Carbons vs spikes

Please see this week’s update for Kent AC members – 13/10/24–

KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN
13 October 2024

The autumn race season is in full swing with our XC opener taking place at Wimbledon Common yesterday, whilst road races took us from Peterborough to the Scottish highlands, Chicago and beyond.

Eight volunteers are needed to help at the next Surrey League fixture, which we’re hosting at Beckenham Place Park on Saturday 9th November. If you’re free for a few of hours from
13:15pm – 16:00pm and can volunteer at the finish line to note down runners/times, please contact or message Phil Marsden on WhatsApp.

Long sleeved tops and gloves are back in the running pile but did you know we have Kent AC bobble hats available on our online shop? Each hat is £19.20 and there are currently 13 remaining, so grab yours now!

Our models

Read on to catch up on all the results and for a full race report from our cross country captains.
 

WIMBLEDON WONDERLAND

The first fixture sets the mark. A fantastic showing for our first XC match of the season in Wimbledon! As is now typical from the October fixture, the weather was fair, ground firm, and carbon plated shoes in abundance. 

Squad

Senior Men
The men’s race presented a classic competitive field. With our new signing and Surrey league debutant Félix giving us all a lesson in how XC races are started properly down in France, humbling the rest of the field over the first 800m. The race settled in after a lap and it was the dedicated Sesemann and Dockerill who came home first for the club in 20th and 23rd respectively. Félix followed in 37th, with Nick Acfield, Jake Simmonds, Harry Tivnen, and JT (3rd v40), all closely behind in 46th, 54th, 73rd, and 75th respectively. Isaac Parker, Matt Speed and the warhorse Calum Fraser completed our scoring top 10. Big shout outs also to Nick, Harry, Isaac on 4 top-notch SL debuts, well played. A team standing: 5th 

 As often happens it was the club legends taking the young guard to the sword, Barny, Alex Harris, and Jim Allchin (lacing up for his first race for 3 years) all wrestling across the field to achieve admirable scoring places for the B team. With the customary XC diehards – George Russell, Ian Elwood , Ben Armson, Ben Mitchell, Sam Dames, Ali McMaster, and Rory Knight – getting giddy at the first site of a puddle and bolstering the scoring 20. B team standing: 6th

With over 30 men competing there really are too many to call each out individually, but I can personally say with confidence when looking everyone’s faces during the race, either rallying back in the opposite direction or by the side, there were a huge amount of Kent AC athletes truly giving there 100%, it’s great to witness and chapeau to that. For better or for worse, we have a strong tradition for building well as the season matures, and under the training schedule our coaches provide there’s no reason this won’t come into fruition this forthcoming season. You’ve set your own foundation, now it’s time we build on it.

James 
Men’s XC Co-Captain

Senior Women
As always for the Wimbledon meet, it was a beautiful early afternoon. We had a good turn out for the women’s team. Catherine Kandie was the first Kent runner to finish off the back from an impressive 10k on the road last weekend. She came in around 30th but she was so quick they missed her in the results, so official women’s results are pending. 
Swiftly behind Catherine was Alexa Parker in 33rd place and Ellie Freeden in 37th. Aisling Ahern was our 4th scorer in 53rd place for her Surrey League debut. Then our resident World record holder Claire Elms took an impressive 55th place rounding out the A team. 

First home for the B team was Sally Urquhart in 139th place. Then Susanna Davies in 169th, hot on her heals was Sydney Nunamaker in 176th, followed by bride to be Johanna Mott in 197th place and rounding out the 5th scorer for the Bs was Jo Wint. Shoutout to Sofia Conitino for switching the track spikes for the trail shoes and XC Co-captain Genevieve Blanch for running an impressive 6.6k at 6 month postpartum! 

While we are still waiting on the official results to be corrected we expect Kent senior women to finish 5th place as a club with the A team moving to 6th place! Either way we can confidently say the squad got off to a strong start and we look forward to our home race at Beckenham Place Park in November!

