Men's South of the Thames Championships, Beckenham Park, 17 Dec 2016

Kent & Tonbridge Wall Remains In Tact - For Now

Hopes were high in the week leading up to these Championships that have been so good to us since 1998, that we could do the SOT double for just the second time in our history [the other being 1946].  Without the Lion, Paskar, who continues to convalesce, and with a further two athletes required from last month’s race [6-to-score], we couldn’t afford any slip-ups, but on race morning, a bug claimed two, including Mr Auden which was going to be pricey, and then the traffic did for poor old Roy.Surely Kent and Tonbridge couldn’t be as ruthless as last year, although the course was once again dangerously close to their home patches.  Last year they scored 52 and 58 which is crazy, but this year a chink of light with 72 & 104.  Tonbridge in particular vulnerable, but not quite to be as we produced a very fair 125.  Ed would have had to come minus 1^st to get us the gold.  He’s good, but not that good!Still, it was a day for heroes and the lads knew that each body caught gave us a chance, and let’s not forget about Herne Hill who were packing a beaut.  Wicksy’s legend only grows and our image of him here is not from this year, but winning the same race of a decade ago.  He only had a slightly sub-par Dave Anderson to test him then, but here were four exceptional runners in Hind, Sanderson, Gilbert and Cole ensuring he could never relax – which of course he didn’t.Next cab off the rank was the oak-like Andrius, who had been sweet-talked by just about every club in Surrey before I finally woke up to his quiet strength in September of 2014.  What a magnificent servant he’s been for us since, and he just keeps on improving.  Alex Miller is fit as a butcher’s dog and looks forward to even sterner fare in the new year as he spliced two classic assassins in Herne Hill’s Cummings, and Jules Rendall of Ton.Nick Bundle ran round with his phone even after I’d kindly offered to alert him to his new baby’s gender during the race [should he/she appear].  Nick plainly noted if he got the call that he was out of there.  Fancy giving a hospital dash precedent over an SOT medal.  Priorities…  As it went, Nick appeared at the finish very high up, so all was calm, and he’s rounding into fine form too.Arne was apologetic, but there was no need, a solid, no nonsense run, but he’s more comfortable over the shorter stuff; and who to close us in:  The rarely sighted Mooresy; the talented Mills & Gardner who couldn’t be separated all day; or Tom O’Beirne?  The dire SEAA entry system always spits Tom out in disgust when I try to include him in our teams [because they don’t know what an apostrophe is]; but I refuse to take no for an answer, as this is as reliable sweeper as you could get, which he’s shown in many Surrey Leagues and most famously the National this year.  And indeed he settled our account smoothly here, chuntering about how his 53 should’ve started with a 4.With old fave Alex Luce completing our work, we can savour a fine first half of the season.  Yes, there have been some set backs, but five podiums ain’t messing about, and all the big ones still to savour.  Season's greetings to all, and the squad have my express permission to only train once on Christmas Day.1 P Wicks (Belgrave H) 36:19; 2 O Hind (Ken) 36:53; 3 J Sanderson (G&G) 37:04; 6 A Jaksevicius 38:02; 13 A Miller 39:31; 18 N Bundle 40:09; 34 A Dumez 41:15; 53 T O'Beirne 42:42; 64 S Gardner 43:23; 65 A Mills 43:30; 81 B Moores 44:52; 111 A Luce 47:57.  198 finished.1 Kent 72; 2 Tonbridge 104; 3 Belgrave H 125; 4 Herne Hill H 162.  21 teams closed in.