Today's Runner XC at Oxleas Wood, Eltham - 28/11/99

A turnout of 22 Harriers, much better than at the previous race at Swanley, competed in this event and all put in some good efforts for the club despite the very hilly, six mile course and the windy conditions.

Richard Steer, returning to racing after more knee problems, came 6th overall and 4th in the men's league race, two places ahead of Simon Kendall. In the women's race, Sarah May surpassed even her previous efforts in coming second only to Tina Oldershaw of Paddock Wood, beating last year's league winner Caroline Houghton in the process. Fine debuts were made by Katherine O'Hara and Graham Brown, with James Branwood running his first senior XC.

Henry Coltart unfortunately had to pull out of his first race for the club due to ankle problems and Roy Gooderson was similarly unlucky to have a calf strain. It appeared that these were only two of at least 15 casualties on a course with treacherous terrain.

The fine team effort meant that we came 4th on the day in the Combined event, the best result for the season, and 3rd on the day in the Ladies' event. To emphasise what a good all round effort it was, our `B' team (consisting of the 7 men and 3 women who didn't score in the actual league race) would have finished ahead of Sittingbourne Striders who had a full team out and only a point behind Invicta.

Junior Tony Rowland did well in completing a full lap of the course.

In the figures below, after the time the next column shows the overall position, the following one the position in that individual's league race (i.e. ignoring guests and runners of the opposite sex) and the final column shows the performance rating i.e. the percentage of runners beaten in that league race.

Richard Steer                        34:43    6   4  98.3
Simon Kendall                        35:06    8   6  97.2 
Roy Palmer                           36:44   17  15  92.0 
Sarah May                            38:30   38   2  98.6 
Steve ReynoldsV40                    39:40   50  45  75.0  
Mel CarterV50                        41:04   73  65  63.6 
James Branwood                       41:05   74  66  63.1 
Joe HicksV40                         41:06   75  67  62.5 
Graham BrownV50                      41:40   81  72  59.7 
Gerry ReillyV50                      41:44   83  74  58.5
Dave LightburnV40                    42:46  100  88  50.6
Martyn BallandsV40                   44:12  120 104  41.5
Katherine O'Hara                     44:34  125  12  85.1
Mick HolmansV40                      44:43  129 109  38.6
Tom Smith                            45:25  143 118  33.5
Carol Reid                           46:47  164  25  67.6
Pete WyethV50                        47:36  173 139  21.6
Dianne AugustV40                     48:07  178  28  63.5
Fayne StoneV40                       50:05  202  40  47.3
Sue ReillyV45                        56:35  249  65  14.9

Combined League Placings After 4 Events

 1  Medway AC                     58pts
 2  Paddock Wood AC               56
 3  Istead & Ifield H             54
 4  Sevenoaks AC                  46
 5  Canterbury Harriers           43
 6  Thanet RR AC                  37
 7  Maidstone H                   32
 7  Invicta EK AC                 32
 9  Swanley & District AC         26
10  New Eltham Joggers            25
11  Bromley Vets                  18
12  Gravesend RR                  15
13  Dartford H                    13
13  Sittingbourne Striders        13
15  Plumstead Runners              6
 
Ladies' League

 1  Paddock Wood AC               59pts
 2  Medway AC                     47
 3  Invicta EK AC                 46
 4  Istead & Ifield H             41
 5  Canterbury Harriers           40
 6  Thanet RR AC                  38
 7  New Eltham Joggers            34
 7  Sevenoaks AC                  34
 7  Swanley & District AC         34
10  Gravesend RR                  30
11  Bromley Vets                  29
12  Maidstone H                   19
13  Plumstead Runners             14
13  Sittingbourne Striders        11
15  Dartford H                     4