Invicta East Kent Athletics Club - Invicta East Kent Athetic Club

Invicta East Kent Athletics Club
Club Headquarters, The Canterbury Academy,
Knight Avenue, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8QA
Registered Charity: 1111561
RECORD TURNOUT FOR CANTERBURY 10 MILE ROAD RACE!
On Sunday 29 th January the streets around Chaucer Technology College in Canterbury, and
the lanes around Bridge, Patrixbourne and Bekesbourne were filled with 889 athletes
competing in the Barrett’s Canterbury 10 mile road race. Organised by Canterbury’s Invicta
East Kent Athletics Club, the event was a huge success with more runners completing the
distance than ever before.
At 11am the athletes and runners were under starter’s orders and under way. The entries
came from Clubs throughout Kent and the South-East and as far afield as France. Strong
representation was in evidence from a whole host of East Kent Athletics and Running Clubs.
The conditions on the course were a little tricky, with overnight and early morning rain
making it a bit wet underfoot, and a bit muddy in places on the farm-track sections of the
course. Thankfully, the rain held off for the race itself.
The eventual winner was Andrew Rayner from Blackheath & Bromley Athletics Club in a time
of 53.31 minutes beating the fastest time from last year. 2 nd place went to Robert Latala and
3 rd to Alex Riches, both of whom are not currently attached to a running club. First home for
the host club, Invicta East Kent Athletics Club, was Tom Purnell in 59mins exactly, setting a
new personal best time, over 2 minutes ahead of his time last year. In the process Tom also
became the internal Club Champion over the distance. 1 minute further back was the
second athlete from the host club, James Rouse, in a time of 1:00.15 (1 hour, 15 secs).
Veteran athletes were also represented, with the 1 st over 40 finisher, Gavin Kitchingham
from Orpington Road Runners, in a time of 58.36 minutes and 9 th overall. The first female
across the line was Rona Louber, from Folkestone Running Club, a regular on the road
running circuit in a time of 59.16 minutes, in 12 th place.
A special mention should be made to Sharon Hawkins, from Maidstone Harriers, who despite
a heavy fall in the first 100m, managed to pick herself up and complete the course in a very
creditable 67.02 minutes, finishing in 86 th place and the first female veteran-45 athlete
across the line.
The team win went to Ashford & District Road Running Club, just ahead of Canterbury’s
Invicta East Kent Athletics Club in 2 nd , and the host club.
www.invictaeastkentac.org.uk

IEK AC were on hand for all runners regardless of their goals, with a team of enthusiastic
marshals cheering on all competitors and ensuring everyone got round safely! The Club
operated live timing for the event, with the results instantly posted online.
Invicta East Kent AC would like to thank the Barrett’s Group for their continued support of
the event and to thank all the volunteers that gave up their time to help run the event.
Without these people the event would not have been such a huge success.
IEK AC is entirely self-funded and is a registered Charity, with all the money from the event
being ploughed back into providing all its members and the community with “Sport, fitness
and fun”.
IEK AC is also on the lookout for new members, to follow up their enjoyment of this event or
for those just looking to have fun and keep fit at the same time. New members are the
lifeblood of the Club, and they would encourage any non-affiliated athletes and runners to
try out the Club, and to give some sessions a go at one of their Club training nights. The
Club offers a range of options and memberships, and are even offering the chance for a free
trial for those who are interested. They really do want everyone to enjoy what the Club has
to offer whatever their distance – long or short, endurance or sprinting and a full
programme of field events too, and a promise that there is never a “hard-sell”! Training
sessions take place most nights at the all-weather track located next to Canterbury High
School in Knight Avenue. Details are available online at www.invictaeastkentac.org.uk.