Parris
Women’s XC Co-Captain

Our women representing

Juniors
A sunny day with a chill in the air made great racing conditions. The course followed a relatively flat route and firm, gravelly paths for it which made it hard going for spike-wearers, but our U15/U17 boys and girl picked up some great positions. 1st home for the boys was George with a very competitive 45th place in a time of 16:28. 
Next home in 65th place, we saw Luke who smashed his first Cross Country for Kent. Lucas and Harry came 70th and 92nd. Both had PBs on Strava for 2M distance. Tallulah was on her own (get well soon Alice) and put in an amazing performance. She came 34th and well in to the top half of the finishers even with 2 higher age groups running. 

 There are several more legs to go, and there is no obligation to take part in them all – we would encourage any athlete who enjoys middle distance running to give it a go! (Would be great to see some U13s representing the club too over the cross country season!). If you would like to know more about what’s involved, do message one of our coaches.

Jason
Juniors XC Captain

Candid Ken

Women in Wimbledon

Our furry spectator

Photos: Danny Easton

It’s only going to get muddier and that is all part of the fun! 
Sign up for the upcoming fixtures here.

WEEKEND RACING REPORT

A busy weekend of racing and hopefully many celebrations after the fantastic results we have seen.

Starting off with a quick mention from last weekend.
At the Dartford Bridge 10k, Rory Knight took the win in 34:03 followed shortly after by Catherine Kandie, securing the women’s gold in 35:39. 

Now onto the long list of results from this weekend:

Leeds Abbey Dash 10k
Russell Bentley – 30:49
Chris Busaileh – 32:09
Ben Harding – 32:10

Petts Wood 10k
Nicholas Clegg – 36:39
John Gilchrist – 38:03
Fred Ungoed-Courtney – 38:22
Vic Cartwright (2nd Woman) – 42:27

Great Eastern Run
Joe Hartley – 70:46
Calum Fraser – 72:16
Rob Laing – 72:25
Che Compton – 72:38
Phil Woodford-Smith – 77:11
Bryony Procter – 77:48

Great Eastern Run crew

Oxford Half Marathon
Caitlin Bradley – 84:11
Laurie Roberts – 98:41

Royal Parks Half Marathon
Fergus Johnson – 73:30
Alex Morales – 86:02

Manchester Half Marathon
Josh Lennard-Jones – 84:42

Coigach Half Marathon
Vic Buck (1st Woman) – 94:40

Our president doing us proud

Chicago Marathon
Tommy Thain – 2:51:28
Andy Wright – 3:12:26
Beki Hilton-Hanns – 3:15:49

Post-race PB grin for Beki

Ladybower Reservoir 52k
Heather Castle – 9:08:58

Owen Hind made the parkrun UK Top 10 with 15:10 at Dulwich on Saturday morning.

Kudos to all!

If we have missed any results, then make sure to let us know so we can include them next time.

RUN IN THE DARK

If you are looking for a race to sign up to in November, then look no further than Southwark Athletics Club, who are hosting 1200m and 1 mile races on Thursday 7th November.

AGM

This is notice of our Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday 26th November at 20:30, upstairs at the Blythe Hill Tavern, 319 Stanstead Rd, SE23 1JB.
 
Please come along after the track.
Food will be provided!
 
The AGM is a yearly gathering of the club members, primarily to hear reports from committee members, about the club’s activities and finances; to appoint the committee and vote on any contested positions; to ask questions to the committee, and express your ideas and concerns. 

If you wish to propose any change to our rules/constitution or a major change to club policy, this must be submitted in writing before 30th October. This will enable it to be included in the calling notice to all members and the agenda and all accompanying papers, which will be sent out in early November. 
 
The committee is made up of volunteers and each year every post is up for election. 

This year we have the following vacancies:

President: Our co-presidents Victoria Buck and Len Reilly stand down after their three year stint: a three year fixed appointment ensuring good governance, good decision making and that all the club’s members and activities get a fair allocation of resources; chairing committee
Membership co-secretary: a job-share role to assist the current incumbent in processing applications and maintaining the membership database
Track manager: ensuring smooth running of track pass system
Health & safety: ensuring risk assessments both ongoing and for events are appropriate as well as current and risks mitigated

 

A big thanks to all for their hard work over this and previous years.

