On a cool evening, ideal for running, four members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to the pleasant village of Weedon, near Daventry, in Northamptonshire to join over 300 other athletes. From the pre race preliminaries through the generous, friendly, marshalling along the 10 kilometre course, to the end activities (the tea and cake stall was a triumph) the event was marked by the highly efficient and effective manner in which all aspects were carried out by the organisers, Crowning all of this was the course which is a great pleasure to run.
Not that the 10 kilometres are easy, far from it - this is a tough event with some gruelling climbs that tax even the fittest competitor. It is the beauty of the Northamptonshire countryside that sets this race apart. Starting in Weedon it quickly showed it’s teeth with two sharp climbs out of the village until shortly after runners got their first view of English countryside at it’s very best. Whether adjacent or in the distance the eye is feasted with verdant fields and hills until at the 4 kilometre mark and after a long steep and exhausting climb a view presents itself that would be hard to better anywhere in the world for it’s subtle beauty. The remaining 6 kilometres continue to offer such views in profusion, and after finishing in Weedon, even the most exhausted athlete had experienced more than just a road race.
Peter Bryan lead the Kenilworth team home with a splendid run to finish in 40 minutes and 2 seconds in 60th position overall and 11th in the over 40 category. He was followed by Tom Dable (47.02, 176, 11 o/55), Colin Bricher (57.57, 285, 10 o/60) and Mick Morris (61.09, 295, 3 o/70).
07/06/07
Berkswell Bear - Summer League
34 members of Kenilworth Runners and their guests turned up on a cool but pleasant Thursday evening outside the Bear Public House in Berkswell to compete in the 4th race of this series.
The 6 mile course starts outside the Bear and heads towards Coventry along Spencers Lane, past Carol Green to head up the sharp climb and a left turn into Benton Green Lane which was followed until Broad Lane and after a short way to turn left into Back Lane, with it’s steady climb and so to the cross roads at Four Oaks and back to the finish outside the Bear.
Confirming his recent sparkling form Tom Dable had an excellent run to finish in 45.02 minutes and take the overall lead with 176 points.
| Name |
Points |
| A Group |
|
| Sally Hicks |
143 |
| Bob Griffiths |
106 |
| Martin Bloomfield |
87 |
| B Group |
|
| Stewart Fenton |
137 |
| Aiden Keher |
132 |
| Stan Alexander |
125 |
| C Group |
|
| Andrew Holbrook |
128 |
| Richard Steel |
90 |
| Roger Homes |
90 |
10/06/07
Two Castles Run
Joining another 2,000 eager competitors 25 members of Kenilworth Runners took part in the 10 kilometre road race from Warwick St Nicholas Park into the grounds of Kenilworth Castle. Organised by The Rotary Club of Kenilworth this race is now a firmly established favourite in the road racing calendar and attracts people from throughout the country and some from abroad. As usual the organisation was superb.
The course starts in St Nicholas park, Warwick and quickly leaves the town by the Coventry Road and heads to Leek Wotton and a left turn into Woodcote Road. A right turn into Rouncil Lane some took the runners to the steep hill into Kenilworth and then following Dudley Road, Caesar Road into Fishponds Road and so back to Kenilworth Castle which is entered by the gate opposite the Queen and Castle.
| Name |
Time |
Position |
| Martin Dorrill |
36.56 |
13 |
| Robert Thompson |
38.00 |
16 |
| Andrew Holbrook |
38.42 |
27 |
| Sean Mitchell |
40.56 |
55 |
| Stephen Jackson |
43.37 |
144 |
| Barry Elkington |
43.46 |
182 |
| Martin Smith |
45.59 |
254 |
| Anton Raath |
46.33 |
285 |
| Terry Dyer |
46.36 |
289 |
| David Cheetham |
47.26 |
326 |
| Aiden Keher |
48.33 |
411 |
| Nick Wright |
49.20 |
455 |
| Mick Seach |
49.54 |
499 |
| Gary Bradbury |
51.16 |
609 |
| Helen Herniman |
51.35 |
637 |
| Robert Cheetham |
51.54 |
658 |
| 51.54 |
52.49 |
728 |
| Gill Tugman |
53.40 |
798 |
| Sally Hicks |
54.02 |
827 |
| Denise Cheetham |
54.37 |
954 |
| Bob Griffiths |
57.21 |
1119 |
| Joan Mason |
57.54 |
1154 |
| Katty Cheema |
58.43 |
1229 |
| Lyn Ricketts |
72.57 |
1904 |
| Sandra Coombs |
73.00 |
1905 |
Photos
12/06/07
Banbury 5 - East Mids Grand Prix
Two members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to Banbury to take part in the 6th of 8 events in this very competitive series of races to join over 300 other athletes who were looking forward to the challenge of a hilly 5 mile run in pleasant countryside and good ‘running’ weather.
