Race report

Spring is springing!

A gorgeous sunny week has not only brought warmer days, lighter evenings and the colours of spring but also the early stages of those seasonal races.

This Sunday saw the debut of many club members first race of 2025 and a good gauge of how they’re feeling before those eagerly anticipated marathons.

Let’s get a look at how they did:

Paddock Wood Half Marathon

Folkestone Running & Athletics Club members with their Paddwock Wood medals.

A day which saw temperatures higher than racers had seen for quite some time, this Sunday 9 March saw some extraordinary efforts across the day.

A fast, accurate course on roads through the hop fields and orchards of Paddock Wood is a favourite of Folkestone Running & Athletics Club which always sees a PB or two – and that was no different today!

Thomas Aspinall, Carrie Thomas and Marie Brazier all achieved personal best efforts on the day with times of 01:31:31, 01:40:35 and 01:52:31 respectively.

Despite finding it hard with the warm weather, Carrie stormed to the finish with a three-minute PB!
Thomas beaming with his medal and three-minute PB.
Marie Brazier smiling after earning her shiny new PB by over two-minutes.

Further up the course, Daniel Radcliffe was first finisher for the club with a time of 01:16:40.

Not far behind was Nick Steele at 01:20:22, Simon Ramsay at 01:22:47, Krzysztof Klidzia in 01:22:53 and Torben Jessen with 01:23:33 and also earning 5th in his 60-69 age category.

Darren, Catherine, Carrie, Stephen, Thomas and Torben all feeling pretty chipper before the race.

Darren Crew came up next with 01:27:19 then Thomas Aspinall followed by Catherine O’Conner at 01:37:10 (8th in her age category), Carrie Thomas and then Emily Chambers in her first ever half marathon with a time of 01:41:22 – what a showing by her!

Stephen Deeming rocked in with 01:47:27, Alan Randall at 01:49:19, then Marie Brazier, Jody Stoakes with 01:57:17, Jenny “Twiggy” Heathfield in 02:02:55 and Deborah Fowles closing a great day with 02:20:59.

Also running but with Nepal Run UK were Prakash and Manda Gurung who both did great and close times at 01:35:22 and 01:36:35.

Amazing results by all!

Brett Lydd Half Marathon & 20 Mile

A few of the Folkestone Running & Athletics Club crew who took on the Lydd Half Marathon & 20 Mile event.

Sunday 9 March should really be the new pancake day as this long-established and highly coveted event in Lydd hosts an incredibly flat course for runners from all over.

Across wide, quiet country lanes surrounding the marsh town in Kent, it’s the perfect opportunity to test pace, hydration, and nutrition ahead of future marathons.

It’s also a great run for racers of all abilities just looking for a good day out, and with our club entires this year – we had a nice mix of both!

First up is the half marathon participants which was headed up by Jon Eaton in 01:20:37, Louisa Eede at 01:49:31 and then Adam Ward with 01:52:44 which was a big PB win for him!

Dominic Shepherd came in at 01:55:54, Matthew Harris with 01:58:29, John O’Hara at 02:02:58, Anthony Scott clocking in 02:14:19 and then Rachel Smith rounding out the half with 02:23:42.

Louisa, Kevin, Ian, Darren and Jason feeling chuffed with their medal winnings at the Lydd 20 Mile.

Now for 20 miler which saw some extraordinary efforts by our members, with a few of them primed for Spring marathons this year.

First finisher for the club and with an astounding effort ahead of his London hopes, Ian Vousdan came in at 02:46:21.

Andrew Hadlow followed with 02:57:04, Jason King at 03:01:30, Darren Philip close behind at 03:03:05, Terry Clatworth in 03:06:23 and Kevin Whitby getting across with 03:08:25.

As part of her Brighton Marathon training, Rosie Smissen finished at a great time of 03:17:48.

Deborah Parmenter finished (3rd in her female vet category!) at 03:21:00 along with Paul Hannay in 03:21:56, Jane Wren at 03:25:57 and then Caroline Curtis who was also giving out much-needed sports massages!

What a day you all had, hope you wore sun cream!

20 Mile and Half Marathon finishers, Ian and Louisa embrace after a fantastic day in Lydd.

This week’s parkruns:

Maidstone River Park parkrun

Kate EVANS, 25:46

 

Keswick parkrun

Stuart WEST, 22:28

 

Folkestone parkrun

Guy SLINGSBY, 17:57, 1st Finisher and 1stMale

Nicholas BRYANT, 18:28, 2nd Finisher and 2ndMale

George RIGBY, 18:50, 3rd Finisher and 3rdMale

Ian MERRICK, 18:58

Rob COLLIER, 19:16

Derek MATCHAM, 19:46

Tristan BRUCE, 20:00

Prakash GURUNG, 20:21

Kev HOWSE, 20:44

Thomas ASPINALL, 21:02

David WEEKES, 21:19

Stuart ERSKINE, 21:47

Krzysztof KLIDZIA, 22:18

Linnaea STOCKALL, 22:32, 3rd Female

Greg DIXON, 22:45

Simon COFFEY, 22:46

Phil HAINES, 23:27

Tim WARREN, 24:15

Stephen DEEMING, 24:17

Ian VOUSDEN, 24:35

Trevor DEVOOGHT, 24:49

Simon BURVILL, 26:04

Ron BELL, 26:05

Karl LETCHFORD, 26:10

Anthony SCOTT, 26:27

Brian AUSTIN, 26:44

David BOTTING, 26:59

Richard FOWLES, 27:57

Deirdre COOMBS, 28:06

Jacob BUCK, 28:07

Tomas LANE , 28:35

Miles GAWTHORP, 28:35

Neil ADAMS, 28:59

Brian DAVIS, 29:26

Jonathan DRINKWATER, 29:46

Gary BRAZIER, 29:51

Jane WREN, 29:53

Marie BRAZIER, 31:26

Roy ATKINS, 31:44

Alicia SZMELTER, 33:16

Julie GIBBS, 33:19

Malcolm GIBBS, 33:20

Catherine-Anne CURTIS, 33:50

Kate LANCEFIELD, 34:12

Jacob HENWOOD, 36:08

Lauren HART, 37:44

Manda GURUNG, 39:26

Helen MERRICK, 42:12

Rachel YORKE, 43:36

 

Sittingbourne parkrun

Henry AXON, 17:50, 1st Finisher and 1st Male

Amy OWEN, 25:44

 

Bedgebury Pinetum parkrun

Martin Salmon, 23:37

 

Sizewell parkrun

Clare EVANS, 29:42

 

Walmer and Deal Seafront parkrun

 Diane Parsons, 27:25

 

Uckfield parkrun

Caroline CURTIS, 30:37

Brett Parker, 56:33

 

The Leas parkrun, Minster

Nikki GOODWIN, 21:44, 3rd Female

Rachel SMITH, 30:34

 

Chuo koen parkrun

Andrew NOBLE, 19:37 3rd Finisher and 3rdMale

Lesley CLANCY, 23:38, 2nd Female

 

Mote Park parkrun

Karla LARDNER, 24:45, 3rd Female

 

Dover Waterfront parkrun

Deborah JEFFERY, 19:11, 1st Female

 

Check out the full results here.