Trent Park (2022 season) – Race report by Alastair Aitken

11th February 2023

JACOB ALLEN, who ran 5th in the Armagh International 5k in 13:47 on Thursday then, on Saturday, had a comfortable victory in the Met league, over the Trent Park course Alastair Aitken reports.

Afterwards, Jacob spoke about the pleasure he got from running for his club Highgate and his job as a PE Teacher at Central Foundation school, improving the boys at sports, particularly athletics.

In the race at Trent Park, it was a group, which included Allen, Brett Rushman, Seyfu Jamaal, Oscar Bell, John Eves and Tom Butler breaking away but soon Allen went ahead and, Brett Rasmusen fell heavily on a sticky patch that put him right out of the running for a place. Oscar Bell, who won at Welwyn, then became a good second in the final lap but, by then Jacob Allen was even further ahead.

The first M45 was Jim Cooper, the Harrow ‘stalwart’ in 61st place and the first M75 was Richard Bloom
340 (In 40.17) and the first M80 was London Heathside’s Bob Gould (52.41).

Highgate Harriers Men had enough points to go on to be the winners overall of the Men League for the 10th successive year but, the Howard Williams Senior Trophy, which adds the Men and the women for total points went to London Heathside because Highgate was Back in 6th place for the women!

There was a good Highgate individual winner in Hannah Viner in the women’s race. On the day it was TVH who had six in the first 9 places but as Viner dominated the second half of the race in second place, was Yvie Lock. A hockey player for Reading, who had only done three weeks of running training so, surprised herself. Angela Duncan (82) brought in the field.

Again, Lauren Russell was a good winner from Abigail Reid in the Under 17’s and Lauren’s mother was first W55 in the Women’s race. There were some impressive runners who won more than just one Met league in the season. In the Under 13’s for the 4th time James Branch went clear from the start, to think he only started running this season and plays on the right wing for Cheshunt Football club; Jonjo Marsh won all her Met League races and declared after the last one at Trent Park “It was tough but good to finish on a good note” Middlesex Under 17 Champion Michael Cattini looked good winning his Under 17 race but, he had to run well to beat that good Woodford youth Jimmy Geller but, one must remember that, as predicted by their coach, John Stowe, very early in the season, that Woodford Green & Essex Ladies would win the Howard Williams Junior Cup which they did.

Regards Alastair Aitken