Emily Waugh firmly established herself as the current No.1 female cross country runner for Rugby & Northampton AC when she headed the ladies team once again to finish in third place in the Charity Cup at Kettering’s Wicksteed Park.
Waugh covered the 4.9k course in 20 mins 5 secs to maintain her unbeaten record this season by any R&N athlete.
With support from her younger junior team-mate Sarah Bennett, who clinched fourth in 20.35, this ensured the ladies won the team competition.
Daisy Melville closed off the team in sixth spot on 21.21, but she was crowned County Champion in the NAA Masters Champs and won a second gold medal in leading her squad to a resounding victory in the team competition.
The silver medal went to Alison Cooper in seventh overall with 21.44, while Angela Copson completed the team (13th in 22.24).
Also turning out were Kate Williams (14th in 22.43), Clarissa Blake (15th in 22.48) and Madeleine Smith (16th in 22.54).
In the men’s race Jacob Allen also finished in third place when he recorded 36.06 for the three lap 10k course and he led home the R&N team, which finished in third place.
The rest of the team included Masters with Brendan Moen finishing 10th in 38.32, followed by Vince Carroll (12th in 39.09), Neil Willsher (21st in 40.49) and Brian Summers (25th in 42.15).
This quartet won the bronze medals in the NAA Champs. Although Alan Mould failed to make the veteran team he actually made the scoring six in the senior team when he finished 35th in 44.25 with Max Chippington 12 seconds back in 36th spot.
In the under-11 girls race there was an emphatic victory for Olivia Lodge over the 2k distance when she was 13 seconds clear with 8 mins 43 secs.
With back up from Isobel Thomas (7th in 9.39) and Fenella Downes (12th in 10.05) the team clinched second position.
Harry Andrew won the corresponding Boys race over the same distance in 7.55 and helped the R&N squad to also finish second when Tom Bennett sealed sixth spot in 8.33 with Archie Wright two seconds behind in 9th.
Also completing the course were Ben Randall (17th in 9.14), Jack Buchan (19th in 9.25), Euan Chippington (28th in 9.48) and Josh Randall (31st in 10.14).
The under-13 girls were third in the team race with Georgia Willix leading them home in sixth place on 13.47 over the 3k circuit. She was backed up by Millie Mason (11th in 14.21) with Zoe
Morling one place behind on 14.29.
Millie Wright finished the course in 16.23 for 19th with Niamh Chippington one place and five seconds adrift, while Harriett Warden recorded 17.11 for 24th.
Matthew Rushton was timed at 12.21 for second spot in the under-13 boys 3k event.
Nick leads the Pace for Silson Joggers
Despite being in the midst of the annual Cross Country season, several Silson Joggers runners were out and about competing in other events over the weekend.
Five of the members turned out to run the 2012 Bedford Harriers Half Marathon, with two of them claiming podium positions in their age group.
Fastest of the five was Nick Pacey, coming home in an excellent 1 hour 23.43 minutes, to finish 60th overall, third man home in the veterans’ over-50 group.
He was well clear of fellow Silson Jogger Michael Spencer who was 414th overall, ahead of the only woman in the group, Madeleine Moutrie, who was 848th out of around 4500 athletes on the day.
Another age group third place went to Allan Lock, in the men’s over-70 category, 915th overall in a time of 1:53:43.
The last of the club’s representatives to finish was Dave Jarrett, in 1,043rd place, 41 seconds inside the two-hour mark.
Over Bicester way, three more Silson Joggers were out doing their stuff for the club, at the ninth running of the Andy Reading Memorial 10k.
This event attracted a smaller field than Bedford, though there were still around 500 competitors. Best club runner was Simon Woodward, finishing 26th overall and 12th in the men’s over-40 group.
The first of the Brians was next, Brian Gray, in 65th, 12th in the over-40 category. The other Brian, Keers, was 26th in his age group, the men’s over-50 category, and 210th overall.
McGowan leads the way at Bedford
On a day when the conditions were pretty much perfect for running, with the exception of a brisk wind, nine Northampton Road Runners took on the undulating Bedford Half Marathon.
Jim McGowan led the NRR runners home completing his first half marathon in an impressive time of 1:33:26. Jim was chased home by a slightly hung-over Mark Garrett having danced the night away at the club’s Christmas bash in a time of 1:34:50.
Martin Andrews, who attempted to chase Garrett down for three miles, shaved a few seconds of his PB finishing in a time of 1:35:23.
Adrian Tuck ,who has hit a patch of running form, crossed the line in a time of 1:39:43 knocking almost 6 minutes of his half PB since March.
Roger Taylor completed the course in a personal record time of 1:41:33. Mick Clarke tamed the hills to finish in a time of 1:56:17.
Jim Anderson, who has struggled with injury all year, finished in a time of 1:57:11
Jo Lee started the race with an injured knee and finished the race with a significant limp valiantly battled on to complete the course in a time of 2:02:03.
Inge Flowers completed the NRR line up in a time of 2:04:34.
 |  |