The third Kent League XC fixture was held at Danson Park on Saturday 11th November, on a sunny but crisp Autumn’s day. This course is usually run by the junior age groups and senior women, but this year was swapped for Swanley Park.
Despite traffic and parking challenges the whole team managed to make it in time for the start, though was touch and go for a few!
On a relatively flat and fast course, the following results were achieved: Leading the team home in 13th place overall and 2nd M40 was Micah Evans in 26:31, with
Dominic Smith not far behind in 23rd place in a time of 27:14 – really good to have Dom racing for us again in his second Kent League of the season – be great to see what he does when he gets back to full training!
Hot on his heels and our third man home was Graeme Lugar in 26th place in 27:27, another strong run from Graeme and completing our 4 to score in 45th place in 28:45 was Tim Browne, making his XC debut for us. Tim ran 2:37 in his first ever Marathon at London in April,
and until joining us a few months ago, has never run or trained with a club, so we’re looking forward to seeing him do some great things for the team in races and years to come!
Greg Bull was next up with another good run from one of our (Graeme’s!) new recruits in 50th place in 29:04, Leon DeBruyn another excellent showing from a new member Dad M40 in 56th place in 29:20 and Seb Jones another strong M40 Dad on his way back from injury in 58th and 29:22.
Luca Ercolani came 63rd overall and 3rd M50 in 29:32 as he also continues his recovery from injury (common theme here amongst us over 40s!), then Josh Dowling 78th in 30:02 with Paul Sharpe sneaking into the top 100 in 99th place in 30:52. Then came new member this season Ryan Ali 102nd in 30:57 and Ted Marston (U20) but running up with the senior men 124th in 31:57 completed our 12 to score.
Next was Ian Scott in 127th and 32:07, Steve Evenden racing xc for the first time this season in 130th in 32:12, Phil Bunn (another Dad of one of our juniors!) making his club xc debut in 142nd in 32:43, Greg Firth 143rd in 32:47 as he continues to nurse his hamstring back to health post- London Marathon and Matt Bullen sneaking into the top 150 in 149th in 32:58.
Paul Kerekgyarto was 155th in 33:18, Jason Meers 160th in 33:29, Matt Maddocks also in his first xc race of the season for us 173rd in 33:59, George Kleanthous in 34:18, Barry Slattery 188th in 34:50, Steve Pairman 214th in 36:11, Chris Martin 216th in 36:22, Andrew Lawes 225th in 36:59, Luigi Arcuri 230th in 37:25, Harry Schmidt not being able to resist a Bromley Parkrun in the morning and Kent League XC in the afternoon double 234th in 37:43, Will Brindley marathon man 235th in 37:48, Andrew Tutt (finally able to race as himself rather than his son!) 238th in 38:13 and James Unwin 267th in 41:32.
Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come out to compete for the club – we finally hit 30 of us for the first time this season! Others in the know will have to let us know when the last time we had 30 runners out for a Kent League fixture, but it must be a few years at least – well done guys!
We now have a long break to the final KL race at Norman Park on February 10th (put it in your
diaries!) but there are plenty of Championship races, Masters races, mob matches, club champs etc in the meantime to keep us racing sharp – see you at the next one!
-Micah Evans
