Kenilworth Runners, Richard Elliott, travelled to Cardiff over this weekend to take part in this most prestigious event.
He competed in the over 55 age group and was up against some very intense competition.
Despite the tough opposition he excelled and on Saturday finished 2nd in the 1,500 metre race in a superb time of 4 minutes and 41 seconds.
On Sunday, however, he eclipsed this performance in the 800 metres when he was 1st in the cracking time of 2 minutes 18 seconds. In this race he was under intense pressure demonstrated by the fact that 1 second covered the first four places.
Most people would have then rested on their laurels, NOT Richard, later on Sunday he ran in the 3,000 metres and won that as well in the splendid time of 10 minutes 1 second.
5/03/06
Norton Nacker - Winter League
On a bright Sunday morning 15 members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to the pleasant Warwickshire village of Norton Lindsey to take part in the 7th of the 8 races in this series.
Following a recent innovation 5 members ran twice around the 6 mile hilly course, some to supplement London Marathon training and others just for the fun!.
The course chosen for Sunday’s event could hardly be harder as it included some pretty challenging hills which, of course, the ‘Two Lappers’ have to tackle twice.
Starting and finishing just outside the New Inn public house the runners head out along Snitterfield Lane which sets the standard for the course by presenting a short climb in the first half mile. From there the course is downhill until Snitterfield Church can be seen in the distance when another steady climb is met. Two right turns take the runners into Wolverton Road and immediately faced a steep hill. The road is then mainly flat for about a mile until Wolverton Hill is reached which really taxes the legs and particularly those who are on their second lap! Passing through Wolverton village the incline eases and allows a steady run to the cross roads and a right turn onto the road into Norton Lindsey and the finish line or if you were a ’Two Lapper’ the start of the second lap to do it all again.
As a result of this race Nick Bradbury held on to the overall lead with 296 points giving him a healthy lead on his challenger Ian Simpson but he must continue his present excellent form to claim the Winter League Prize after the next race, another 6 miler, which will be held on the 19th March next, starting at the cross roads in Berkswell.
A Group
| Ian Simpson |
291 |
| Roger Wilkes |
290 |
| Laurence Copeland |
274 |
B Group
| Stef Shillington |
281 |
| John Woodrow |
240 |
| Matthew Keal |
226 |
C Group
| Roland Smythe |
283 |
| Richard Steel |
243 |
| Steve Jackson |
128 |
19/03/06
Winter League - Berkswell Bear
On a bright Sunday morning 17 members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to Berkswell to take part in the 8th and final race of the series when the final positions will be established.
The course chosen for Sunday’s event would best be described as ‘undulating’ rather then hilly. Starting at the cross roads by the Berkswell Bear Public House the race proceeded towards Coventry where after the hill in Tanners Lane it turned left into Benton Green Lane and steady uphill to a right turn into Broad Lane when after a short downhill a another left turn before the long drag up Back Lane to met the Meridon Road and so back to the finish at the cross roads.
It is traditional that the final places and winners are announced at the annual Presentation Meeting in May after which I will be able to reveal the final result but on the day observers noted that the present overall leader Nick Bradbury had a superb run but was being hard pressed by Ian Simpson of ‘A’ group. Stef Shillington of the ‘B’ group was also in top form and Roland Smythe of ‘C‘ group had a fine tussle with his challenger, Richard Steel.
19/03/06
The Grizzly - Multiterain
Three members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to Devon to take part in a coastal run appropriately named ‘the Grizzly’ because it follows the cliffs which present lots of hill climbing. The day was made all the more daunting as a result of the cold and wet conditions and the very muddy course, which is just how long distance runners like it, so with the wind howling off the sea it all presented an extreme challenge of endurance. Despite the tough conditions and terrain the Kenilworth members did well with Stan Alexander leading the trio in with the magnificent time of 2 hours 56 minutes, followed by Kerry Waine in 3 hours 24 minutes and Mary Joyce 3 hours 35 minutes.
25/03/06
Iron Bridge - Half Marathon
On a mild Sunday morning with the first signs of spring in the air Kenilworth Runners, Robert Thompson, travelled to Telford on Sunday to take part in the Ironbridge Half Marathon a race that is superbly organised by Telford harriers and this year attracted 800 entrants.
The course is hilly and mainly follows the river Severn which it crosses at the world famous Ironbridge to continue along and re-cross by Coleport Bridge and in so doing taking the runners through an area which rings of the Industrial Revolution.
Not that Robert was particularly interested in the history of the area for his objective was for a ’good time’ and that he achieved with a splendid run to finish in 89 minutes and 15 seconds
Saturday & Sunday 4th 5th March