Morning Harriers,
Yesterday I adjudicated at Bedgebury, it was a cool bright morning and the folks from the Organisers Nice Work having been there from the crack of dawn were suffering from frostbite! One lady had bought a hot water bottle to keep her hand warm whilst dishing ot the numbers.
I begged a number for the 5 mile and decided to run round the course from the back, this way I get to check the course. I wrapped up well and even wore my woolly hat, no sweat band!
Both the 5 and 10 start at the same time and there was quite field of over 400 runners. Mark Mellor was on the start line and I gave him a wave just before everyone set off. Normally this race has some pretty muddy sections but with no recent rain and the frost it was mostly firm. The majority of the course is on woodland gravel trails which were pretty solid given the frost so it was a quick course for some.
I did set off from the back and was told by the sweep runners to get in front as they are supposed to be last. So, I set off at a jog and it wasn’t long before I had caught the back runners up. Sorry to say even I could not sustain the slow pace even though it was a steady climb up the first hill so I gradually worked my way through the field until I could settle at a comfortable pace. On the first downhill I was conscious of my new hip but after that it was fine.
I managed to get round the 5 miles in 53.55 101st home not far in front of Mark Mellor who had a terrific run winning the 10 mile race in 58.41 seventeen seconds ahead of Steve Gates of Hy AC. The 1st Lady was Charlotte Johnston Maidstone Harriers who was 8th home in 1.07.19. The other Harrier running was Alex Prentis who finished 233rd in a time of 1.54.59. There were 262 finishers.
In the 5 mile the winner was Jon Eaton Folkstone AC MV40 in a time of 31.09. First lady was Claire Thomas Hasting Runners FV40 who finished 7th in 37.56. There were 163 finishers.
Rather embarrassingly despite starting from the back I was 1st MV70, so at the end of the day there were two Mark’s from TWH, with two firsts!