Who made the grade for the Arena club records of 2019

As 2019 comes to a close, let’s have a re-cap on how our current crop of Arena athletes faired this year. We introduced this to our club records for 2019 to give us a more current and up to date view on our athletes’ progression throughout the year as some of our club records are somewhat stuck in the past.
The biggest change to the club records comes from the men’s 5k table with three new entries making the top 4. Timmy Gedin, whose had a fine years running, became the first Arena athlete to go under 16 minutes in the 5k with a scintillating run at Barrowford at the Podium 5k race with a superb time of 15.57. Timmy now tops the leader board in the club records.
There were also another couple of new entries to hit the Arena 5k records which came from Alex Jago with a brilliant race at Ipswich to record a time of 16.12 which puts him into 3rd place in the club records. Another Arena athlete who hasn’t been out of the Arena news this year is Michael Rix. Michael has had a solid year and it seems not a week has gone by without hearing of Michael breaking various club parkrun records and pushing the boundaries for others now to chase. However it was his race at Lakeside that Michael ran a 16.51 which puts him into 4th spot in the all-time men’s club records. Those 5k times have really been pushed on this year which is wonderful for the club and shows the strength of our current crop of men.
5k Men 2019
1. Timmy Gedin Barrowford 15.57 – New club record
2. Alex Jago Ipswich 16.12 – 3rd in Club Records
3. Michael Rix Lakeside 16.51- 4th in Club Records
4. Gary McKivett Ipswich 16.56
5. Del Wallace Lakeside 17.23
In the womens 5k, all of this years crop has come from the VET women. It looks like 5k races are not so popular but being an endurance based club, it’s not surprising. There were four entries here with Jenny Hughes topping the list with a fine run at Bexhill to record 22.43.
5k Women 2019
1. Jenny Hughes Bexhill 22.43
2. Anne Miners Bexhill 23.58
3. Louise Payne Littlehampton 25.51
4. Christine Gibbons Bexhill 27.26
Stepping up a distance to the Men’s 10k and there is a very familiar name at the top. It comes from Richard Clayton who has spent 2019 predominantly focusing on the marathon however this didn’t stop him having a pop at a 10k race. Richard very kindly got a new men’s Arena 10k record at Arena’s very own event – the Hove Prom 10k race in October with a time of 33.12.
Second in this year’s rankings comes from Timmy Gedin who is now also second on the men’s all-time list with his run at Chichester back in February. Timmy was on the top of the leader board with his time of 33.13 until Richard took it by a mere second. These boys love to battle it out.
And so not to be missing out on the club record party, again a big up to Alex Jago who took a fine 33.41 at the Leeds Abbey Dash race which takes him into the men’s 10k club records in third place. Again, as per the 5k times, the men have really pushed the times on this year and have laid the benchmark to now be chased.
10K Men 2019
1. Richard Clayton Hove 33.12 – New club record
2. Timmy Gedin Chichester 33.13 – 2nd in club records
3. Alex Jago Leeds Abbey Dash 33.41 – 3rd in club records
4. Michael Rix Worthing 34.18
5. Tim Lodge Vitality London 34.41
On to the women’s 10k times and three VETs make up the top 5 here. It’s been another masterclass from the club stalwart Caroline Hoyte who took a time of 35.20. This was Caroline’s fastest 10k time since 2011 and also puts her as the second fastest V45 woman in the Run Britain rankings just behind a certain Jo Pavey who herself recorded 34.39, so this shows you the class that Caroline is in. Just as an add on to this, Caroline is ranked first in the Run Britain rankings for the women’s V45 10 mile distance with her time of 60.10.
Another of the Arena women who has made her mark this year comes from Maisie Trafford. Maisie has had another successful year coming first in several good fielded races but it was at the Vitality 10k race in London where Maisie put in a superb effort to record a time of 35.21 which put her in to 4th place in the women’s 10k club records. The women’s 10k records have been very long standing and one of the hardest to gain entry to so it’s great to see a new name making its mark on it. Maisie also made the Run Britain rankings number 3 for the 10m distance with her time of 62.46.
10k Women 2019
1. Caroline Hoyte Cardiff 35.20
2. Maisie Trafford Vitality Ldn 35.21 – 4th in club records
3. Emily Proto Chichester 36.38
4. Tara Shanahan Brighton 37.17
5. Dani Tarleton Brighton 37.34
In the men’s half marathon it was Richard Clayton that topped the 2019 rankings with his Brighton HM time of 1.15.17 as he used this as part of his preparation for his London Marathon debut. Although this was not an improvement to his 2018 time, Richard still holds second place in the men’s club records.
Half Marathon Men 2019
1. Richard Clayton Brighton 1:15:17
2. Gary McKivett Paddock Wood 1:17:01
3. Blake Brown Brighton 1:18:17
4. Aled Anderson Brighton 1:18:37
5. Joe Ashley Bournemouth 1:19:03
In the women’s half marathon Emily Proto tops the 2019 chart with her time of 1.20.46. This was Emily’s best HM time since her PB time set in Cardiff in 2015 – 1.18.43 which still ranks as the 4th fastest in the women’s club records.
Half Marathon Women 2019
1. Emily Proto Brighton 1:20:46
2. Julie Briggs Gatwick 1:23:43
3. Dani Tarleton Gatwick 1:24:14
4. Maisie Trafford Goodwood 1:26:15
5. Helen Moss Brighton 1:27:37
On to the men’s marathon and again it’s that man Richard Clayton taking the spoils here. Having smashed so many club records in 2018, Richard wanted to devote much of his running time to concentrate on the London Marathon. Although he was just outside making the long standing men’s club records, it was a gutsy performance to record 2.38.51, not bad going for a first marathon.
Men’s Marathon 2019
1. Richard Clayton London 2:38.51
2. Gary McKivett Brighton 2:48.45
3. Del Wallace London 2:50:57
4. Tim Lodge Manchester 2:51:47
5. Mark O’Gara Manchester 2:54:31
For the women’s marathon it was Emily Proto that took the crown here with her time of 2.58.52. What made this one so special though was her return back to the Brighton Marathon. Her last run at Brighton ended up with a broken fibia at mile 6 and she was unable to continue. Emily had put a lot of hard work into her training for this one and it was a very nervous but excited return for Emily as she smiled her way around the course.
Women’s Marathon 2019
1. Emily Proto Brighton 2:58.52
2. Soulla Wright Yorkshire 3:03.47
3. Fiona Bugler Brighton 3:30.23
4. Emma Habba London 3:34.07
5. Jackie Rymell Yorkshire 3:39.33
Congratulations to all of those that made the class of 2019 on some very fine times and for pushing the times on for our athletes to aspire to. We’ll do this again for 2020 and let’s see what names adorn the 2020 records at the end of the year. Will there be the same names or will new names take pride of place.
Remember our club moto: Be respectful, be supportive, be the best you can.
If you remember those three simple rules then you will have a great year’s running in 2020.