Kenilworth Runners

AAA Mem. No:

M2402AWA

Race Results - for February 2001

Sunday 4th February	Charnwood Bowline
Sunday 11th February	Winter League race 6 - Catchems Corner
Sunday 25th February	Bourton 10K
Sunday 25th February	Winter League race 7 - Litterick's Loiter

04/02/2001- CharnwoodHills - triumph & disaster.......

On Sunday seven runners took part in the 15th Charnwood Hills Race with triumph for Mick Williams but disaster for Roland Smythe, who aggravated a calf strain and was forced to pull out with just over a mile to go.

The entry form states that this is “The toughest course in the County” and this is no understatement for it covers 12.5 miles and climbs 1200 feet in the process.

The course was made all the harder by the torrential rains of the proceeding night producing sticky clinging mud throughout, even sections of the tough hills, and the first and last mile could best be described as a “quagmire“.

The race starts in Ansty Village, just north of Leicester and proceeds through Bradgate Park and the long hill there heading to Broombriggs hill a sharp climb with a long sting in the tail! This is followed by a sharp downhill and then the long, tedious, pull up to Beacon Hill and the half way mark. The return back is easier with only one long hill but the gelatinous mud was almost everywhere.

Mick Williams had a brilliant run finishing in 10th position in 87 minutes. Martin Dorrill was close behind, a magnificent effort on his first “Charnwood”, finishing in 19th position in 93 minutes. Stan Alexander was next in 140th position (116 minutes), John Jones in 198th position, (129 minutes), Mick Morris in 213 position, (134 minutes), being one of three over 67 year olds in the race with Bob Griffiths in 230 position (146 minutes). There were 269 finishers overall.

A jubilant Mick celebrates 10th place while Martin can only ponder his next move....

11/02/2001- Winter League Race 6 - Catchem's Corner

Roger Wilkes is the new leader after round 6. With John McNally unable to run due to other commitments it opened up the series and Roger took his opportunity.

On a typical miserable February morning, some 14 souls turned up for the 4 and a half mile race ably assisted by a handful of marshals.

With only Richard Steel turning up for the C's, he went off with the B group, 5 minutes after the A's. Not that it made much difference as he still came in first - some 3 minutes ahead of Ken Smith. Richard Greenhalf was the most awake person, as realising that there were not many runners, opted to play his joker - not bad as he won the handicap and so doubled his points up to 100. That result puts him with a firm grip on the B group.

The A's are still led by Jane McNally, who wasn't able to run whilst husband John now leads the C's - having been deposed of top spot by Roger. With just two races to go - the next race being Litterick's Loiter on the 26th February everything is still to run for.


Roger Wilkes rushing to beat John Woodrow to the line and to the top of the league		Mike Cahill, just managing to keep in front of the Joker - Richard Greenhalf


Tony Knowles making a welcome return and 45 points

25/02/2001- Bourton 10K - John McNally proves that training is everything.

John McNally made the short distance to Bourton on Sunday to run in the annual 10K race. Recording a time of 36:39 proved that the long distance training that he is doing is paying dividends. Not to be outdone, his wife, Jane, who was also running, recorded a personal best of 52:09.

John still has an outside chance of winning the winter race series if he can run in the final race of the series, whilst Jane already looks a comfortable winner of the A group.

25/02/2001- Winter League Race 7 - Litterick's Lowsenford Loiter

It's all change again at the top as we have yet another new leader..................Richard Greenhalf bagged his second handicap win on the trot to leapfrog ahead of Roger Wilkes. Richard now leads the table, but by the slenderest of margins - 1 point - and with just one race to go, it really will go down to the wire.

After the over night snow around Kenilworth, the scene was set for a very wintery race. However, Lowsenford appeared to have missed out, with the result that although it was quite cold, the roads were virtually snow free. Making the short distance from the Fleur de Lys pub to the start, it was the A group to set off first, followed by the B and C's together five minutes later.

The course is very undulating with hardly a piece of flat ground to be found and it wasn't long before the B group had caught up with the A's. At the 3 mile mark it was Richard Steel who was leading the way having opened up a considerable lead. Richard Greenhalf was trailing at this stage as too was Roger Wilkes, but it was Richard who had the stronger finish and came in third overall, whilst Roger managed to finish in tenth.

So with just the final race in two weeks time - University Challenge - it looks as if it will be between any one of four; Richard Greenhalf, Roger Wilkes, Stef Shillington and Steve Jones for that top spot.

The current group leaders are - in the A's Jane McNally with 268 points from 5 races. In the B group we have Roger Wilkes on 293 points from 7 races, closely followed by Stef Shillington and Steve Jones both on 282 points from 6 and 7 races respectively whilst in the C's, John McNally leads with 286 points from 5 races and in second place, Richard Steele with 223 points from 6 races.


Pete Southall leads Mike Cahill and Richard Greenhalf just after the half way stage.		Tim Payne looking good for his 48 years, sorry, points		Richard Steel - leading the way once again.