Bicester AC had 10 runners at the opening leg of the five race Kidlington Motavation race series held last Thursday at Charlton on Otmoor and run over a 5.2mile circuit. Bicester’s team included no less than 5 runners who were new to the series and 7 of the 10 Bicester runners were under 19.
Bicester ACs Alex Collins was making his Motavation Road Race and was competing in his first competitive road race. There was a big field of 474 runners. Collins ran a superb race particularly as he was one of the youngest competitors in the race as he normally competes as an under 16. Collins finished 12th, which is one of Bicester highest placings of recent years in clocking 28mins 16secs, the fastest recent time by a Bicester runner on this course. Collins was a fraction over a minute behind the eventual winner and was just 6 seconds behind the first under 19 male finisher. Collins was 2nd under 19 male finisher out of the 20 competing under 19 men’s field. Collins was followed home by another Bicester AC athlete making his debut. Tom Court ran superbly for 35th clocking 30mins 18secs; Court was also 6th under 19 male finisher and as with Collins was one of the youngest competing athletes. George Hart was next in for Bicester in 53rd place and his 31mins 13secs was quicker than his 2025 effort on the same course. Hart was 9th under 19 finisher.
Another of Bicester’s under 19 contingent was Finlay Kerr who finished in the top quartile of finishers in 110th (34mins 39secs). He was followed in by another under 19 runner Max Finnegan, who having only his second Motavation outing and he was 125th (35mins 15secs). Also in the under 19 category was Robson Matthews, an accomplished sprinter and jumper, who was competing in his first ever Motavation race placing 254th (40mins 07secs).
Robert Parsons, fresh from competing on the country, had his maiden Motavation bow placing 348th (44mins 45secs). Emily Benfield crept into the top 400 in 390th and improved 3 minutes on her time for last year clocking 47mins 50secs. Paul Groves was next in for Bicester and he placed 406th and his time of 48mins 41secs was over two minutes faster than his previous year’s time. Emelie Stocker ran her first ever competitive road race and normally competes as an under 16 therefore she was one of the younger athletes competing. Stocker did well to finish 415th clocking 49mins 16secs.