Ilford AC’s in-form
super veteran John
Batchelor had to
abandon his plans
for an attempt on
the British M65
5000m record this
weekend when he
learnt that the
recently refurbished
Cricklefields track
would not be ready
in time to hosts the
club’s annual Track
and field
Championships.
Undeterred by the
news Batchelor took
out his frustrations
on a field of 193
competitors in
Friday’s Serpentine
5k where he
obliterated the M65
course record in a
time of 18mins 21
seconds, some 8
seconds faster than
the previous mark
set by Barnet’s Ron
Higgs back in 1999.
In conditions that
were a bit too
breezy and humid for
really fast times
John was off to his
customary explosive
start holding 5th
place after the
first 200metres but
soon settled into a
more controlled pace
when he realized he
had failed to start
his watch properly
to check the Km
markers.
Batchelor finished
in a very
commendable 27th
place and such was
the measure of his
performance that his
time would have also
won him the M55
prize had he been 10
years younger.
At the end of a very
successful season it
is now unlikely that
John will get
another chance this
year to attack the
British 5000m track
mark which stands at
18.02.12 set by
W.Marshall in Jarrow
in 1993 .With the
autumnal weather now
setting in John will
now turn his hand to
the Surrey Cross
Country League where
he will compete for
Vets AC before
grabbing some
holiday for a well
deserved rest.
The club now look
forward to the
popular Southend 10k
next Sunday where
they hope to for a
bumper turn-out.
