A fine total of 14 Croft Ambrey runners, including juniors and family members took part in the Purslow Hill Race on a beautiful late summer afternoon.
With 21 Ludlow members also taking part this was almost an unofficial ‘head to head’ between the two clubs, providing over half of the 69 finishers.
Stacey Morgan, currently in training for the gruelling Snowdonia marathon led the Croft runners home in 3rd place overall, the winner being top athlete Will Levett, now of Tunbridge Wells but formerly a local runner. Stacey had better watch out as a gang of Croft juniors (with some waiting for their 15th birthdays to become fully paid up club members) were snapping at his heel. Scott Jones won the medal for first Junior male, followed by Jasper Robinson taking silver and Will George in bronze position (great running lads). Sam Harper picked up a prize as second lady overall in a course that well suited her plucky, determined style and strength on the hills. Beth George was 2nd U16 female, very well done. As for me (Neil) there was a glimmer of improvement, after sharpening up my hill work on the Cornish coastpath.
If you haven’t done this race, have a go next year. It’s only 3.7 miles but 650 feet of ascent make it a nice challenge. The race begins with a fast canter across the Purlow showground, skirting the village of Clunbury in a gentle incline before climbing steeply up onto the ridge that lies southeast of the village. Most of the 650 feet of ascent takes place in little more than a mile, where summer training sessions on Bircher Common pay dividends. Spectators with good eyesight can watch the runners from the showground, as they make their way grimly along the skyline before racing headlong downhill towards the finish.
Below are the overall finishing positions and times of those who ran valiantly under the Croft Ambrey banner:
posn. | Surname | Forename | Club | Category | Time | Position in category |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Levett | Will | Tunbridge Wells Harriers | SM | 22.09 | 1 |
3 | Morgan | Stacey | Croft Ambrey | SM | 23.51 | 3 |
6 | Jones | Scott | Croft Ambrey | BOY U16 | 28.28 | 1st boy |
11 | Robinson | Jasper | Croft Ambrey | BOY U16 | 29.31 | 2nd boy |
12 | George | Will | Croft Ambrey | BOY U16 | 29.39 | 3rd boy |
13 | George | Andrew | Croft Ambrey | SM | 29.4 | |
14 | Harper | Alec | Croft Ambrey | BOY U16 | 29.55 | |
20 | George | Thomas | Croft Ambrey | BOY U16 | 31.14 | |
25 | Taylor | Neil | Croft Ambrey | SM | 32.23 | |
27 | Robinson | Ashley | Croft Ambrey | SM | 32.45 | |
29 | Harper | Samantha | Croft Ambrey | SF | 32.54 | 2nd Lady |
31 | Gunner | Gary | Croft Ambrey | SM | 33.16 | 3rd Lady |
42 | Davies | Tom | Croft Ambrey | SM | 35.34 | 1st U16 |
44 | George | Beth | Croft Ambrey | GIRL U16 | 36.05 | !st girl |
65 | Davies | Alison | Croft Ambrey | F | 44.35 |