Post by Nick Reynolds on May 10, 2015 13:36:07 GMT
Courtesy of Ed Steele:
A large contingent of 18 harriers headed down to the 25th running of the the Darent Valley 10k - a picturesque loop around the village of Eynsford and the river Darent, taking in a couple of steep hills to give you a 2km downhill to the finish and even some cross country to boot.
Conditions were cold, especially given the very early 8:30 race start. Though, overall they were pretty much perfect once the race began, with bright sunshine falling upon the whole race. With over 600 competitors and Kent Grand Prix points on offer, the start from the local school had a fierce pace, with some 40 runners at sub-6min mile pace for the first km. Some good groupings of harriers formed around the 1.5km mark as the route headed under the beautiful Viaduct that intersects the valley (It was around this time that Steve Bright emerged to start his own race). These groups stayed together for almost the entire race, with the top 5 finishing well within a minute of each other.
Despite being a well-recognised and properly measured course, there was some concern about the 4km marker appearing some 35 seconds late. Far be it for me to question, the times were just a little surprising after all that effort and nearly 2 minutes down on my time at Brighton in November.
My personal congratulations to Terry for a fantastic and enjoyable back and forth battle the whole way round, despite me picking up the pace to 5:45 for the last 2km (thanks no doubt to the terrific, gradual downhill) he reeled me in for a great overtake at the finish line.
Oh and we got the 1st Team Prize (first 7 men and 3 women, marked with x below), which I hope someone stayed to collect because I clearly shouldn't be allowed to be road race captain again!
Thanks to everyone who came along including Stella and Louise for support, the race HQ made for a great team meetup and photo as it funnelled everyone into the school playground. A great morning out, will pop the photos up soon as I get them.
1 396 00:35:35 00:35:33 TERRY REEVES M SM Dartford Road Runners
21 2362 00:38:36 00:38:32 STUART SHIELDS M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
23 2342 00:38:49 00:38:45 CRAIG CHAPMAN M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
26 156 00:38:55 00:38:48 MARK GAMAGE M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
33 405 00:39:26 00:39:19 TERRY EVEREST M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
34 564 00:39:27 00:39:19 EDWARD STEELE M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
39 574 00:39:48 00:39:40 MARK CARROLL M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
64 593 00:41:49 00:41:41 JAMES SARRE M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
74 442 00:42:27 00:42:18 ANDREW JOAD M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
121 363 00:45:03 00:44:52 KIM DEENEY F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
122 575 00:45:09 00:45:01 MARK TAYLOR M M60 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
143 2334 00:46:10 00:45:56 JILLIAN HOLFORD F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
146 177 00:46:37 00:46:29 ANDY PAGE M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
188 85 00:48:28 00:48:13 PETER RICHARDSON M M60 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
228 176 00:49:42 00:49:28 LESLEY MERCER F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
318 566 00:52:53 00:45:31 STEPHEN BRIGHT M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
343 323 00:54:37 00:54:18 LUCILLE JOANNES F W55 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
353 498 00:55:02 00:54:43 ERIC SCHOFIELD M M70 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
623 249 01:34:25 01:33:40 GRAHAM BROOKS M M70 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
Full results
www.swifttiming.co.uk/cgi-bin/list_race_result.php?firstname=&surname=&gender=All&category=&club=&bib_number=&sort_order=Finish+Time&meet_event_id=390001
A large contingent of 18 harriers headed down to the 25th running of the the Darent Valley 10k - a picturesque loop around the village of Eynsford and the river Darent, taking in a couple of steep hills to give you a 2km downhill to the finish and even some cross country to boot.
Conditions were cold, especially given the very early 8:30 race start. Though, overall they were pretty much perfect once the race began, with bright sunshine falling upon the whole race. With over 600 competitors and Kent Grand Prix points on offer, the start from the local school had a fierce pace, with some 40 runners at sub-6min mile pace for the first km. Some good groupings of harriers formed around the 1.5km mark as the route headed under the beautiful Viaduct that intersects the valley (It was around this time that Steve Bright emerged to start his own race). These groups stayed together for almost the entire race, with the top 5 finishing well within a minute of each other.
Despite being a well-recognised and properly measured course, there was some concern about the 4km marker appearing some 35 seconds late. Far be it for me to question, the times were just a little surprising after all that effort and nearly 2 minutes down on my time at Brighton in November.
My personal congratulations to Terry for a fantastic and enjoyable back and forth battle the whole way round, despite me picking up the pace to 5:45 for the last 2km (thanks no doubt to the terrific, gradual downhill) he reeled me in for a great overtake at the finish line.
Oh and we got the 1st Team Prize (first 7 men and 3 women, marked with x below), which I hope someone stayed to collect because I clearly shouldn't be allowed to be road race captain again!
Thanks to everyone who came along including Stella and Louise for support, the race HQ made for a great team meetup and photo as it funnelled everyone into the school playground. A great morning out, will pop the photos up soon as I get them.
1 396 00:35:35 00:35:33 TERRY REEVES M SM Dartford Road Runners
21 2362 00:38:36 00:38:32 STUART SHIELDS M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
23 2342 00:38:49 00:38:45 CRAIG CHAPMAN M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
26 156 00:38:55 00:38:48 MARK GAMAGE M M40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
33 405 00:39:26 00:39:19 TERRY EVEREST M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
34 564 00:39:27 00:39:19 EDWARD STEELE M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
39 574 00:39:48 00:39:40 MARK CARROLL M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
64 593 00:41:49 00:41:41 JAMES SARRE M SM Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
74 442 00:42:27 00:42:18 ANDREW JOAD M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
121 363 00:45:03 00:44:52 KIM DEENEY F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
122 575 00:45:09 00:45:01 MARK TAYLOR M M60 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
143 2334 00:46:10 00:45:56 JILLIAN HOLFORD F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
146 177 00:46:37 00:46:29 ANDY PAGE M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
188 85 00:48:28 00:48:13 PETER RICHARDSON M M60 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
228 176 00:49:42 00:49:28 LESLEY MERCER F W35 Tunbridge Wells Harriers x
318 566 00:52:53 00:45:31 STEPHEN BRIGHT M M50 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
343 323 00:54:37 00:54:18 LUCILLE JOANNES F W55 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
353 498 00:55:02 00:54:43 ERIC SCHOFIELD M M70 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
623 249 01:34:25 01:33:40 GRAHAM BROOKS M M70 Tunbridge Wells Harriers
Full results
www.swifttiming.co.uk/cgi-bin/list_race_result.php?firstname=&surname=&gender=All&category=&club=&bib_number=&sort_order=Finish+Time&meet_event_id=390001