Wilkinson Ackworth Half Marathon, inc AAA and CAU Champs., Ackworth, Yorkshire
Another AAA team title for the Bels
There were some sore legs and blistered feet at the conclusion of this race but there was just no subduing a delighted Belgrave team who had picked up their fifth national title of the winter season. And it wasn't just the team medals going our way as David Anderson won his first ever AAA and Inter-Counties titles and Hassan Raidi got in on the act by collecting AAA bronze with Paul Freary getting Inter-Counties bronze. It could have hardly been a more dominating performance because totting up the times of the next three Belgrave men home - Tadesse, Cockerell and Wolf - showed that their total was 3:30:31 - handsomely enough for the silver medals if a club was allowed to enter two teams!
Above left: Kassa Tadesse, Hassan Raidi, David Anderson and Simon Tonui head the field very soon after the start with Paul Freary matching strides with Rob Birchall. Right: 500 metres remaining and David Anderson eyes up Simon Tonui - just out of reach.
The course was pretty tough, described in the pre-race handouts as "undulating". It was certainly scenic, taking in the villages of Wentbridge, Little Smeaton, Stapleton, Darrington and East Hardwick, with the road in between climbing high over open farmland before plunging down into Low Ackworth to finish. A Saturday evening pre-race tour of the circuit by car and a run over the last five miles of the route showed that the final mile was going to be just right for a blistering finish.
It was cold and a little blustery as the race got under way and Simon Tonui and Sammy Malakwen made an early bid for the front. Going through the village of Wentbridge at 3 miles the chasing bunch included Kenyan course record holder John Mutai, Notts AC's Rob Birchall, David Anderson, Hassan Raidi and Kassa Tadesse. They were followed after a short gap by Paul Freary and Kevin Nash, who had made slightly more conservative opening gambits, and Hercules Wimbledon's Adrian Marriott, running in the Surrey team. Joachim Wolf and Will Cockerell gave us seven Belgravians in the top 25!
At 7 miles Anderson overtook Birchall (who had pipped our man in the AAA 10k Championship back in September) and he now set about Mutai, pulling him back by the 9 mile marker. There's always at least one problem though - and this time it was Kevin Nash who had found himself in trouble first when his left calf cramped up badly, and then again when the skin came off his right Achilles tendon. When Will Cockerell came past, meaning that Kevin was now not scoring for Belgrave or Surrey, he wisely concentrated solely on trying to get home without getting too cold and limiting the damage as best he could.
The final climb was completed just after 12 miles and now that roaring descent. David Anderson was moving faster than either of the leading two by now. Malakwen was clearly safe, having done more than enough to win - and take home the course record bonus - but Tonui was only about 60 metres ahead of the Belgrave man with the gap coming down all the way to the finish. Mutai and Birchall held on to their positions but Hassan Raidi had run like a man inspired to get within 8 seconds of Birchall while being chased hard by his own clubmate, Paul Freary.
Will Cockerell was philosophical about his effort, having placed further up the field than ever before - but somewhat down on the time he had hoped for. Maybe the nature of the course had something to do with that. As for Joachim Wolf - it doen't seem to matter whether the course is tough or easy - he always runs 72-something. Rounding off the team, Malachi Byansi was pleased with his run, knowing now that he is on course for a reasonable run in the London Marathon.
Open Race
1 S. Malakwen (Kenya) 1:04:49; 2 S.Tonui (Leamington/Kenya) 1:05:21; 3 David Anderson (Belgrave) 1:05:32; 4 J.Mutai (Bromsgrove & Redditch/Kenya) 1:06:36; 5 R.Birchall (Notts AC) 1:06:52; 6 H.Raidi (Belgrave) 1:07:00; 7 P.Freary 1:07:11; 9 K.Tadesse 1:07:48; 16 W.Cockerell 1:10:06; 23 J.Wolf 1:12:37; 64 M.Byansi 1:18:35; dnf K.Nash; 679 finished.
Team: 1 Belgrave 13 (2 D.Anderson, 5 H.Raidi, 6 P.Freary); 2 Otley AC (7, 25, 27); 3 Leamington 61 (1, 14, 46); 37 teams closed in.
AAA Champs.
Individual: 1 D.Anderson (Belgrave); 2 R.Birchall (Notts AC); 3 H.Raidi (Belgrave).
Team: 1 Belgrave H 3:19:43; 2 Leamington 3:31:31; 3 Otley AC 3:32:17.
CAU Inter-counties
Individual: 1 D.Anderson (North East); 2 R.Birchall (?); 3 P.Freary (Gtr Manchester).
Team: 1 Yorkshire 3:24:29; 2 Surrey - K.Tadesse (Belgrave), A.Marriott (Herc Wimbledon), W.Cockerell (Belgrave) 3:26:31.
Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.