Early June Track Round Up

Although most of the focus in the first two weeks of June has been on the YDL Lower Age Group and the BMC PB Classic, there have been several other meetings where Chiltern runners have been competing
 
Kettering Open
On May 31st (bank holiday Monday) Thomas Askey went to the Kettering Open Meeting and ran 2.02.39 for 800m, a little outside his recently set best
 
Lee Valley Hurdles Fest
Also on bank holiday Monday three U17 Chiltern women tackled 300m hurdles for the first time. Rufaro Chikwanda was quickest with 52.39 followed by Gabi Riley (52.95) and Jess Cook (54.52).
 
National Athletics League
Senior Man Will Perkin attended the inaugural weekend of the new National Athletics League, a combined-gender league to replace the male only British Athletics League and the UK Women’s League. At an excellent meeting at Bromley on Sunday 6th June Will was competing as a ‘Higher Claim Athlete’ for Thames Valley Harriers. Will was running his first race for two years and had an encouraging run to win the 1500m in 3.54.39. After the first round of matches TVH are leading the nationwide competition.
 
BMC Regional Wormwood Scrubs
Several strong Chiltern athletes made the trip on June 9th to Wormwood Scrubs to compete in the British Milers Club Regional meeting.
800m
There were five 800m races and Chiltern had an interest in all five.
In the A race U23 Seb Mills was competing on the track for the first time since 2017. Targeting mid 1.50s, Seb was a little disappointed to finish with 1.59.65 but it was a good effort after a long lay-off. In the B race U17 Oakley Denson had his best race of the season to crack two minutes for the first time, fourth in 1.59.84. The C race saw U17 Thomas Askey run 2.02.16 to be third and newcomer U17 Matthew Evans ran a PB of 2.14.65 to win the D race. U15 Frankie Baxter ran a season’s best 2.23.01 to be fifth in the E race.
 
1500m
In three 1500m races, Chiltern again had runners in each. In the A race U20 Angus Williams had his best race of the summer to record a good PB of 4.00.66. Fellow U20 Max McGarvie was a little down on his best with 4.06.04. The B race saw U15s Euan and Archie Pinder a few seconds off their PBs set at Saturday’s PB Classic. Their 4.22.94 and 4.23.35 respectively are still very good times however. The C race saw a good PB for U17 Maddie Hughes of 4.50.16 and for brother Alex Hughes (U15) who ran well for 4.51.52
 
BMC Gold Standard, Birmingham University
Will Perkin was back on the track at the Birmingham University BMC Gold Standard meeting on June 9th. In a race paced by Chiltern team mate and Birmingham Uni student Adam Day, Will ran a strong last lap to finish fifth in a season’s best 3.51.30.