MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIP 10K - 7th September 2013 - Victoria Park
MOHAMUD AADAN, on 65 miles a week of running, reduced his best time for 10k from 33:07 to 30:34 over the same course (He last did in 2010.) This year he ran a personal best 5k track time of 14:34.09, when winning the CAU Inter Counties track race at Bedford on the 25th of August but explained "The weather was against me on that day, as I was expecting a time of 14:10." A month ago Aadan had spent a month in Kenya running and, he hopes for a good Winter season and an even better performances next year.
At 1k in the race at Victoria Park, in fine conditions, there was a tightly bunched group of a dozen, led by Dave Gilbert and Shaun Dixon. It was at 4k Aadan, Paul Martelletti, Jonathan Poole, Dixon, Paulo Natali and Huw Lobb were together at the head of the field of 298 finishers.
It was shortly after that, at half way Martelletti put in a bit of a surge and only Aadan and Natali went with him.
For the last 3k Aadan really pushed the pace along and only Martelletti could get anywhere near him, with Natali then in a clear third position. Natali is not a known name, because he spent his first 23 years of his life in France and now, works for a German Bank in the City of London. Shaun Dixon had been ill in the week and done no training in that period so, felt it after 5k and had to be content to hold off Gilbert and Lobb in the closing stages.
Dixon hopes to be running very well again by November time and distance racing in Spain in the continent in the New Year too.
Katy Webster, a marathon runner, recently lightly raced, ran a PB of 35.53 to lead the women's race all the way and, looked back to her best result which was in 2005 when she ran 2:50.46 in the London.
Another personal best was by the second woman, Susan Mongahan (36:36). Although she ran 17 minutes for 5k as an 18 year old, she had nine years, virtually out of athletics with stress fractures and was diaagnosed as having a vitamin D deficiency but, back again now to good running.
Men;- 1 Mohamud Aadan (TVH) 30:34; 2 Paul Martelletti (VPH & TH) 30:37; 3 Paolo Natali (Unattached) 30:48; 4 Jonathan Poole (Serpentine) 31:17; 5 Shaun Dixon (Highate Harriers) 31:20; 6 John Gilbert (Kent AC) 31:23; 7 Huw Lobb (Bedford & county) 31:50; 8 Will Green (Sepentine V45) 32:24.
Women 1 Katy Webster (London Heathside) 35:53; 2 Susan Mongahan (Hillinhgdon) 36:56; 3 Christine Lutsch (Serpentine, V35) 37:54.