Another day, another sea of black and green. (Except in the junior race, of course, which would come as a surprise to none of us.) Fifty-two of us – plus Danny Ratnarajah sadly taken unwell before the start – in a field of 258. All the best to you, Danny…
We Battle first-timers were in for a treat, despite the warm weather – a lovely, mostly wooded, oblongular course that sent us downhill for the best part of 3k, then uphill for approximately 15 miles, before a final 3k of flat-to-coasting downhillish to the finish, right in front of Battle Abbey gates.
There I spied a friendly chap offering me a medal, then noticed the mayor handing out medals to people less sweaty than myself. I then sat down beside an utterly exhausted Martin Snape who had somehow finished about half an hour before me despite having been awake for three days welcoming new-born twins into he and his wife Jess’s world. Congratulations!
Creaking slowly to my feet, I looked around and saw plenty of others to congratulate – not least Will Withecombe, placed second in a time of 35’32 and our fastest woman, Nicky Steed in 45’58 who was also placed first in her age category.
There were further age-cat wins for Keiran Price, Martin Noakes, Neil Jeffries (who?), Jo French, Yocklin Richardson and Robert Dennis – and plenty more for whom glory was measured in more personal triumphs, such as beating last year’s time: Patrick Bermingham, Charlie Bowley, David Harding, Andy Knight, Chris Weeks, Jacqueline Scott and Krista Barzee – with apologies to any I’ve inadvertently missed.
Hats off to our fifth fastest entrant Andrew Shipilov, who seems to get faster with every run, and Craig Weeks – who ran to the finish despite nursing a hip injury. Well done to Battle first-timer Heidi Rossetter whose never-say-die attitude saw her clinch the Grin of the Day award.
Special mention, finally, to Louise Cavill who not only knocked the best part of six minutes off her 2021 time, but did so replicating Lioness Chloe Kelly’s sports bra celebration all the way down Battle High Street. Girl power to the MAX!
Written by Neil Jeffries
