All hail the king of 5k, Richard Clayton

Location: Grand Prix 5k at Goodwood
Date: Sunday 16th September 2018
It’s happened, it’s really happened. There is now a new crowned champion to the club’s 5k record. Having been chasing his dream of a sub 16 minute 5k for over two years Richard Clayton thought had got it at last week’s Rye Harbour 5k with his time of 15.33 only to find out that the course had been measured short (still to be confirmed officially) but all indications show this to be the case. Gutted I think was the word of the day for Richard, but the man did not sulk and throw his toys out of the pram, his words were, and I quote “so I go again next week”. The club 5k record was still intact by Richard Burgess-Gamble for another week at least.
One week later Richard went for it at the Goodwood Grand Prix 5k. Richard has been in the form of his life this year but could he muster up the performance one more time to attack the club record and get his elusive sub 16. The conditions were very good for the attempt with a field of about 3000, Richard had to be at the front to avoid any sort of running traffic and that;s exactly what he did. Richard was indeed so far at the front that he was a whole 3 minutes ahead of the 2nd place runner. Yes Richard had come home in 1st place but what of the time? it was bitter-sweet for Richard as he missed out on the sub 16 by just 5 seconds but he had officially take the club record to an amazing 16.04.
The time of 16.04 takes him to the top of the club 5k records having been in 2nd place since his Kings Head Canter 5k back in 2017. Roll on one year and he can now proudly look at the club records to know that he holds the fastest 5k time for Arena 80. Richard Burgess-Gamble previously held the record with a time of 16.14 posted at the Kings Head Canter way back in 2013 and has proved a very tall order to beat. It also clearly shows that if your name is Richard then you are sure to do well with your running speed. It’s a pretty significant margin of 10 seconds as more often than not the 5k records tend to normally notch up by a second or two so it’s certainly a trouncing of the previous best time.
Richard has taken his running to another level this year and has broken several of the club records this year. We congratulate you Richard on a superb run and we look forward to your marathon time perhaps one day ????
The Men’s 5k club records now look like this:
5K Men
1 Richard Clayton Goodwood 2018 16m 04s
2 Richard Burgess-Gamble SM Kings Head Canter 2013 16m 14s
3 Joe Ashley SM Hove Park 2016 16m 25s
4 Al Silvester SM Hove Park 2016 16m 27s
5 Jim Roberts SM Hove Park TT 2008 16m 29s
You can find all the club records here: https://arena80.co.uk/club-records/
Richard Clayton at last week’s Rye 5k