Welcome back to  #MedalMonday where this week we celebrate runners who went out and cyclists who stayed in, in conditions ranging from wind and rain to balmy sunshine, at home and all over the world.

First up is our cover photo from the Fraternity and Sorority Cup in Trent Park, Enfield, a 7k XC first awarded  in 1933 to celebrate comradeship, and now held annually between local clubs.  Muddy and hilly, will take spikes, the race website promises happily. Hardy Serpies coming in strong were: 68 Philip Whitehouse SM; 2 Jonathan Poole V40; 182 Andy Bain V50;  48 Abigail Perry SL; 119 Camilla Allwood LV65; 230 Paul Ogden V60; 113 Miwa Tonaki LV55. ‘Fun, muddy course despite the gusty conditions,’ says Philip.

Andrea Sanders-Reece ran the Boscombe 10k on Sunday and came fifth out of 19 in her age-group in chip time 55:45. She reports, ‘Mixed terrain, undulating course with a track start and finish. Very windy!’

Elrica Degirman rocked up to run Battersea HM and found herself celebrating a new to PB! 🎸 (2:04:27 chip, beaten 2:07:52 set in September). New PBs for 15k, 10M, 20k too 🥰 ‘Absolutely delighted on the back of an increased load week 😃,’ she says. Another Serpie, Kevan Wilkinson, who did the half in 1:55:52, adds, ‘Bert didn’t really make an appearance again – after blowing the event tents down just before the start.’ There’s a full report of the entire RunThrough festival at Battersea Park on Saturday on our website. Basically it included a full marathon, a half marathon, plus junior races and 5K races in the afternoon. In the marathon, Abu Assad did 3:20:48, Chris Notton 3:20:50 and Lizzie Wilkinson 3:56:09. It went ahead despite high winds, apparently at one point even rearranging the marquees. And numerous laps were run through this ever-evolving landscape! Chris in his report says, ‘At times marathoners were overtaking marathoners, with half marathoners overtaking them and also other half marathoners, all while four speeds of runners are doing the same in the other direction.’

Nick Besson came in second  overall at Hatfield 5m on Sunday inn 26:22. Also out for Serpies  – yes you are reading this right – was Chris Notton, who not satisfied with the Battersea marathon and writing his great report, turned up for a cool down, we presume, to complete Hatfield in 38:22. That’s “ran” not “raced”, he emphasises later. Congratulations to Heidi Rasmussen who ran the Kingston 10k in 1:01:00. 

In the Florence marathon, which she did with her daughter Emily (pb at  3.54.38), Avril Riddell came in at 4:20:12. And John Fassnidge came in at 4h 10m 12s. ‘Ordinarily I’d be disappointed but given almost complete lack of training due to Achilles problems, just pleased to be able to run,’ he says. We understand just how much that takes, to do that. Well done John. 

And we have to say special congratulations to Shuk Man Ng, a graduate from our 10k course in February this year who ran her first marathon – and made it the Mount Fuji International! Although the marathon takes place at the foot of the iconic stratovolcano, that’s still some impressive mountain to climb, in every sense, and done in an impressive 5:21:59.

Our cyclists meanwhile, wisely abandoned their usual Sunday ride to complete the first Serpentine Chase for two years on Zwift. This is a sort of virtual handicap with fun in-game rules and technicalities and there will be more of these. Special thanks to Ham Huxham (3rd) for his usual impressive organisation.  Results: First, Richard Turner, beating Joe Kolb into second by just one tenth of a second and punching out an awesome 264w. Fourth was Tom Donovan, fifth – and first and only lady – Veronique Leroy and sixth, Imran Ahmed.

#running #marathon #London #Serpentine #Serpies #XC #xcountry #crosscountry #zwift #halfmarathon