19 Feb

The Test Track 10 mile Road Race (17th February) has an interesting circuitous route round the Fords Dunton Research Centre. 

Thurrock’s athletes were well to the fore providing the winner in the shape of Dr Rob Doyle who, in spite of running off course by 200 metres, won very comfortably with a time of 60m45. 

Relative novice Shaun Brown was 9th with a time of 64m11s i.e. sub 40 minute 10k pace – a very promising effort. 

Tim Martin ran a solid race to finish 16th male finisher. 

MV50 Jason Syrett used his experience to finish 19 male in 68m31. 

Debutant in club colours Jonathan Pate’s 69m30 timing showed promise. 

Lucy Golding demonstrated her tough mind set in 4th place in the ladies race. Gary Rowatt had his best run for some time as 37th man with a time of 72m35. 

Terry Lewsey finished 51st.  Toby Draper walked the last two miles because of an injured hamstring but finished in 73rd place. 

Bernie Johnson enjoyed his outing by finishing just inside the top 100 men. Hayley Slawson beat 123 runners to finish 337th with a time of 102m29. 

Of interest locally 3rd place was Sean Scott, on the management team at Proctor and Gamble. Could he follow some time colleagues Louise Brass and Jon Metcalf as one of Thurrock Harriers elite? 

Former Harrier, Martyn Staines was 29th male in the 460 strong field. Grays based Sam Hack and Amy Wright were 5th and 7th in the ladies race. What a team they could make with Lucy Golding and the other Thurrock ladies. 

Wheelchair athlete Eddie Essex took the prize in that category.