And the Kent AC Presidents Award goes to…

Please see this week’s update for Kent AC members – 14/12/25–

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KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN
 14 DECEMBER 2025

Behind every PB, race team and competition that the club achieves, convenes or hosts is a hard working volunteer. We’re so lucky to have brilliant coaches, officials, organisers, committee members, and volunteers who make our club and community so great. 

So this week, we are delighted to celebrate the recipient of the Kent AC Presidents Award for 2025: Anne Hepple. Thank you, Anne, for your humungous and incredible contribution to running the Juniors committee and section over the last few years. Our Junior section continues to grow in numbers and success – it’s brilliant to see so many young people growing passions and skills for athletics, which you’ve made possible. As Anne hands the baton over to Jane Treasure (who has been working with Anne for the last few years) and Lucy Atlee, a big thank you and round of applause to Anne!

THE MOST RUN-DERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

It’s not been all mince pies and parties for some of our members who have worked hard and raced fast this week! 

At Carshalton yesterday, a number of our juniors ‘sleighed’ at the 60m ‘training race’, bringing home triple PBs! Well done to:
⁠Vwegba Fydoro-Okiti, aged 14 and competing in the U17 category in his first ever 60m for debuting in 7.57!

John Flack, aged 17 and competing in the U20 category for lowering his PB by 16 hundredths of a second to to 7.49!

Jack Jones, aged 17 and also competing in the U20 category, for slicing 15 hundredths of a second off his PB to 7.13, and qualifying for the England indoor Championships 60m, in addition to already being qualified in the Long Jump!

Over in Victoria Park yesterday, Teresa Murphy and Ivona Gongolova lit up the half marathon, finishing in 88:19 and 1:45:27.

Today in sunny Malaga, Calum Fraser dashed to a 2:39:18 marathon PB, and Narciso Lopez Guerrero smashed the 4-hour barrier to.a 3:59:18! Meanwhile in the half marathon, Mark Crabtree smashed out a 77:06.

Well done to Joe English for an incredible 29:42 performance in the Telford 10km! Our calculations make that 2nd on the U20 10k rankings this year – wow! Absolute kudos to Amelia Pettitt for an incredible time of 35:37 too!

At the Lesnes Abbey 5 miler, we had three runners in the top 10- Rob Harvey, Sam Wilcock and Ian Elwood who made it to a podium place of 3rd!

Finally, a huge high five to Elyse Jenkins who smashed her PB and her goal of a sub-19 5km with a blazing fast 18:41 at Bromley parkrun yesterday. Happy news on a sad day for us as this is Elyse’s last week bringing her happy energy to track nights before she heads back to sunny Australia! Well done Elyse- we’ll miss you but you’ll always have a home with Kent AC!   

Please do let us know by /" target="_blank">email or in WhatsApp groups if you have news to share with the club! We love celebrating successes and fun events that people do but need your help to share!

Laughing all the way in Lesnes Abbey

RUNNING WITH HAT-TITUDE

Tis the (XC) season for BIG bobble hats, the essential piece of kit for all that chilly pre-and post-cross country hanging about when the next cup of tea seems very far away.

The hat, and other essential Kent AC merch, is available via the online shop. Message Sarah Young on the WhatsApp group for collection.

EVENT CALENDAR

December
20 – South of Thames Senior Champs 7.5 mile XC (including Club XC Champs) – Wimbledon Common

January
10 – Kent County XC – Brands Hatch
10 – Surrey League XC – Mitcham Common
24 – Southern XC – Beckenham Place Park

February
7 – Surrey League XC – Wimbledon Common
21 – National XC – Sedgefield, County Durham

March
29 – Southern 12 Stage Road Relay – Milton Keynes

April
11 – National 12 Stage Road Relay – Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham
26 – 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 £6.50 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

The Alex Yee 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 .

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