Photo – Katie Goodge receives the Boxing Day handicap trophy from her brother Jamie
The traditional Tonbridge Athletic Club Boxing Day handicap race took place at Judd School’s Vizards Sports Fields, over a muddy five kilometres cross country course.
Around one hundred club members, plus a few friends and relatives competed, with the first runners setting off more than twelve minutes ahead of James Kingston, who was the final starter. Start times were based on the predicted pace of each runner, with the aim of producing a close finish from as many as possible.
The first runner to finish was Katie Goodge, who had started 8 minutes and 20 seconds after the first person, whilst still having a 4 minutes 20 seconds advantage over Kingston. She ran the distance in 19.08 and finished twenty one seconds clear of Dominic Heslop, with Ben Shearer, another five seconds back. Thirty runners finished within the next minute.
Katie Goodge also recorded the fastest female time of the race, with her 19.08, followed by Maria Heslop (20.18), Polly Pitcairn-Knowles (20.22) and Emily Geake (20.27). James Kingston was the fastest overall, with 15.19, followed by Ben Pearce (16.30), Michael Ellis and Jamie Goodge, both at 16.52 and Ben Shearer at 16.54.
The next cross-country action for Tonbridge Athletic Club, will be the Kent Championships, which take place at Brands Hatch, on the first Saturday of the new year.