Dennis…. the menace

Another quiet weekend for local athletics with Storm Dennis the culprit on this occasion, putting paid to the final Essex League Cross-Country fixture of the season at Great Notley Park, and with it Colchester Harriers’ hopes of challenging for a league title win in the competition this season. With no slot available for the fixture to be re-arranged Harriers finished in second place in the Senior Women’s Division 1 and in third place in Division 1 for the Senior Men.  A number of Harriers did see success in the individual award categories with Milly Presland taking third place in the U17 Women rankings and Adrian Mussett (M45), Denise Morley (W50) and Colin Ridley (M55) the highest ranked runners in their respective categories.

The stormy weather did not however deter three intrepid green vests as they made their way to Naseby in Northamptonshire, to run in the Naseby 1645, a 16.45 mile race commemorating the English Civil War Battle of Naseby fought in that year.  Richard Millward did combat with the wind to come home in 2:05:42, just ahead of Graham Langford who clocked 2:07:14 and Nick Kricka in 2:10:31.

In parkrun action Harriers had 23 runners out at Colchester Castle, with Angus Holford first finisher in 17:30, Cameron Humphries third in 18:54, Fergus Crouch fifth (19:28) and Ian Jeffries sixth in 19:31 whilst Amelia Green was first female home in 21:55 with Eleanor Mayne second in 22:46.  There were eight green vests across town at Highwoods where Tim Ballard ran 19:56 to finish second, Laura Hubbard was third (and first female) in 20:08, Lee Holohan seventh in 20:57 and Andrea James tenth (and second female) in 21:44.  There were also good performances locally from Heidi Steele (20:11, first female at Maldon) and Will Radley who ran 19:03 to come in seventh at Chelmsford whilst Dan Widdowson travelled up to the Norfolk coast to finish second at Sheringham in 18:06, with ten year old daughter Isla finishing first female in 22:18.  Tourist of the week award this week however is shared by Martyn Clarke (20:22, second at Orangefield, Belfast) and Kieran Callaghan who ran 24:29 to finish tenth at Virginia Water south of the border in the Republic of Ireland.

Fighting the wind, Graham, Nick and Richard after the Battle of Naseby 1645