Another GP race and some great times at Tunbridge Wells half with quite a few PBs. Well done everyone and massive congrats to Chris Minns, Steve Thackeray and Paul Fletcher who won for Beckenham the 2nd team place!
Race reports by Georgina Selway and Chris Minns:
GS -“We are a hardy lot the Beckenham Runners. 12 of us braved some of February’s harshest weather with 0.5C on the car gauge as we arrived. There was certainly a wind chill on top of that. A quick dash to the meeting point and it was an indoor ‘chill out’ or pre race thaw and warm through to pink up those blue lips and hands just in time for taking our pre race starting positions and 10am start. We were off! The course is fabulous, winding through villages surrounding T Wells and the first 5 miles was fast and mainly downhill before a teaser of a hill around mile 6 and then one proper long one shortly after. Once they had been accomplished it was a more manageable undulating but mainly downhill sweep through the remaining miles into Tunbridge Wells to the finish. A tough and challenging race but so well supported in spite of bitter cold and we are very grateful to the marshals and all the organisers who once again put on a great race. Lots of PBs and good times recorded in tough conditions perhaps more than helped by marathon training in abundance amongst us. Same time next year?”
Then there was a pack with Dan and Julian from Tonbridge, another Tonbridge (or 2?), a Herne Hill, me, a Vicky Park, a Woodford Green, and a couple of guys with yellow vests. .There was also a guy with a Bow River (Calgary) vest, so as I went by I asked him if he was from Alberta etc. (no, his mate lives there, he just likes the singlet). Dan and Julian started pulling away from 3-4 miles, then it was down to Another Tonbridge + me + Herne Hill by halfway. I could still see 2nd and 3rd (without my glasses) at this point. On the last big hill it got all stretched out. I was 7th(?) at about 8 miles and feeling like I could pounce on a couple of Tonbridges up ahead. But they started motoring once we were back on the flat, and pretty soon my bad hamstring started giving grief. I tried to relax and stay on top of things, but the pace slipped as I couldn’t really stride out, especially the last 2 miles. A couple fast finishers caught me and I ended up 10th. Didn’t wear a watch,so don’t know what the splits were like.
| Overall Position | Name | Chip Time |
| 10 | Chris Minns | 01:14:10 |
| 13 | Stephen Thackeray | 01:15:41 |
| 150 | Paul Fletcher | 01:30:54 |
| 153 | Andrew Eames | 01:31:27 |
| 206 | Donna Mewis | 01:33:37 |
| 367 | Richard Harper | 01:38:25 |
| 492 | Andrea Sullivan | 01:41:54 |
| 533 | Katie Newell | 01:41:30 |
| 554 | Victoria Eames | 01:43:35 |
| 647 | Georgina Selway | 01:44:01 |
| 746 | Ken Baksh | 01:48:00 |
| 1119 | Ian McCarthy | 01:57:00 |