 

If you are interested in any of these, or wish to contest any other role, please write to and your email will go to the incumbent who will happily tell you what their job involves. If you wish to stand, please let know before 30th October so it can go in the agenda.

 
A big thanks too to those putting their name forward for roles this year.
 
A full list of committee, juniors – sub committee and non – committee posts can be found on our website.
 
Thanks
 Vic and Len

LONDON MARATHON CLUB BALLOT

If you failed to get a London Marathon place, you have a second chance.

The club will have two places and we’ll run a ballot as in previous years. There is one extra criterion, to encourage volunteering at the club – you have to have helped the club out in some way this year.

The criteria are:

1. Be a fully paid up club member.
2. Been rejected in the London Marathon 2025 ballot (need to provide evidence)
3. Have run for the club in 2024 (state which race)
4. Have volunteered for the club in some way in 2024.
This can include manning the gate at the track, marshalling or otherwise helping at an open meet or a race, being a coach or holding a committee post. You still have a chance to do so before the draw.

The draw will take place later this year at the Christmas Party on 14 December.

If you wish to enter the draw, send an email to Phil at , with evidence of your LM rejection, what races you have run, and what volunteering you’ve done.

Deadline: 13th December

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

November
2 – National XC Relays – Mansfield 
9 – Surrey League XC – Beckenham Place Park
23 – South of Thames Junior XC – West Horsley Place, Guildford
26 – AGM – BHT
 30 – Kent Vets XC Championships – Central Park, Dartford 

December
7 – SEAA Masters XC Championships – Horspath, Oxford (tbc)
14 – Christmas Party – St Dunstan’s Jubilee Ground, Catford
14 or 21 – South of Thames Senior XC – Sommerhill School, Tonbridge 

2025

January 
4 – Kent County XC Championships – Brands Hatch 
11 – Surrey League XC – tbc
25 – Southern XC Champs – Beckenham Place Park

February
8 – Surrey League XC – Epsom
22 – National XC – Parliament Hill

March
30 – 12/6 Stage Road Relay Championships – Milton Keynes

April
12 – 12/6 National Road Relays – Sutton Coldfield
25 – London Marathon

EASYFUNDRAISING

Please remember to use easyfundraising every time you shop online.
Over 7,000 brands pay easyfundraising a commission when you start your shop through their platform, so you can raise FREE donations for us no matter what you’re buying. These donations really help us out, so please sign up if you haven’t yet. It’s easy and FREE! You can get started at https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/kentac

You can also install a helpful Chrome extension, which prompts you to donate whenever doing any online shopping – really handy

 

TRACK, TRACK, TRACK

Buy your track pass here.

The usual track times are:
Tuesday 17:30 – 20:45
Thursday 18:00 – 20:30
Sunday 09:00 – 11:30
Please note that individuals are permitted to do their own sessions during club opening times, but coached group sessions continue to take priority.

Track Pass – Juniors
Please purchase your £5 junior monthly track pass in advance here. When purchasing the track pass can parents/guardians please enter the athlete’s name when completing the transaction

Please see a helpful FAQs guide here

Ladywell Arena has opening hours dedicated to the public. While during these times the Kent AC track pass is not valid, members can pay for an individual session.

Session times are: 
Monday: 07:00 -15:00
Tuesday – Thursday: 1300 -1700
Friday: 07:00 – 15:00
Saturday – Sunday: 09:00-15:00

Price:
Adult resident: £2.70
Adult non resident: £3.00
Junior (U16): £1.30

The Kent AC track pass continues to be required for training on Tues/Thurs evenings and Sunday mornings.

Track staff have encouraged people to double check the opening hours before their training session, as they may occasionally be closed for school sport days and football friendlies. Hours can be checked here. This will likely suit members who can’t make training sessions but would like to train in the morning/lunchtime/evening.

Pay as you go fees can either be paid via cash to the desk or using the Better app (note: staff are working to add the sessions to the app).

KEEP US UPDATED

You can have your say about what goes in the newsletter and keep us apprised of your results or running adventures by emailing the comms team directly here.

The password for the club contacts page here is .

 

–