Ashford & District Road Runners Club have ended the third series of the countywide lockdown league - and hope it will be the last!

Series winners after eight weeks of Lockdown League III were Medway & Maidstone AC’s Ben Tyler for the men and Nichola Evans of Larkfield AC for the ladies.

Ricky Hickman was responsible for collating all of the scores and he said: “Congratulations and of course thanks to everyone that has taken part in any of the races across all three series.

“It’s been a blast, but now is the time to bring the curtain down. I really hope we don’t face another lockdown, but if we do, well Boris and Rishi can organise the next challenge!”

Runners competing in the league, which was open for all, took part in different distances each week. Week one started with 308 entrants and 246 went onto complete all eight distances. Everyone that completed all eight weeks received a medal thanks to the sponsorship of Collins Bespoke.

In the men’s competition, Tyler refused to take his foot off the gas in the last race to finish over 10 minutes clear of closest rival and clubmate Tom Collins in second place. Justin Lane held off a strong challenge from the Ryde Harriers to secure a Medway & Maidstone 1-2-3.

It was a much closer affair for the ladies. Taking a 46-second lead into the final eight mile race, Evans put in a superb time to extend her lead and take the victory by over two minutes from Renata McDonnell (Deal Tri). Taryne McPherson (Medway & Maidstone) finished the series off with another strong run to make sure of third place.

In the ladies ‘three to score’ a fine last performance from Deal Tri saw them leapfrog Ashford & District to take the title. Sittingbourne Striders put in a superb effort in the final two races to take third spot. Laura Woods (Sittingbourne) finished seventh over eight miles.

A&D were ‘six to score’ winners, well out in front for the title, while Sittingbourne Striders climbed up to second. Folkestone RC and Deal Tri shared third place.

In the men’s ‘three to score’ and ‘six to score’ Medway & Maidstone took the crown.

Age category winners were Rhian Shrimplin (ladies under-35) with six wins from her eight races, Evans pipped McPherson for the ladies 34-55 honour after a great battle while Dover Road Runners’ Emma Stockley, with eight solid performances, took third place.

McDonnell took the 45-54 title with a perfect record with Canterbury Harriers’ Claire Pluckrose finishing second while Ashford & District’s Tracey Calnan took third.

Christine Costiff fought off injury to finish with a perfect eight out of eight for the top position in ladies 55-64 ahead of Karen Seymour (Sittingbourne Striders) and Margaret Connolly (South Kent Harriers), finishing second and third respectively. Ann Fidge (A&D) was the top ladies 65+ runner.

The M&M men dominated the top positions with Tyler and Collins taking the top two places in the under-40 category. Clubmate Lane was top 40-49 runner. Folkestone Running Club’s Stephen Male won all but one race in the men’s 50-59 category to take the title. Alun Rodgers (M&M) was a comfortable second ahead of Scott Lynch (A&D) in third.

In the tightest competition of the series, Raymond Pearce (South Kent Harriers) held on to take the men’s 60-69 title, just ahead of Steve Bennett (Isle of Wight RR) and Deal Tri’s Kevin Brown. There was a close contest in the youth category between Callum Fisher (Sittingbourne Striders) and Oliver Collier (Folkestone Running Club), with the former eventually coming out on top. Ryan Fisher (Sittingbourne Striders) took third.

Donations from Lockdown League runners - as well as A&D members who completed the annual chairman’s christmas charity run - means more than £1,300 has been raised for Pilgrims Hospice.

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