Weekend highlights
- Nikki Goodwin returns to the Canterbury 10 mile a year after breaking her femur
- Our cross country teams battle the mud in the South of England Championship
- New parkrun Personal Best (PB) for Dan Voller at Walmer and Deal
- Loads of new PBs at the Canterbury 10.
South of England Cross country championship
Parliament Hill, the iconic home of English cross country first hosted the championship in 1950 and was the venue again this year for the National cross country championships on Saturday.
Around 2000 runners competed, ‘charging’ up the famous hill, tackling the mud and the energy sapping terrain.
In the under 20’s women’s race, Emily Chambers finished the 6 kilometre (km) route in an incredible time of 32.03.
Next in the senior ladies 8km race, Emma Creasey was first back for Folkestone in position 139 with a time of 35.40. Gail Turbutt finished in position 521 with a time of 46.28, and just behind in 46.46 was Catherine O’Connor finishing in position 533.
Ian McGilloway ran an incredible 59.33 in the senior men’s 12 km course, finishing in position 320 out of 1172. Tom Leaver finished in position 544 with a time of 1:03.57.
It was a long day for those who travelled up to London but a satisfying achievement.
Canterbury 10
Sunday January 26 was the day of the Canterbury 10 mile.
This popular race is a highlight in the local run calendar: It’s the beginning of the year for runners assessing their fitness, and sees new runners taking on the challenge of a 10 mile as part of their marathon training plans.
Our own Nikki Goodwin had become a ‘bit of a celebrity’ as she fell at this race last year, breaking her femur.
Nikki took notice of her physio exercises and used the year to slowly get back to fitness, returning Sunday to run the course again: Many Folkestone runners reported being asked if Nikki was back, and she didn’t disappoint the field.
Running with a complementary place, and with the crowd cheering her on, Nikki finished in 1.11.23.
Once I passed the area where I fell…I knew I was going to be ok.
Nikki Goodwin
With slightly less attention on them, our other runners also did brilliantly:
- Ian McGilloway – 1:00:29 [1st club male, 13th overall]
- Stuart Erskine – 1:05:35 [PB by 11 minutes]
- Tim Warren – 1:09:37
- Darren Crew – 1:10:01
- Nikki Goodwin 1:11:23 [1st club female, 174th overall]
- Ian Merrick – 1:12:04
- Rob Huish – 1:14:10
- Richard Fowles – 1:15:55
- Kirsty Wilson – 1.16.47
- Vicky Scott – 1:18:14 [PB]
- Liam Cumber – 1:18:22
- Neil Trett – 1:18.38 [PB]
- Andy Hadlow – 1:18:29
- Tony Scott – 1:20:43
- Jason O’Callaghan – 1.20.54
- Vicky Green – 1:24:05 [PB]
- Alan Fletcher – 1:24:00
- Andy Smith – 1:25:12
- Hayley Ballard – 1:26:12
- Laura Ballard – 1:26:04
- Diane Parsons – 1:27:51
- Jody Stoakes – 1:28:26
- Gary Brazier – 1:28:55
- Gail Turbutt – 1:29:07
- Marie Brazier – 1:29:38 [PB]
- Malcolm Gibbs – 1:33:34
- John O’Hara – 1:33:31
- Maria Felicetti – 1:39:56
- Julie Gibbs – 1:44:59
- Helen Francis 1:45:19
- Kate Lancefield 1:53:31 [PB]
- Lynsey Tighy – 1:54:36
- Kayleigh Cumber – 2:02:47 [PB]
I wish I knew about those hills!
Helen Francis
Parkrun roundup
Folkestone
Dave Gillett was first finisher in a time of 17:47, followed by:
- Phil Hoyland – 18:12
- Nick Steele – 20:24
- Ian Merrick – 21:04
- Deborah Jeffrey – 21:16
- Rob Huish – 22:27
- Levi Atwell – 22:52
- Stuart Erskine – 24:30
- Richard Fowles – 25:13
- Catriona Watts – 25:52
- Chris Woolgar – 25:52
- Diane Parsons – 25:55
- Carolyn Lewis – 26:22
- Phil Maul – 27:08
- Trudi Curd – 27:32
- Gary Brazier – 27:45
- Richard Dyer – 28:19
- Jason Ransley – 28:33
- Louise Fowler – 30:44 [best time since May 2018]
- Sue Elkins – 32:47
- Kayleigh Cumber – 33:30
- Catherine Anne Curtis – 34:49
- Brian Davis – 35:32
- Emily Lancefield – 39:39
- Kate Lancefield – 39:48
- Alfie Lancefield – 46:45
Julie Gibbs and Malcolm Gibbs volunteered as tail walkers, coming in together in 49.04 and 49.05 respectively
Elsewhere
Over in Walmer and Deal, running from strength-to-strength, was Dan Voller finishing in first position in a personal best time of 17.07.
At Bedgebury parkrun, warming up for the Canterbury 10 mile, was Darren Crew running 23.07, and running the undulating course for the first time Jody Stoakes ran 27.17
Ready and excited for the Canterbury 10. 
Nikki Goodwin with her Canterbury 10 medal. 
The FRC team keeping warm before the Canterbury 10. 
Emily Chambers on her way in the Southern XC championship. 
Our ladies XC team: Emma, Catherine and Gail.