DOMINIC NOLAN (28) went into the lead after 2 miles. Alastair Aitken reports. Nolan had been running with Seyfu Jamaal and Jack Ramm with Andrew Penny just behind that. “It felt so comfortable so, coming into the penultimate lap , I was holding myself back and, I thought, although it is long way, I could sustain the pace and get a bit of a gap and managed to do that.”
A 13:53/29,13- 5/10k runner, he considered winning the English National trac 10,000 in 2021 as his most outstanding result. He was inspired. at first by secondary school teacher Jeff Mason. In this year’s London Cross, after Seyfur Jamaal, running into 3rd place was Edward Chukc (36), who started running around 2017-18. He explained “ I always like the finish at Parliament Hill, coming down the hill and, sprinting down round the bend to the finish.. You build up so much speed. I was hoping today, one of those first three would fall off the pace and that ‘was when I moved into third.” London Heathside had 4 in 15 to be first team. An interesting thing was the course was not bad in all parts, because the scheduled earlier races for The London Youth Games were cancelled, the night before. The event organizer, Martin Howard had a phone call at 8.25 the night before, to say the races for the London Youth Games are cancelled because of the weather! On the day the conditions were fairly good! 445 completed the senior Men’s race on the day.
Last year’s winner Hannah Viner of the local Highgate Harriers club, had a fracture very recently so, she was a non-starter Holly Dixon (25) was in a group at the start of the women’s race and, after the first lap she took the lead . At half way the first three were well spaced out, 50m apart, and on their own Holly Dixon; Yves Lock and Morgan Squibb. Holly pointed out “ Last Winter I had an achilles injury so I did not run a lot. This week I have had a cold but on 70k a week currently. Regarding inspiration she remarked “ In my club is a coach Glynnis Penny; she has won the ‘National’ which is a dream of mine. I am a long way off that but it is nice to be inspired by her. I really like running but I came from a gymnastics background from 6 or 7 to 17 so, I did not run growing up. I got an England selection for 5kl on the road this year. Holly Dixon’s mother is a good veteran athlete Susan Dixon (58) who came 93rd of 261 finishers in that London Cross. In second place in the race was Yvette Lock who. was having her first competitive season, having been a hockey player. I borrowed a pair of spikes before the start for the event".