The race started near Banbury School in Brooke Road just off the Bloxham Road from where the runners followed the main road to turn left down Queensway and then turn left again into the Broughton Road which they followed for 2 miles before entering the pleasant village of Broughton. After a sharp left turn they tackled a long 1 mile climb before reaching the Bloxham Road again and continuing to the finish just off the main road near Queensway.
Peter Bryan lead the team in with a superb run to finish in 30 minutes and 57 seconds in 56th position. He was followed by Tom Dable (38.35, 225).
21/06/07
Barford Super Belter - Summer League
A mild summer evening in Barford saw 29 members of Kenilworth Runners and their guests take part in the fourth race of this vigorously contested road race series.
The 6 mile course the runners tackled, started and finished, in Wasperton Lane, just off the A429. Their first mile involved a steady climb and descent to turn left by the road leading to the Crematorium. A steady climb then took them over the M40, to turn left into Hareway Lane, which offered a little respite before yet another long steady climb past Plestowes Farm. The final 2 miles are downhill to Barford and a flat section to the finish.
With the series now half over, the overall lead has now passed to Tom Dable with 225 points, having played his joker, which doubles his points gain on this one event, when he also excelled with a time of 43.48. Mick Johnson had a splendid run to finish in 32.46, which for the record, is an average pace of 5.28 minutes per mile on a very tough hilly course!
| Name |
Points |
| A Group |
|
| Sally Hicks |
184 |
| Bob Griffiths |
143 |
| Caroline Pack |
131 |
| B Group |
|
| Stewart Fenton |
181 |
| Aiden Keher |
170 |
| Stan Alexander |
168 |
| C Group |
|
| Andrew Holbrook |
222 |
| Richard Steel |
135 |
| Roger Homes |
135 |
24/06/07
Manchester - 10 Kilometre Road Race
Kenilworth Runners member Laurence Copeland travelled to Manchester to join several thousand other eager competitors in one of the favourite races of the year. The race is held on a fairly flat course in Manchester and Laurence had an excellent run to finish in 55 minutes and 40 seconds.
28/06/07
Roger's railway Handicap
Taking a break from the intensive competition of the Summer Race series which is at its half way mark 21 members and their guests met at Crackley Lane Railway Bridge to take part in the annual race up and down the disused railway line known to club members as ‘Rogers Railway Race’, named after Roger Wilkes, Chairman and Race Organiser, who first proposed the challenge.
The course could not be simpler as it goes from Crackley Lane Bridge over the bridge at Hollis Lane and then directly up the track to a point about half a mile beyond Cromwell Lane Bridge where it turns around at the two and half mile mark to return to the start at Crackley Lane Bridge.
The handicap was won by Richard Green who bettered his handicap.
30/06/07
The Snipe - 6 Mile Road Race
Two members, Robert Thompson and Andy Holbrook, of Kenilworth Runners joined 70 other athletes to take part in this annual run. Staring and finishing in Snitterfield this is a tough race as the course took the runners from Snitterfield to Norton Lindsey, an almost continuous climb which does not end until well after the village has been passed. From Norton Lindsey the course is almost all downhill, past Wolverton, to arrive back in Snitterfield.
Both Robert and Andy did Kenilworth Runners proud as Robert won the race in the extraordinary time of 35 minutes and 19 seconds and Andy was only a whisker behind him in 3rd place in another excellent time of 35.50.
Tuesday 5th June