Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath athlete shine as summer season ends

BURGESS HILL RUNNERS

As we move into autumn, the race calendar is starting to ramp up for the club.

Another West Sussex Fun Run League race was hosted by the Saints and Sinners, starting in Crawley's Tilgate Park.

First for BHR was Oliver Day in 25:43. He was followed by Kirsty Phillpot (36:29), Jamie Goodhead (37:01), Neil Phillpot (37:34), Andy Sayers (39:46), Kath Wallek (40:35), Oliver Dewdney (41:54), Steve Barrett (42:55), Cath Beckett (44:37), Jo Dodkin (45:30), Chris Page (45:42), Ella Stanbrook (47:44), Sophie Abbott (51:27), Katherine Hughes (51:55), George Wotton (52:57), Stephen Divers (54:17), Ruth Day (1:01:26), Malcolm Slater (1:02:21), Hugh Stevenage (1:06:27), David Clark (1:09:46) and Eileen Adlam (1:18:37).

BHR members also had a range of 10k races.

Annette Maynard, Chris Page and John Palmer took part in the Arundel Castle 10k, organised by the Scouts. Annette finished in 49:54, followed by Chris in 56:57 and John in 59:46.

Andrew Biggs finished the Littlehampton 10k in 41:29.Sarah Thompson and Simon Thompson travelled up to London to take part in the Richmond Run Fest 10k race, run through and around the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew.

Sarah finished in 1:14:49 and Simon in 1:14:50.

The Richmond Run Fest also includes a half marathon that a group of BHRs took part in.

Oliver Dewdney was first for BHR in 1:46:16.

He was followed by Annette Maynard (1:47:56), Isobel Dewdney (2:22:59) and John Palmer (2:34:01).In another half marathon, albeit just a little further away, the club had a group complete the Great North Run.

The largest half marathon in the world, it was even more special this year being Sir Mo Farah's last ever race.

Ella Stanbrook was first up in 1:54:42. She was followed by Briege Toner (2:10:59), Kim Gow (2:42:22), Viv Smith (2:43:24) and Helen Pratt (2:50:56).Oliver Day, Mark Nicholls and Jamie Goodhead took part in the Farnham Pilgrim Marathon, described as one of the prettiest trail events in the UK.

Mark Nicholls was first for BHR in 3:55:14, followed by Oliver Day (4:29:00) and Jamie Goodhead (4:29:57).

HAYWARDS HEATH HARRIERS

Haywards Heath Harriers have been busy over the past couple of months.

Most recently there also has been a host of Harriers club records broken.

Kirsty Armstrong has improved the vet women’s 45 age records in the 800 metres (2 minutes 34.45 seconds), 400 metres (74.5 seconds) and 1500 metres (5 minutes and 12.3 seconds).

Jessica Diack in the under 13 pole vault has a new record of 2.02 metres. Anya Cole equalled her under 15 pole vault record of 2.20 metres and James Skinner in the vet men’s 50 age group in the 5000 meters recorded 16 minutes and 45 second (though the official results are still pending confirmation!), did 16 minutes and 55 seconds at hilly Clair parkrun and in the 5k road race at Kings Head Canter managed a speedy 16 minutes and 29 seconds.

There have been several West Sussex Fun League events that have taken place.

The Hove Hornets Stinger started at Brighton Rugby Club, Waterhall Road, on a very rugged course north of Brighton.

The Seven Stiles event was organised by Henfield Joggers and then came the Worthing Striders Highdown Hike event.

Results of the Hover Hornets Stinger: In the seventh West Sussex Fun Run League the Harriers finishing 12th out of 18 teams: 59th Jason Robinson 52:01; 87th James Smyth 56:06; 90th Glen Hedges 56:29; 113th Rebecca Pugh 59:45; 134th Mike Derrick 62:09; 165th Patrick Young 71:16; 193rd Rupert Purchase 87:18; 194th Richard Bates 89:31.

Results of the Seven Stiles: In the eighth West Sussex Fun Run League the Harriers finishing 13th out of 18 teams: 15th Andy Hind 25:20; 29th James Booth 26:51; 101st James Smyth 31:31; 109th Ian Dumbrell 32:02; 112th Steve Mitchell 32:11; 128th Phil Scott 32:51; 161st Richard Jobling 34:37; 165th Mike Derrick 34:58; 262nd Carys Hind 43:51; 294th Richard Bates 48:19.

Results of the Highdown Hike: In the ninth West Sussex Fun Run League the Harriers finishing 15th out of 18 teams: 126th James Smyth 33:52; 127th Abigail Redd 33:55; 142nd Phil Scott 34:36; 214th Richard Jobling 38:33; 242nd Sarah Hamilton 41:23; 246th Caroline Gumm 41:36; 261st Mike Parish 43:10; 310th Richard Bates 49:23.

Sussex Vets League at Eastbourne

The final of the Sussex Vets Track and Field League was at Eastbourne, with a smaller Harriers turnout with a joint Lewes Athletics Club.

