9:40am Tuesday 30th December 2008
By Tom Pollak
Runners braved near freezing conditions to compete in the final weekly park runs of 2008 on Saturday morning.
More than 250 hardy souls turned out in the Bushy Park run at Teddington, where Hercules Wimbledon’s James Trapmore repeated his success of the previous weekend in heading home the field over a frost-bound course.
He was six seconds slower than his time seven days earlier as he reached the finish well clear in 15 minutes, 55 seconds to post his 13th win in 15 appearances in the Bushy Park event.
Stragglers’ Ben Osborn was second in 16:50, while Dorking & Mole Valley’s Alex-James Ward finished third on his debut appearance in the event in 17:06.
Stragglers’ Roy Reeder was fourth and first veteran in 17:23.
Farnham Runners’ super vet Mike Anderson, making his 101st appearance in the event, posted the top age-graded performance in finishing sixth in 17:38.
The race saw the return after injury of former marathon international Steve Badgery, from Hercules Wimbledon, who was the first over-60 finisher in 19:46.
Windsor teenager Faith Smith was the top woman in 21:10, taking five seconds off her previous best for the course.
Unattached runner Martin Alvarez Espinar, from Spain, made an impressive winning debut in the Wimbledon Common run in 16:13, a time which puts him ninth on the all-time list behind Epsom-based Kojo Kyereme’s course record of 15:24.
Ranelagh veteran Darryl McDonald posted the top age-graded performance in finishing runner-up in 17:07 with Herne Hill’s Basil Wallace third in 18:15.
Hercules Wimbledon’s Tamsin Cargill won the women’s race on her event debut in 21:58, ahead of clubmate Michaela Knespl (22:16).
Another unattached runner, Matthew Elliott, also made a winning debut in the Richmond Park run in 18:25, just holding off veteran Jim Desmond, from Stragglers, who was four seconds slower.
Desmond was not only pipped for the race but also to the top age-graded performance by unattached over-45 veteran Bill Neely, who was sixth in 19:38.
St Mary’s Richmond teenager Maddie Garner, also making her first appearance in the event, was first woman in 21:21.
South London Harriers’ Pawel Bal headed home a 100-strong field in Banstead Woods in 16:39, from Tadworth veteran David Williamson (18:59) and Epsom & Ewell teenager Ollie Garrod (19:12).
Collingwood’s David Johnson improved by 24 seconds on his previous best in finishing fourth in 19:15, with South London Harriers’ over-55 veteran Ian Kitching posting the top age-graded effort in finishing fifth in 19:19.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/trade_directory/