For the second year running it was a greenwash at the Stratford Summer Six, the fifth round of the Warwickshire Road Race League, with Kenilworth Runners filling the first four positions and bringing home six runners in the top ten. What makes the performance of the club more impressive is that of the six runners who finished in the top ten, only one - Andrew Siggers, finished in the top ten in 2011.

Starting and finishing at Mary Arden’s House at Wilmcote, the six mile Stratford Summer Six  takes place on quiet country lanes and is mostly gently undulating save for a steep descent at the end of the opening mile which runners then had to tackle as a tough climb at the start of the final mile of the race. Conditions were perfect for racing, with temperatures in the high teens and mostly sunny skies. There was a stiff breeze but thankfully runners appeared to be sheltered from the worst of the headwinds.

Kenilworth Runners’ Paul Andrew and Chris McCarthy headed the field from the start and soon pulled out a large gap over the rest of the field. Ultimately it was Paul who was able to eek out a gap over Chris to come home winner in 32:21, with Chris following thirteen seconds later to finish second. Phil McCorquodale celebrated his return from university with a well paced run, starting slowly and coming through the field to finish third in 33:25, nine seconds ahead of team-mate Andrew Siggers in fourth.

As in 2011, the next Kenilworth Runner came home in sixth position, with Junior runner Paddy Roddy out-racing two Knowle Runners in the final stages to clock 34:24. Matthew Kingston-Lee added an additional Kenilworth Runner to the top ten, enjoying his best race of the year so far to finish ninth in 34:55. Outside the top ten, next Kenilworth Runner home was Andrew Holbrook in 36:26 and recent club recruit Alex Atkinson, who attributed his 6 mile PB of 37:15 to the positive affect his green vest had!Kenilworth Runners were once again in abundance with eighteen completing the race. There were two Kenilworth ladies running. First home was Rebecca Smith, who ran a fine race to finish in 46:48; she was followed by Lisa Sears in 51:06.