An amalgamation of Middlesex and Herts Masters proved a great success
The championships at Trent Park had 52 & 54 runners from separate counties making 106 finishers.
The event was in fine spring weather with just a few patches of mud.
AMERICAN, SUE RUST, a financial journalist in the West End, was a comfortable winner and, the most impressive
in the successfully combined Middlesex & Herts events.
In her first veteran cross country she went ahead, after three quarters of the first lap covered and, before they dipped down
for the two large laps. She never looked like being stopped after that.
Rust (36) did team sports in New Jersey, America before she joined London Heathside six years ago when, she became serious
about running.
She said “I have had a good cross country season, particularly when I came fifth in the horrendous conditions in the
Middlesex on January the 3rd, after battling it out with Lisa Da Silva (4) and Jo Singer (6) but I must say I do like the
1500 because of the strategy used to run well. My fastest, so far, is 4:44 (in 2014 and 2010).
Fiona Kennedy was the first W55 runner
(6th overall in Middx). She is married to Middlesex official
John Flavey of Ealing Southall & Middlesex.
Jim Cooper led in the early stages of the M40 Men’s race until
Neil Miller (North
Herts/Bedford) overtook him but Cooper, had the satisfaction of being Middlesex Champion.
(Cooper, who works for the
Met Police runs for Harrow AC. He was 4th out of 212 in the Police Championships (PSUK) on the 4th of March 2015). In
third place overall was another impressive run by
Julian Critchlow, an over 50 runner,
(Watford AC coach
Critchlow, was once second in the BMAF 40-49, cross country Championships in Scotland some years back. He has run 15:20.1
for 5000m in 2002 and won the Helsinki Half Marathon in 71:46 in May 2007).
3rd Middlesex runner
(5th overall) from Highgate Harriers was
Chris Beecham,
(Chris is an
’Over 45’ runner. Journalist Chris, after running at Cambridge University became a good cross country, fell, and track
runner in the late 80’s & 90’s. Later In 2002 he ran 15:20.01 for 5k on the track and in 2007 he did 71:46 for a half
marathon). Another run specially worth noting was from
Dave Wilcock (Barnet & Distict AC)
in the Over 60’s. He is usually noted for being a ‘World Class’ track Master indoors and outdoors, rather than a
Championship cross country runner.
Alastair Aitken
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