Race report: Perivale 5 - Sunday December 4, 2011

On a chilly but bright Sunday morning, Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC hosted the 14th staging of its annual 5 mile road race at Perivale Park Athletics Track

The field of 275 entries and 240 finishers was the largest in the history of the race. As usual, runners of all ages and abilities took part: the youngest was 15, the oldest was 71; the fastest took just 26 minutes, while the last to finish walked the two-lap course in just under 90 minutes.

Many of those taking part were not associated with a running club. However, there was strong representation from the running fraternity too: 44 different clubs were represented, the largest squads coming from the Metropolitan Police, Ealing Southall & Middlesex and London Heathside.

The men’s race was a very competitive affair, with five men breaking 27 minutes. Matt Addison of Metropolitan Police took the early lead at a blistering pace, with Sean Renfer of Thames Valley Harriers and Mike Cummings of Herne Hill battling it out in second and third. Addison, more noted as a track runner, could not sustain the pace in this rare outing on the roads. He was eventually overhauled in the second lap, finishing fifth in a very respectable 26:47. The winning position was not decided until the last few hundred metres on the athletics track, when Cummings accelerated away from Renfer to finish in 26:09, just two seconds short of his personal best. Renfer, last year’s winner, was just nine seconds behind. Third place went to Robert Wilson of the host club in a personal best time of 26:35. With fellow club members Matt McCabe and Stephen Elson following in eighth and 13th respectively, the host club took the honours in the men’s team competition.

The women’s race was more of a procession. Leigh James of London Heathside, last year’s third-placer, led from start to finish in 32:13, leading her club to a winning performance in the team race. Despite completing a tough 5-mile cross country race the day before, Patricia Thomas took second place in 33:54. At times she was headed by clubmate and fellow over 45 Claudia Manera, who also ceded third place in the last quarter of a mile to a fast-finishing Amy Cope of Serpentine. Manera had the consolation of taking the W45 prize in her best time since 2008.

There were good performances from the veterans, notably Nigel Rackham of local club Metros, who ran 27:21 to lower the over 45 record. This proved to be the best age-graded time of the day. For the women, Andrea Sanders-Reece of Mornington Chasers sliced well over half a minute from her previous best to finish in 35:03. She not only set a new over 55 age group record for the course.

The 5 mile race was followed by a 2km Fun Run for Under 15’s. Twenty-six youngsters took part, with ages ranging from six to thirteen. There was a tussle for first place between 11 year olds George Kerry and Roisin Lynch, both of Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC, and the unattached 13 year old Jamie Cox. Kerry held off Lynch to finish 12 seconds ahead in 7:29, with Cox another six seconds behind. Three of the Charles family who ran last year returned to the race, with six year old Maceo Charles putting in an especially good performance among much older competitors. Almost all the youngsters who took part last year put in faster times this year.

Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC always welcomes new runners at their home at Perivale Park Athletics Track. Visit www.esm.org.uk for details of training times. For full details of the women’s running group, the Perivale Panthers and other activities offered at the track, visit the Leisure and Culture section at www.ealing.gov.uk/, or call 020 8575 5776.

Photo l-r: Female winner Leigh James, the race start and winner Mike Cummings (215) with runner up Sean Renfer (194)

Men's results

Women's results

Click here for full results