
Jon Sharkey, Gemma Bragg, Caroline Rowley, Nikki Sandell and Simon Munro are justifiably happy after the Wimborne 10
Some catching up to do……………………
The final Dorset Road Race League event of the year, the Wimborne 10 (mile), organised by Wimborne Athletic Club, took place on 16 November, and resulted in a number of BAC wins and PBs. Jon Sharkey and Simon Munro have been contesting individual places in the League, and this was finally settled with a second place in this race by Jon, followed by Simon in third. Paul Hill continues to demonstrate his unusual ability to continue training and racing with no post-marathon recovery by finishing eighth with a PB. Nikki Sandell led home BAC‘s ladies’ team, followed by Gemma Bragg, also running a PB, with Caroline Rowley completing the team. Yet another PB for this distance was run by Simon Hearn.
Wimborne 10 results (BAC):
2. Jon Sharkey 55.29; 3. Simon Munro 56.31; 8. Paul Hill 58.59; 43. Nikki Sandell 1.05.34; 67. Gemma Bragg 1.07.11; 74. Jud Kirk 1.07.32; 75. Simon Hearn 1.07.39; 99. Steve Cox 1.10.32; 149. Caroline Rowley 1.14.17; 178. Andy Gillespie 1.17.23; 371. Will Price 1.35.09. There were 465 finishers.
This might be the appropriate time to round up the BAC positions in the Dorset Road Race League for 2014. This has been an incredibly successful year for the club, with team and individual awards due to be presented at The Junction Leisure Centre after the Broadstone Quarter on 1 January 2015 – make sure you’re there!! We all expected the men to do well, and would have been disappointed otherwise, but what has been remarkable this year has been the renascence of our ladies’ team, who, from seemingly nowhere, in 2013 appeared in strength to top Division 2 and earn promotion to Division 1. Then, not only do they consolidate their position in the top division, they go on to win it! The foundation of the team, racing regularly, has been Nikki Sandell, Gemma Bragg and Caroline Rowley, backed up by (as they say on ‘Strictly’ – in no particular order) Emma Dews, Helen Ambrosen, Janie Chapman and Cherry Sheffrin, with recently joined Heidi Tregenza showing her ability in cross-country, but yet to race on the road in a BAC vest. In addition, Caroline is the only BAC athlete to win the Fidelity Award for competing in all 12 League races, which is quite an achievement considering the commitment involved. For the men, Jon Sharkey and Simon Munro having been competing for the first individual spot, just taken by Jon with Simon close behind in second. Another award worthy of note is Paul Hill‘s win in the 21/24 age category, considering nearly all Paul‘s League races have been just after Parkruns or just before or after a marathon, etc.! So, in addition to Division 1 wins for both BAC Mens‘ and Ladies‘ teams, the individual DRRL awards are as follows:
1st overall – Jon Sharkey; 1st M25/29 – Simon Munro (2nd overall); 1st M21/24 – Paul Hill (8th overall); 1st F overall – Nikki Sandell; 1st F30/34 – Gemma Bragg (2nd F overall); 1st F40/44 – Caroline Rowley (6th F overall) + Fidelity Award.
The Boscombe 10k, organised by Bournemouth Joggers, took place on 23 November. Amongst the 11 BAC athletes who competed were Paul Hill and Nikki Sandell, who both ran 2 seconds outside their PBs (Nikki was the 2nd lady), and Chris O’Brien, who also ran a PB. Boscombe 10k results (BAC): 4. Paul Hill 36.11; 10. Simon Way 36.57; 12. Billy McGreevy 37.00; 32. Nikki Sandell 39.23; 39. George Way 39.55; 41. Chris O’Brien 39.57; 53. Ian White 40.37; 55. Jud Kirk 40.51; 84. Steve Cox 43.04; 211. Joe Price 48.48; 375. Will Price 55.13. There were 531 finishers.
The Gosport Half Marathon, organised by Gosport Road Runners, took place on 16 November. Of the 1574 finishers, in 32nd place was Manol Dimitrov, 1.15.24 (2 seconds over Manol‘s PB), and 49th was Graeme Miller, 1.18.03.
The recent Parkruns have produced some BAC winners and PBs. On 15 November, at Bournemouth, Paul Hill won (for the second time!) with a PB, but then reverted to his customary (!) 2nd position on 29 November, having been 3rd on 22 November. Also running PBs on 15 November were Brandon Meredith, Sebastian Hearn and Alison Humphrey (Alison‘s PB was, of course, for this event; in earlier years, as Alison Barnes, Alison ran quicker than most people over this and other distances!). At Poole on 29 November, Jez Bragg ran his first Parkrun to finish 3rd, closely followed in 4th by Simon Way, and the week before, 22 November, the Poole Parkrun was won by Jon Sharkey.
Maybe not actually road running, but it’s worth mentioning Ross Smith‘s exploits in off-road duathlons. On 16 November Ross was 8th of 152 finishers in an extremely muddy Cirencester Duathlon, which consisted of a 2 mile run, 10 mile bike and 2 mile run. Even more impressive was Ross‘ 4th position of 233 at Ashvale Ranges the following Saturday, 22 November, consisting of a 10k run, 18k bike and 5k run which Ross completed in 2.05.38. Ross describes the event as extremely hilly and tough but he says it was a great race and he felt good (BAC training?!), and Ross‘ excellent position is more remarkable considering he had a tumble at 3 miles into the first run, tearing a small muscle, which resulted in slight swelling to his leg by the finish. So most of the race must have been undertaken with some pain – well done!