Invicta East Kent Athletics Club - Invicta East Kent Athetic Club

<strong>Invicta</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> <strong>Club</strong><br />

<strong>Club</strong> Headquarters, The Canterbury Academy,<br />

Knight Avenue, Canterbury, <strong>Kent</strong>, CT2 8QA<br />

Registered Charity: 1111561<br />

RECORD TURNOUT FOR CANTERBURY 10 MILE ROAD RACE!<br />

On Sunday 29 th January the streets around Chaucer Technology College in Canterbury, and<br />

the lanes around Bridge, Patrixbourne and Bekesbourne were filled with 889 athletes<br />

competing in the Barrett’s Canterbury 10 mile road race. Organised by Canterbury’s <strong>Invicta</strong><br />

<strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> <strong>Club</strong>, the event was a huge success with more runners completing the<br />

distance than ever before.<br />

At 11am the athletes and runners were under starter’s orders and under way. The entries<br />

came from <strong>Club</strong>s throughout <strong>Kent</strong> and the South-<strong>East</strong> and as far afield as France. Strong<br />

representation was in evidence from a whole host of <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> and Running <strong>Club</strong>s.<br />

The conditions on the course were a little tricky, with overnight and early morning rain<br />

making it a bit wet underfoot, and a bit muddy in places on the farm-track sections of the<br />

course. Thankfully, the rain held off for the race itself.<br />

The eventual winner was Andrew Rayner from Blackheath & Bromley <strong>Athletics</strong> <strong>Club</strong> in a time<br />

of 53.31 minutes beating the fastest time from last year. 2 nd place went to Robert Latala and<br />

3 rd to Alex Riches, both of whom are not currently attached to a running club. First home for<br />

the host club, <strong>Invicta</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> <strong>Club</strong>, was Tom Purnell in 59mins exactly, setting a<br />

new personal best time, over 2 minutes ahead of his time last year. In the process Tom also<br />

became the internal <strong>Club</strong> Champion over the distance. 1 minute further back was the<br />

second athlete from the host club, James Rouse, in a time of 1:00.15 (1 hour, 15 secs).<br />

Veteran athletes were also represented, with the 1 st over 40 finisher, Gavin Kitchingham<br />

from Orpington Road Runners, in a time of 58.36 minutes and 9 th overall. The first female<br />

across the line was Rona Louber, from Folkestone Running <strong>Club</strong>, a regular on the road<br />

running circuit in a time of 59.16 minutes, in 12 th place.<br />

A special mention should be made to Sharon Hawkins, from Maidstone Harriers, who despite<br />

a heavy fall in the first 100m, managed to pick herself up and complete the course in a very<br />

creditable 67.02 minutes, finishing in 86 th place and the first female veteran-45 athlete<br />

across the line.<br />

The team win went to Ashford & District Road Running <strong>Club</strong>, just ahead of Canterbury’s<br />

<strong>Invicta</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> <strong>Athletics</strong> <strong>Club</strong> in 2 nd , and the host club.<br />

www.invictaeastkentac.org.uk

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IEK AC were on hand for all runners regardless of their goals, with a team of enthusiastic<br />

marshals cheering on all competitors and ensuring everyone got round safely! The <strong>Club</strong><br />

operated live timing for the event, with the results instantly posted online.<br />

<strong>Invicta</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Kent</strong> AC would like to thank the Barrett’s Group for their continued support of<br />

the event and to thank all the volunteers that gave up their time to help run the event.<br />

Without these people the event would not have been such a huge success.<br />

IEK AC is entirely self-funded and is a registered Charity, with all the money from the event<br />

being ploughed back into providing all its members and the community with “Sport, fitness<br />

and fun”.<br />

IEK AC is also on the lookout for new members, to follow up their enjoyment of this event or<br />

for those just looking to have fun and keep fit at the same time. New members are the<br />

lifeblood of the <strong>Club</strong>, and they would encourage any non-affiliated athletes and runners to<br />

try out the <strong>Club</strong>, and to give some sessions a go at one of their <strong>Club</strong> training nights. The<br />

<strong>Club</strong> offers a range of options and memberships, and are even offering the chance for a free<br />

trial for those who are interested. They really do want everyone to enjoy what the <strong>Club</strong> has<br />

to offer whatever their distance – long or short, endurance or sprinting and a full<br />

programme of field events too, and a promise that there is never a “hard-sell”! Training<br />

sessions take place most nights at the all-weather track located next to Canterbury High<br />

School in Knight Avenue. Details are available online at www.invictaeastkentac.org.uk.