On the Road Again

Above: Richard McDowell on his way to a 5K PB on Saturday. Photograph by Ben Revill

Last Saturday should have seen the HW Senior Men's team defend their South of England Cross Country Relay title only a week after jostling with 200-odd athletes on the start line at the first fixture of the Surrey Cross Country League, all revved up for the fight to win back the League Trophy from Kent AC. Instead 10-men teams from HW, Kent and eight other clubs were at Wimbledon Park Stadium lining up politely in socially distanced waves ready to race, not over the country, but over the road course familiar to anyone who has entered the Perseverance 5K Dash (that race, due to be run in August, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Once it became clear that these early Cross Country fixtures would not be allowed to go ahead HW Performance supremo and coach Ben Noad seized on the opportunity to apply for a licence for a 5K Team Road race to provide some much-craved off-track competition.

Thirteen clubs in all were invited to enter men's and/or women's teams (6 to a team for the women's race). The athletes were lined up in their pre-seeded waves on the infield before stepping onto the track to be started off at one minute intervals, which allowed the final wave to clear Wimbledon Park before the first wave began their approach back to the stadium. Results were compiled using chip timing.

In the men's race, the previous course record of 15.00 set by Peter Chambers of Highgate as an U23 in 2017 was broken by international Nick Goolab of Belgrave Harriers. Peter, who had volunteered to help marshall on Saturday, could only watch as international Goolab, who set a 5K time of 13:27 at the aptly named Herculis 5K in Monaco just before lockdown, clocked 14:34, with the six athletes behind him also finishing in under 15 minutes.

Second Claim Andy Greenleaf, competing on this occasion for his first claim club, Serpentine, finished tenth in 15:09, while the fastest time in the HW men's team came from M40 Richard McDowell in the third wave, who was delighted with his PB of 15:13, since, he points out, 'my last proper race was on 19th January, a Vets AC cross-country on the common. After a summer of almost entirely solo running, with a few longer FKT endeavours I had no idea how I was going to perform over a short event'. (Regular readers of the newsletter will recall Richard's Summer runs through London, setting Fastest Known Times for the 126K Capital Ring and the 60K Jubilee Greenway).

'It was fantastic to see so many of the faces I would normally be with on a regular basis, even if we were being kept apart to comply with regulations', says Richard. 'Running in the third wave alongside guys of similar speed meant that I wasn't tempted to shoot off at a silly pace trying to keep up with the really quick guys, something I didn't envy Charlie (Eastaugh) in the first wave!

Ben Noad issuing instructions to the seeded waves of senior men lined up on the infield before stepping onto the track to be set off at one minute intervals. Thanks to Richard Carter of SLH for the photograph.

'On previous outings on this course I had come to dread Church Hill which seemed to get longer and steeper as you went on past the All England Club', says Richard, 'but on this occasion it seemed a formality – I didn't suffer unduly while also going quicker. Home Park Road offered the opportunity to stretch the legs properly and extend our pack out further before entering Wimbledon Park again, where some dodging and weaving was required to save becoming entangled in dog leads or avoid children on bikes, before reaching the track again.

'Unfortunately I was reeled in by a Highgate runner with about 50m to go and finished about two seconds down, but after seeing my time, especially compared to others, I was delighted. I certainly felt that I'd put in a really well paced effort, over a minute quicker than I've ever run this course previously. I have been pretty consistent with my training over the summer, and had racked up over 100 miles for the three weeks leading up to the race, combining speed and volume, so it was very satisfying to see the fruits of my labour manifested in a quick time!'.

Richard is now hoping to continue his great form in the East Surrey Cross Country race planned for next Saturday at Lloyd Park. See Cross Country update below.

In the 13-club women's race (6 to a team) won by Georgie Grgec of Herne Hill Harriers, first HW athlete home in the all-Vets (W45-W65) team was W55 Lisa Thomas, who was also delighted to be racing with 'real team mates' again, and on home turf, too.


Team result (men): 1. Highgate Harriers, 2:34:48 6. HW 2:44:16.

13: Richard McDowell (15:13 PB), 20: Charlie Eastaugh (15:34), 28: Ed Mallett (15:45), 56: Xavier Gruot (16:23), 59: Joe Toomey (16:32), 61: David Lewin (16:39 PB), 64: Justin Reid (16:46 PB), 70: David Grima PB (16:58), 72: Hector Revill (17:04 PB), 87: Kieran White (17:22)

Team result (women): 1. Herne Hill Harriers, 1:51:56. 10. HW 2:14:17

39: Lisa Thomas (20:17), 57: Estle Viljoen (21:26), 64: Annmarie Seymour (22:06), 68: Anna Garnier (23:00), 69: Alison Purnell (23:09), 72: Marilena De Luca (24:19)

Full race results at RunBritain and OpenTrack (including team scores).

