TRXCL Staunton Country Park, Bramley 10 and 20, Wokingham, Brands Hatch and Sussex Beacon Half Marathons

TRXCL Staunton Country Park

Farnham Runners’ efforts during the cross-country season have been rewarded with an excellent second place out of the seventeen teams in the Today’s Runner Winter League series. The final round was organised by Denmead Striders at Staunton Country Park – what the course lacked in hills it more than made up for in mud.

The ladies fielded four runners for the team that placed 7th (three to score). Jane Georghiou was beaten into fourth place on the uphill gradient to the finish with Julie Russ (35th) Michelle Dixon (54th) and Gill Kenny (56th) all gaining season’s best positions.

Only three men lined up at the start for the team despite the best persuasive efforts of captain Dan Smith. Fortunately the series result is based on only five of the six races.

Michael Rix wasn’t converted to the joys of cross-country by the muddy course but he gained an excellent 9th place in his debut in this league. David Lloyd took it easy after a hard 17.5 mile training run the previous day (26th) while Don Melvin (68th) took another 22 from his personal best position.

Other races

Nine members chose the Wokingham Half Marathon, as part of their training for spring marathons.

Graham Wilton took six seconds off his time of last year and placed 4th in the M40 category (1.17.51, 34th of 1681 finishers). Other times: Nick Hill 1.29.36, Lindsay Bamford 1.42.49 (PB), Tracey Rogers 2.03.10, Claire Boot 2.05.51, Benita Mayhead 2.06.12, Chris Lyne 2.08.37, Helen Scullard 2.19.45, Margot Applebee 2.20.05.

In the Bramley 20 mile Graham Wilton again achieved an excellent result, his time of 2.08.06 placing him 40th of 640 runners and 8th in the M40 group. Jane Georghiou was 14th lady of 194 and 2nd W50 with a time of 2.24.12. Lindsay Bamford and Frances Britain used the race as training and came in comfortably in 2.56 51 and 2.57.17 respectively.

In the 10-mile race run over one lap of the Bramley course Steve Murphy earned his race memento hat with an impressive 1.04.43 (44th and 15th M40). Chris Jackson returned to racing with a time of 1.14.15, followed by Angela Epps (1.19.37), Susanna Ching (1.27.12) and Julie Russ (1.28.01).

Michael Rix confirmed his talent and preference for road racing with a superb run in the Brands Hatch Half Marathon where he was fourth for much of the way but crossed the line seventh out of 467 finishers in a new personal best time of 1.21.06. Eight days later he ran 1.22.14 in the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon, Brighton (34th of 2590).