Perivale 5 Race Report

Fiona Kennedy reviews the race on Sunday 6th December

 
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The Perivale 5, Ealing’s longest established road race, was a sell-out for the third year running, with 400 signing up in advance. Runners had to contend with a challenging westerly breeze but escaped the gale force winds and floods which hit the north of the country.

At the start, veteran Simon Shaw of host club Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC set off “like a greyhound out of the traps” according to the Lead Bike. He stayed ahead for the first of the two laps, tracked closely by Faye Fullerton of Havering AC.


Photo of Faye Fullerton from Caroline Plummer

Faye then took over, and there was a real possibility of the race being won outright by a female. After half a mile or so, however, Andrew Pickett of Dartford Harriers moved ahead and he held that position, crossing the line in 27:04. Faye was just 50 metres behind in a personal best of 27:16, placing her second on the UK rankings this year and beating her own course record set in 2009. By this stage Blake Vivian of St Albans Striders was also just 10 seconds from the finish, depriving local running clubs of the top three places.

Simon Shaw held on well, finishing just half a minute behind the winner, and took the M40 veteran’s prize. Team-mate Jon Ellis followed in fifth. With James Hughes in tenth, trimming his PB by half a minute, ESM took the men’s team award, with Ealing Eagles second.

A notable veteran performance came from M50 David Annetts, who ran 28:20 to finish eighth overall. Ric Berry of West 4 Harriers took the second M40 prize, while Steve Paull of Metros RC was the first man over 60.

The second woman was veteran Vicky Carter of Thames Valley Harriers in 31:40, with the fast-improving Lydia O’Donoghue of Ealing Eagles just 50 metres adrift. With Nichola Anderson seventh woman to show, and Kerstin Luksch twelfth, Ealing Eagles took the women’s team prize. With ESM’s women second, it was a good local derby, the women’s team results reversing those of the men.

Veteran Sasha Birkin of Metros produced a PB to take the W35 prize seven seconds ahead of West 4’s Rachel Badham. Rachel had the consolation of a PB, and her team-mate Rose Lewis took honours in the W45 category. Fiona Kennedy, newly-appointed President of ESM, was first in the W55 category.

Two-fifths of entrants were Ealing residents, and there was good support from the West London running scene. ESM itself fielded 62 runners. A further seven came from neighbours Ealing Triathlon, based at Gurnell Pool, with former members Matt Savory and wife Helen travelling all the way from Pocklington in Yorkshire to support their old club. There were 33 Ealing Eagles, 17 Metros, 15 West 4 Harriers, 15 from Shepperton Running Group. Many others travelled from across London and the Home Counties to take part, with North London club London Heathside sending 15 members.

One in three were casual runners, and the fastest male in the Borough unattached to a club was Nick Steel in 29:32. The fastest unattached local female was Sangnuma Rai in 46:05. Sangnuma is one of the weekly Run Directors at the nearby Northala Fields parkrun and a good number of unaffiliated runners from there took part.

The youngest runner was 15 year old Henry Dadswell of Ealing Eagles, and the oldest was 78 year old Jeanne Coker of Metros.

The 5 mile race was followed by a 2km Fun Run for Under 15s. Thirty-nine youngsters took part, with ages ranging from 4 to 14. Jonathan Martin of ESM led them home in a little outside seven minutes, only just holding off team-mate Kane Foster. Kane’s younger brother Dylan was third home just ten seconds later.

The first girl was ESM’s Anisa Ibrahim, followed by team-mate Cameron Thomas, while Fun Run regular Lani Charles took third. Lani’s younger brother Maceo was well placed in the boys’ field, despite being only 10, while 11 year old Christopher Hudson of Metros showed promise with his sixth place. The seven young members of Shepperton Running Group were led home by 8 year old Finlay Diamond, who was the first U10 to cross the line. The group somewhat stole the show, dressed in their purple team T-shirts and high-fiving team-mates.

The event is generously sponsored each year by Prince Evans Solicitors LLP, and ESM would like to acknowledge the recent donation from the Heathrow Community Fund, enabling them to buy equipment and fund minibus transport for their junior athletes.

Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC welcomes new runners of all ages and abilities at their home at Perivale Park Athletics Track. For more information, visit www.esm.org.uk or contact fiona@esm.org.uk.

 

December 9th 2015

 

 

 

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