Firstly, Happy New Year to all Tunbridge Wells Harriers! I wish you all the best for 2020 and a great year’s running both individually and as a club. Let’s hope we can be as injury free as possible and focus on the fact that we are lucky enough to actually be able to run, despite any disappointment that Garmin or Strava throws at us!
So, the New Year began with a handful of Harriers heading to the Lamberhurst 10K and 5K Race. This year it was held at Bewl Water due to Scotney Castle being unable to accommodate the Event for 2020.
As we approached the nearly full Car Parks well before 9.15am (race commenced at 10am), it was obvious that this race was incredibly well supported. The queues for registration and chip collection were right out of the door of the Boathouse Restaurant up until the race commenced and it must have been very tight for some to actually reach the start line on time.
As we walked down to the edge of the Reservoir for the start, it all looked quite ethereal with the mist rising above the water and a few fishing boats floating eerily in the distance, enshrouded by the mist, it was like a scene from Brigadoon!
Much banter could be heard as we jogged on the spot to keep warm on the start line about “hangovers”, “dry January”, “…. Didn’t get in until 4am (and no that wasn’t Carol Tsang, she was nowhere to be seen???) and (in our little TWH 5k team’s case, “we are only running this and NOT racing! “). It did however feel bitterly cold and damp we couldn’t wait to get started.
The course is a 2 x loop for the 10K and an out and back for the 5K. Only one incline of note, however with a few deepish puddles to negotiate along the way it did feel as if “trench foot” had set in for the duration of the race. (It was at this point I wished that I hadn’t abandoned my waterproof socks in Eridge Park last year!)
To us 5K runners, it seemed hardly any time at all before we were in the woods and cheering for Hadders et al as they raced back past us, having already turned around the bollard at the 2.5K mark. From here on you retrace your steps, turning left along the Reservoir wall as you come out of the muddy wooded path (instead of running back down the incline) and as you approach the finish line there is a small incline to negotiate before you collect your rather smart looking medal, mince pie and drink.
Great run (I can’t say race for us three!) and very well organised with Mark Taylor as the adjudicator. All agreed it was a good start to 2020.
1st F50 Ana-Maria Green (10K)
2nd M50 Dave Hadaway (10K)
1st F60 Stella Richardson (5K)
1st M65 Peter Richardson (5K)
10K Results
| 1 | 00:34:54 | 00:34:54 | Jason Baker | M | Senior Male | 241 | 1 | 1 | |
| 9 | 00:39:49 | 00:39:47 | David Hadaway | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | M | Male Vet 50 | 249 | 9 | 2 |
| 53 | 00:46:43 | 00:46:36 | Ana-Maria Green | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | F | Female Vet 50 | 221 | 15 | 2 |
| 94 | 00:50:01 | 00:49:41 | Peter Lyus | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | M | Senior Male | 251 | 72 | 37 |
| 97 | 00:50:23 | 00:50:16 | Rose Sawyer | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | F | Female Vet 45 | 126 | 24 | 6 |
| 202 | 00:56:55 | 00:55:50 | Jonathan Hanes | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | M | Senior Male | 267 | 133 | 48 |
| 306 | 01:07:00 | 01:06:29 | Ruth Gray | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | F | Female Vet 35 | 280 | 129 | 30 |
5K Results
| 1 | 00:16:52 | 00:16:52 | Nathan Chapman | Tonbridge Ac | M | Senior Male | 514 | 1 | 1 |
| 33 | 00:30:46 | 00:30:13 | Stella Richardson | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | F | Female Vet 60 | 476 | 14 | 1 |
| 34 | 00:30:46 | 00:30:14 | Richard Sumner | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | M | Senior Male | 477 | 20 | 5 |
Either 32 or 35 Peter Richardson – not showing in the results as yet, however crossing the finish line with Richard and myself well before the 2nd M65!
Stella