Kenilworth Runners

AAA Mem. No:

M2402AWA

Race Results - for July 2002

Thursday 4th July	Summer League Race 4, Dowdeswell's Dawdle
Saturday 6th July	3A's National Ultra Distance Championships
Sunday 7th July	Langton 7.5 Mile road race
Tuesday 9th July	East Midlands Grand Prix - Race 8 Milton Keynes
Thursday 11th July	Summer League Race 5, University Challenge
Sunday 14th July	Wyre Forest Half Marathon
Sunday 27 & 28th July	National Veterans Track Championships
Sunday 28th July	Gloucester Half Marathon
Sunday 28th July	The Monks Trod

04/07/02 - Summer League Race 4, Dowdeswell's Dawdle

22 members of Kenilworth Runners took part in the fourth race of the Club’s eight race series. The race is known to members as the Dowdeswell’s Dawdle after Carol Dowdeswell who designed this 5 mile course some years ago. The race started near the Red Lion Hotel in Hunningham and crossed the old bridge to proceed to Western Under Weatherley after which the route turned right to go through Wappenbury and Eathorpe to the Fosse way where the only long climb was met. A right turn took the runners down the mile long hill back to the finish outside the Red Lion Hotel. As a result of this race Richard Steel is now the overall leader with 177 points. The group positions have also changed dramatically as follows:-

Group A - Mick Morris 162 - Pam Wilkes 157 - Jane McNally 146

Group B - Roger Wilkes 174 - Matthew Dyer 146 - Stan Alexander 139

Group C - Roger Homes 147 - Mick Williams 128 - Lou Frondella 126

The fifth event of the series is a 5 miles race which will be held on Thursday next starting on Cryfield Grange Road at the corner of Crackley Woods at 7.30 pm.

06/07/02 - 3A's National Ultra Distance Championships

It looks as if Rob Carr has started something! The latest Runners to be caught by the bug are Sam Kincaid, Gus Davidson & Martin Carter. The event was held up in Hull and consisted of running round an athletics track for 24 hours! Each runner - and there were about 30 overall had a marshall who kept track of the number of laps completed - although it didn't always work that way as Sam was at one stage short of two miles.

It was a new experience for Martin and Sam - Gus having previously completed the London to Brighton run. Gus was acting this time in a coaching capacity. They were all ably supported by Sue Kindcaid and Nicola Davidson as it was important for the trio to receive food and water and the occassional medical need during the 24 hours.

As the race unfolded, the brave runners became running walkers and eventually walkers, but they kept going. Martin and Gus ended up with a very creditable 15th and 16th place achieving a total distance of 91 miles while Sam finished just short of 108 miles for 8th place. (It looks as if Rob Carr will have to do it all again as Sam's distance was 5 miles longer than Rob achieved earlier in the year).

An event not for the faint hearted and it is well to remember the 6P's - Proper - Preparation - Prevents - Piss - Poor - Performance. A definate learning experience, especially for oneself.


Final minutes before the off	Gus & Martin - after	Martin, Gus & Sam - before...or after?


I did it!	Sam gets a congratulatory hug from his keenest supporter, Sue

07/07/02 - Langton 7.5 mile

Mick Morris travelled to the charming village of Church Langton in Leicestershire to take part in this 7.5 mile road race. Church Langton lies just north of Market Harborough in superb country side which made it a joy to run. Mainly following narrow country lanes the course passed through the tiny villages of East Langton, Thorpe Langton, Welham and Cranoe on mainly flat roads, however there was a very sharp sting in the tail of this race for the last half mile to the finish was up a steep hill with the winning line just over the brow of the hill. About 250 runners took part in the race and Mick finished in 63 minutes 30 seconds (position not available).

09/07/02 - East Midlands Grand Prix - Race 8 Milton Keynes.

On Tuesday evening Tom and Pauline Dable travelled to Milton Keynes to compete in the last race of the eight race East Midlands Grand prix Race Series. The race was well attended with 349 finishers. Tom and Pauline formed the Kenilworth Runners team and both had excellent runs with Tom finishing in 40 minutes and 41 seconds in 116th position and 11th over 50. Pauline finished in 48 minutes and 33 seconds in 295th position and 7th in the ladies over 50 class.

11/07/02 - Summer League Race 5, University Challenge.

