Mark Hayes Memorial Mile 2018

Thanks to Tony Tuohy for this excellent write-up of our annual celebratory mile races in memory of erstwhile club mile champion Mark Hayes. As always his family were in
attendance to take part too. The old 300m college track is a bit worse for wear these days but despite this some excellent PB level runs were achieved, with a great opportunity to improve on a 400m track. Following on from the serious races a light hearted "beer mile" race was run to celebrate Mike Mann's impending 70th birthday and a collection of fine ales that Thomas South had managed to source. Photos courtesy of Jim Dowsett and Rob Hollands.

Race 1

The first race saw Alex and Colin locked together until the last lap when Colin couldn’t hold on any longer as Alex pulled away to win. Barrie didn’t run to last year’s form but Andy, Jo and Lindsey were near enough.

1 Alex Bazin 6:26.2
2 Colin Frith 6:31.3
3 Jules Anderson (gst) 6:44.3
4 Andy Murray 6:53.9
5 Jo Shelton Pereda 7:01.4
6 Barrie John Nicholls 7:16.4
7 Lindsey Annable 7:18.9
8 Fleur Brissy-Hayes 7:35.5
9 Karine Brissy-Hayes 7:36.3
10 Celeste Brissy-Hayes 7:58.0
11 Karine Burrowes 8:00.0
12 Florence Vernon 8:33.6

2 laps
Lucy Wilson 3:45
Hattie Hollands 4:54

Race 2

In true Diamond League fashion the second race had its very own pacemaker as Ebe set sail on schedule for a six minute mile. Mike Fullilove followed this easily enough and came through strongly for a better than expected time. Perhaps the pick of the race was Eleanor, sticking to
Ebe like glue for her best run on the slow college track, but just a few tenths short
of last year’s late season PB. Michelle also made good use of the pace to record yet
another PB-level run. Mike Mann and Lucy Clapp matched their recent 1500m form, either side of an excellent run from Belinda at the unfamiliar distance (with Dad Bob showing good form too), while Anna and Yvette notably posted bestever times, hopefully to be repeated at
the club championship Soar Mile for official PBs.

1 Mike Fullilove 5:53.9
2 Ebe Prill 6:01.2
3 Eleanor Simmons 6:01.5
4 Michelle Lennon 6:05.0
5 Mike Mann 6:09.9
6 Belinda Cottrill 6:10.8
7 Lucy Clapp 6:11.0
8 Anna Thomas 6:13.2
9 Yvette Dore 6:16.8
10 Matt Ladds 6:20.0
11 Bob Bell 6:25.5
12 Ros Tabor 6:35.0
13 Graham Laylee 6:55.8

Race 3

After a slow first half (for her) Lucy took the lead and built a sizable lead and appeared to be
heading for an easy win. Justin can’t have trusted his fitness early on because once he stirred himself for a last lap effort he ended up catching Lucy and the onlookers enjoyed an elbow-to-elbow battle up the finishing straight, just edged by Justin while Lucy was easily overall fastest woman of the day.

Christina was another excellent improver and should look forward to even better on a standard track while Kim did really well to break six on her current fitness. Coach Steve lamented that his time was slower than the average pace for his best marathons - apparently the speed shown at the 1972 Lewisham Schools 800m Championship was not in evidence.

1 Justin Siderfin 5:27.1 (2:49, 2:38)
2 Lucy Elms 5:27.3 (2:48, 2:39) FASTEST WOMAN
3 Matt Cooke 5:36.4 (2:47, 2:49)
4 Grzegorz Galezia 5:41.0 (3:00, 2:41)
5 Christina Dimitrov 5:45.8 (2:54, 2:52)
6 Steve Smythe 5:53.8 (3:02, 2:52)
7 Austin Laylee 5:55.2 (3:02, 2:53)
8 Kim Hainsworth 5:56.9 (3:02, 2:55)
9 Austin Vernon 6:19.3 (3:13, 3:06)

Race 4

The fastest race effectively became two races with the leading four detaching themselves from us mortals by the time the first straight was run. Lewis front-ran to a straightforward win but Wayne was up for the challenge and was the only one to accompany Lewis through halfway. Unfortunately for Wayne though, the wheels came off heading into the finale and the more conservative-starting Tim and Andy both caught him with negative splitting runs, Tim’s second half notably equal to short-distance specialist Lewis.

Meanwhile division 2 were sorting themselves out a bit further back with a bit of jostling for a lap or two before Ian led through halfway closely tracked by Jack and yours truly. Just for once I was enjoying the race and not hanging on for dear life (my recent default setting) and actually plotting where to put in my devastating finish (I know, poetic licence, whatever). Up the finish straight towards the bell the screaming hordes of adoring fans (!) got the better of me and I belted past Ian with Jack in close company. We couldn’t be separated right until the finishing straight when my legs threw in the towel and completely shut down, conceding three seconds in just 75 metres. Following on, Rob, Joe and Tom all put in good quality well-paced runs at an unfamiliar distance, while Jo Brady was too late for an earlier race but just about made the startline for this one and still put in plenty of effort.
 

1 Lewis Laylee 4:37.7 (2:21/2:17) FASTEST MAN
2 Tim Bowen 4:41.7 (2:25/2:17)
3 Andy Bond 4:43.9 (2:25/2:19)
4 Wayne Lashley 4:48.7 (2:21/2:28)
5 Jack Ramm 5:06.0 (2:35, 2:31)
6 Tony Tuohy 5:09.0 (2:35, 2:34)
7 Ian Lilley 5:12.9 (2:35, 2:38)
8 Rob Hollands 5:16.9 (2:40, 2:37)
9 Joe Farrington Douglas 5:23.2 (2:40, 2:43)
10 Tom Wilson 5:29.8 (2:45, 2:45)
11 Joseph Brady 6:50.0 (3:21, 3:29)