd in her age group in the inaugural Plymouth 10km (49-17).