Run, Run, Rudolph!
Run, Run, Rudolph!
Please see this week’s update for Kent AC members – 21/12/25–
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KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN
21 DECEMBER 2025
Friday night saw a group head west for the Battersea Park Friday Night Under the Lights 5-miler. Jonathan Collier led the way with a seriously strong 8th place in 23:41 after leading out early on, and was backed up by solid efforts from Matt Speed (26:23), Jake Herrera (26:46) and Joe Jenkinson (31:08).
Saturday morning then belonged to the juniors at Bromley parkrun. Luke Roderick was clearly in the Christmas spirit, finishing in 1st place with a PB of 15:43 – the 12th best U15 parkrun of all-time. He was followed by strong runs from George Searle (16:31), Dylan Sandhu (17:07) and Lucas Stickland (17:41), rounding off an excellent morning and proving that the future of the club is both fast and alarmingly organised before 9am.
Rounding out the weekend was the South of the Thames Championships – more on that below.
Looking to next year, entries are due in by 6th January for the Southern Cross Country Championships at Beckenham Place Park on 24th January. As in previous years, the club requests a £5 contribution from all senior runners in order to confirm their place. If you’d like to enter please contact Owen Hind or Gen Blanche and pay the contribution at the club store.
Also, make sure to get your entries in for the Surrey League Cross Country races in both January and February.
Finally, a very Merry Christmas to everyone in the club. A reminder that Hilly Fields parkrun is on on Christmas Day, so if you fancy starting the festivities the right way, that’s your plan sorted. And if you’re heading to any other parkruns or getting out for festive runs, please do send in your photos – Kent AC kit strongly encouraged! Now, on to the cross country…
The South of Thames Championship Race on Wimbledon Common was the perfect blend of cross-country grit and Christmas cheer. Held on Saturday the 20th of December, the 7.5 miles (and some) wound its way over the undulating trails, with a strong turnout that felt all the more impressive given the time of year. Wimbledon Common put on its best festive face: crisp blue skies, low winter sun, and conditions so kind that gloves were firmly declared optional.
On the women’s side, there was plenty to celebrate. Amelia Petitt had a superb run, charging through the field to finish 6th place in the women’s race. Her performance set the tone for the rest of the team, who followed up with determined runs and well-timed surges over the testing course. Their combined efforts earned the women’s team a fantastic 3rd place overall—a well-deserved podium to wrap up the year.
The men’s team brought their own festive sparkle to the competition. In the men’s race, Noah Armitage-Hookes delivered a standout performance, racing strongly throughout to secure 3rd place overall. With solid backing from his teammates across the field, the men’s squad claimed an excellent 4th place in the team standings. It was the kind of collective effort that makes winter racing special: muddy legs, tired lungs, and big smiles at the finish.
With an early Christmas lunch now firmly calling and no time to dive deeper into the many individual stories and heroics out on the course, the headlines say it all: a strong turnout, sparkling skies, brilliant individual performances from Amelia and Noah, and top-4 team finishes for both the women and the men. A festive day out at Wimbledon Common, wrapped up with results to be proud of and plenty of seasonal spirit.
See you in 2026 with rested minds for the next round of Surrey League on the 10th of January.
All smiles pre-race!
The hat, and other essential Kent AC merch, is available via the online shop. Message Sarah Young on the WhatsApp group for collection.
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
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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).
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