The Harriers did themselves proud. Competing in the many events that were available to them there were lots of personal bests partly because the athletes were trying out events for the first time.

James Smyth: 4th V35 100m ‘A’ string 14.4 secs; 5th V35 ‘B’ string 1500m 5:51.2 secs; 5th V35 Long Jump 3.79m; 5th V35 Shot Putt 4.34m (pb); 5th V35 Hammer 9.72m (pb). Andy Dray: 3rd V50 100m 13.8 secs; 3rd V35 ‘B’ string 400m 63.4 secs; 1st V50 High Jump 1.40m; 4th V50 Long Jump 3.32m. 1st V35 2000m Walk 12:59.7 secs; 5th V35 Triple Jump 7.57m (pb). Lucie Venables: 4th V35 ‘A’ string 100m 14.9 secs; 5th V35 ‘A’ string 400m 74.9 secs; 2nd V35 Long Jump 3.81m. Abigail Redd: 4th V35 ‘B’ string 100m 19.8 secs; 1st V35 ‘B’ string 1500m 5:21.6 secs (pb) her highest age grading; 6th V35 Javelin 8.42m. Kirsty Armstrong: 3rd V35 ‘B’ string 400m 74.5 secs (club V45 record) (pb); 1st V35 1500m ‘A’ string 5:12.3 secs (club V45 record) (pb). Lindsey Blain: 2nd V50 400m 83.6 secs (pb); 1st V50 1500m 6:07.6 secs (pb); 2nd V50 High jump 1.10m (pb); 4th V50 Long Jump 2.89m (pb). Helen Diack: 4th V35 High Jump 1.15m; n/s Long Jump 3.41m; 6th V35 Hammer 10.61m. Mike Bale: 4th V60 Shot Putt 7.21m; 2nd V60 Hammer 30.29m.

Sussex Vets League at Lewes

Women’s results: Abigail Redd: 2nd V35 800m ‘B’ string 3:05.1 secs; 1st V35 2000m Walk 11:29.1 secs; 3rd V35 ‘B’ string 5000m 24:40.7 secs. Jacqueline Barnes: 4th V50 800m 3:14.1 secs; 3rd V50 5000m 25:09.6 secs; 2nd V50 2000m Walk 14:18.6 secs; 4th V50 Shot Putt 4.31m; 4th V50 Discus 8.85m; 3rd V50 5000m 25:09.6 secs. Lucie Venables: 3rd V35 ‘A’ string 31.8 secs; 1st V35 Triple Jump 7.87m. Helen Diack: 1st V40 Triple Jump 7.37m; 5th V35 Shot Putt 5.17m; 4th V35 Discus ‘A’ string 12.38m.

Men’s results: Ian Kenton: 4th V35 ‘A’ string 800m 2:08.4 secs; 2nd V35 ‘B’ string 200m 27.2 secs (pb). Tim Hicks: n/s 2:51.9 secs. James Smyth: 1st V35 2000m Walk 12:59.7 secs; 5th V35 Triple Jump 7.57m (pb). Ian Tomkins: n/s 800m 3:04.6 secs; 3rd V50 Discus 20.14m. Matt King: n/s 5000m 18:06.2 secs. Paul Cousins: 1st V60 5000m 19:39.2 secs. Mike Bale: 3rd V60 Discus 26.20m.

Other Harriers results

At the Tom Lintern Open Meeting at Crawley on Bank Holiday Monday, Kirsty Armstrong broke yet another club V45 record. This time, it was improving her own record from earlier this season. She finished in a time of 2 minutes and 34.45 seconds (club V45 record).

Jessica Diack set a new Harrier club U13 pole vault record at the Lewes Games with a 2.02 metres vault improving her own record by eleven centimetres!

Also, Anya Cole also equalled a club under-15 record in the pole vault by vaulting 2.20 metres at the South of England Champs at Lee Valley.

Tim Hicks ran in the “Race The Train” event . There are actually five races, all on the same day, but only two of which officially ‘race the train’.

Tim said: “The main race is in the afternoon and is called the “Rotary Challenge” which is fourteen miles, racing the train up the valley, and then back down again - the ‘up’ route is relatively flat over farm fields and the ‘down’ route has a lot of ups and downs.

"The next race is in the morning and is called the “Quarry Challenge” which is ten kilometres, following the course of the ‘down’ section of the fourteen mile race - that’s the race which I did this year and if you book early enough you get a ride up in the train before racing it back down.”

James Bennett competed in the Canterbury Half on Bank Holiday Monday and finished in 17th place in one hour 31 minutes and 1 second. Also on Bank Holiday Monday was the Kings Head Canter Five Kilometres race at East Hoathly.

James Skinner was the first Harrier home in seventh place in a new club vet 50 record in a time of 16 minutes and 29 seconds. Other Harrier results were: 11th Russ Mullen 16:47; 21st Jamie Topping 17:24; 97th Glen Hedges 23:04; 110th Rebecca Pugh 24:10.