Above: as captured by Richard Carter: HW's Charlie Eastaugh, in signature cap, lines up alongside hot competition in wave one, and below, finishing second fastest HW runner in 15:34.

Above, left: Ed Mallett, third fastest of the HW team, and right, the youngest member of the team, U20 Hector Revill (photograph by dad Ben), who finished 72nd of 115 finishers.

Below: the supervet women's team: back: Annemarie Seymour and Ali Purnell; front, left to right: Lisa Thomas, Anna Garnier, Estle Viljoen and Marilena De Luca

The Big Big Track and field round-up

Following two successful South London Network (SLAN) meetings at Tooting Bec, around a dozen HW athletes headed over to Coulsdon on 12 September for the South London Harriers Open, where the events on offer were the 300m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. There was a PB in the 300m for U20 Selma Hegvold and in the 1500m for Albane Fery and Eloise Davies (both U17) plus George Mallett (senior).

Herc Wimbo's Big Distance Night Out

Staged by popular request following the Herc Wimbo 3000m in August, the meeting at Wimbledon Park saw a series of five 1500m races followed by seven 3000m races on Wednesday, 23 September. While there may not have been the raft of PBs achieved at the earlier event, there were some excellent performances, not least from the HW youngsters, many of whom were running in their first 1500m races. Best times were notched up by U17 Georgie Clarke, who although outside her season's best. clocked 4:46.63, and U20 Hector Revill (below right) who set a PB of 9:31.63 in the 3000m while emphatically winning his race.

Charlie Eastaugh, while also just off his 1500m best, nevertheless won the A race in style in a season's best of 3:54.58, as recorded by HW member Alex Tsagas who put together a fantastic drone sequence of the race. You can watch it here

On the following Saturday the final SLAN meeting of the season was held at Tooting Bec on a chilly day that was definitely signalling winter was on its way! This time the schedule featured 300m, 400m, 800m and 1500m races, together with high jump, long jump and shot put. With 24 HW athletes entered – the majority from Anne Hegvold's group of girls – there were PBs in the 800m for U13s Emily Dunipace and Charlotte Gurney, U15s Ariana Shala, Lottie Harvey and Cliona O'Brien, along with Hector Revill, U20.

The following week Tooting Bec was the scene of a Herne Hill Harriers Open Meeting, the time with over 30 HW athletes making the most of a timetable that not only featured sprints and the 800m, but also included the Stan Allen Miles, named in memory of the legendary Herne Hill coach, and a series of 3000m races, along with long jump and shot put. For many, including a cohort of U11s and U13s from Andrew Davies's middle distance group, it was a chance to try a new event, or compete for the first time.

Hector Revill, running in only his second mile, won his race, clocking 4:47:11 to add to his recent portfolio of PBs, and there were best times, too, for coach Andrew (M45), taking the opportunity to race himself, along with his son Tom (U15) and Gina Galbraith (W40), together with Eloise Davies in the 3000m.

In the 800m Lottie Harvey and Cliona O'Brien both improved on the PBs they had set the previous Saturday.

Sprinters Mark White and Pete McLeod make the most of a last chance to race at Tooting Bec

The ever-enthusiastic youngsters in Anne Hegvold's middle distance group were not prepared to hang up their spikes just yet, however. Seven of them made the journey to Coulsdon for SLH's final event, the Middle Distance Race Fest on Saturday, 10 October, some once again taking the opportunity to try a new distance. U15 Sophie Conway bettered her previous 800m time set at Tooting Bec a week earlier, while talented U20 cross country runner Niamh Thompson clocked 11:31.41 in her first 3000m on the track.

Tom goes to Lake Land

M50 Tom Cheetham (left) notched up his 93rd marathon at Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire, home to London 2012′s Olympic rowing events, on Sunday, 4 October in a time of 3:13:58.

On London Marathon day when runners all over the country were taking part in the virtual event, Tom's Dorney Lake run doubled as his 18th London marathon. 'I remembered Pete (Mulholland) while I was running', says Tom. 'He was such a great inspiration to all of us'.

Dorney Lake Results

Track and Field Results

Saturday 12 September: South London Harriers Open Meeting. Full results

Wednesday 23 September: Herc Wimbo Distance Big Night Out. Full results

Saturday 26 September: SLAN Final Chance Open, Tooting Bec. Full results

Saturday 3 October: Herne Hill Harriers Open. Full results