32 members of Kenilworth Runners took part in the fifth race of the Club’s eight race series. The race is known to members as the ‘University Challenge’ as it passes Warwick University. The five mile race started at the top of Cryfield Grange Road by Crakley Woods and then proceeds downhill past the Farm and up the steep hill that eventually leads out onto the Coventry Road. A left turn took the race to the traffic lights on Gibbet Hill, where over two hundred years ago three men were hanged and gibbeted for the murder of a Stoneleigh Farmer. The race continued along Gibbet Hill Road past the University and so to the island and into Westwood Heath Road and the long drag to Crackley Lane on the left. Continuing along the Lane the race approached the ’sting in the tail’ the steady pull up Crackley Hill to the finish just inside Cryfield Grange Road. This race has been run on many occasions before and so the course record has become harder to beat - but not on this Thursday evening! With a brilliant run Lou Frondella beat the record by the large margin of 26 seconds in the time of 28 minutes and 53 seconds. At the same time he beat the Veterans record and so earned 50 points and a special bonus of 5 points for beating the record. Despite Lou’s fantastic run, and as a result of yet another good run Richard Steel held onto the overall leadership with 225 points. The group positions have remained much as before, the main change being in ‘C’ group with Mick Williams and Lou Frondella taking over at the top.

The group positions are as follows:-

Group A - Mick Morris 211 - Pam Wilkes 204 - Alex Preston 170

Group B - Roger Wilkes 206- Matthew Dyer 190 - Stan Alexander 181

Group C - Mick Williams 190 - Lou Frondella 181 - Martin Dorrill 169

The sixth event of the series is a 4 miles race which will be held on Thursday 25th July starting by The Oak in Bagington at 7.30 pm.

14/07/02 - Wyre Forest Half Marathon

Five members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to picturesque Bewdley in Worcestershire to take part in this 13.1 mile off road race. On one of the hottest days of the year the group were glad that the course of the race followed forest trails and so provided some measure of shade. The heat did not seem to affect Mick Williams who had a ‘sizzling run’ finishing fourth overall and taking the first male veteran prize in a time of 80 minutes. John McNally was not far behind having another excellent run in 86 minutes and third male veterans place. On this tough day for running Kenilworth runners’ three Ladies all had excellent runs with Mary Joyce leading them in with a time of 108 minutes, she was followed by Jane McNally in 123 minutes and Annette Robinson 138 minutes.

27 & 28/07/02 - National Veterans Track Championships.

Top Kenilworth Runners Track Star Richard Elliott added to his already impressive collection of medals by winning the Over 50, 1500 metre race at Barnet, London on Saturday 27th July. He finished first in 4 minutes 25 seconds. This was a very exciting race for with only 200 metres of the race remaining Richard was lagging in 4th place but with a superb effort he battled his way past the three leading runners to take and hold on to the lead with a mere 25 metres to go! On the following day, Sunday the 28th and at the same venue, Richard ran in the Over 50 800 metre race and finished in 2 minutes 8.81 seconds to gain 4th place. In both races Richard beat established a personal best for the distance as a veteran.

28/07/02 - GloucesterHalf Marathon.

Five members of Kenilworth Runners took part in the Gloucester Half Marathon which started in the village of Newent which lies half way between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye. On a particularly hot day and a tough undulating course this race was not easy and particularly difficult for your first Half Marathon! For Denise Cheetham this was her first half marathon and Denise showed great character to finish in the excellent time of 2 hours and 6 minutes. John Mc Nally lead the Kenilworth group in with a fine run in 1 hour 26 minutes, followed by Mary Joyce (1.48), Elaine Potts (1.55) and Jane McNally (1.56).

28/07/02 - The Monks Trod

Stef Shillington was out on yet another of his long, punishing, walks. This time it was the annual 25 mile walk which re-enacts a 12th century pilgrimage from the Abbey at Strata Florida to the Abbey near Rhayader. On one of the hottest days of the year a field of 25 walkers set off on this difficult and challenging event which requires a combination of fitness and navigational skill to successfully complete the route. Unlike most events which stay on defined routes this event covers high trackless mountains and steep sided valleys. The difficult route lead Stef to make a number of navigational errors but despite this he still got home in 1st place in the time of 7 hours and 28 minutes.