Kent AC travelled across the river to take on Essex's finest in perhaps the countys largest and most competitive road 10k. Local club Southend AC always turn out in force and normally win the team event, but after a 2nd place finish in 2009 Kent went one better this year to win the 4 to count team competition by the narrowest of margins. Although Southend had the winner and 3 in the top 10, and Chelmsford AC also had 3 in the top ten, our superior packing saw us win by just one point. A changed course and one of the hottest days of the year seemed to make PB's unlikely but nevertheless first counter Chris Greenwood stormed to a PB and 4th place in 33:07- a time which bodes well for a sub 33 minute run in better conditions.As in so many recent races there was then very little separating the 'b' group entrants with our 2nd,3rd and 4th counters in 12th,13th and 14th. Our 5th runner Simon Loach also 'counted' finishing in 19th place (and 3rd V40) and so pushing back Southend's final counter by the crucial 1 place which was our margin of victory. Luke Armitage was 1st V40 ( although I must add there were a couple of us really old V50 people ahead of him ) and recorded a seasons best of 35.14 and fast improving Paul Bell ran a big PB of 35.31. The days was rounded off by the team collecting a large and somewhat strange selection of prices, slightly reminisecent of an Essex car boot sale.The winner wheeled off a matching set of luggage and in addition to the team medals our haul included (in no particular order), a salad bowl, £40 worth of vouchers, a bottle of wine and designer corkscrew four yours truly ( did they have inside information ?) and my personal favourite and what the presenter described as a 'biscuit basket' for Chris. Personally I think Chris 'biscuit basket' Greenwood has a nice ring to it and the 'hungry caterpillar' decoration which was lost on someone of his age will act as a good reminder to try and keep the weight off.
David