Cross Country Results 2001/2002:

Saturday 16th March	Birmingham League - Malvern, Worcester
Saturday23rd February	National Championships - Ashton Court, Bristol
Saturday 16th February	Gloucester League - Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham
Saturday 9th February	National Counties Championships - Nottingham
Saturday 26th January	Midlands Championships - Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa
Saturday 12th January	Birmingham League - Princethorpe College, Rugby
Saturday 5th January	Warwickshire Championships - Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa
Saturday 8th December	Gloucester League - Forest of Dean, Gloucester
Saturday 1st December	Birmingham League - Coundon Hall Park, Coventry
Saturday 17th November	Gloucester League - Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa
Saturday 10th November	National Cross Country Relays - Mansfield
Saturday 3rd November	Birmingham League - Senneleys Park
Saturday 20th October	Gloucester League - Croft School, Gloucester
Saturday 7th October	Midlands Cross Country Relays - Hinckley

16/03/02 Birmingham League - Malvern

On Saturday 9 members travelled to Malvern to take part in the last of the Birmingham Cross Country League race on the common at Lower Wyche in Malvern. The six mile course comprised four circuits of the common which is deceptively hilly providing the course with four steep short climbs and four long inclines over difficult ground. In compensation there are two nice downhill provided the tree routes are avoided! On a fine sunny day the Kenilworth team acquitted themselves well with Mick Williams leading them in with a strong run to claim 25th position (his time is not available). He was followed by Roger Homes in 32nd position with a time of 38 minutes and 26 seconds. As a result of the fourth and final race in the series Kenilworth Runners have finished in a comfortable 9th position in the league which contains 13 teams.

John Dagnan approaching the stream......		As does Mick Williams......		But it is only Stef who "flies" over it!
Mick Morris showing grit and determination		Meanwhile Mick reels in Roger Homes on lap 3		For goodness sake Lou, it's only a bit of mud!
Roger Wilkes - glad it's over for another year		Mick looks forward to tomorrows Ashby 20 as he leads the Runners in.

23/02/02 National Championships Bristol

On Saturday four members travelled down the M5 to take part in the National Cross Country Championships which are the high point of the winter cross country season and attract top runners from all over the country. Each year they are held at different locations throughout England and this year Ashton Court Estate, a large public park lying just south of Bristol, was the venue. It covers a large area of magnificent parkland and made a superb setting for this 12 kilometre National Cross Country Championship. The course comprised one medium lap and two large laps which weaved up and down the flanks of a hill and offered a steep climb at the end of each lap. However the course was not the runners real problem for under foot conditions were excellent. The weather was the main obstacle with a blustery south west wind blowing up the Bristol Channel frequently mixed with snow and hail. The combination of the high level, exposed, site and the conditions made the race quite tough. Wayne Oakes lead the team in with a splendid run finishing in 48.39 minutes for 453rd place. Roger Holmes was next with a good run in 50.35, (582nd) followed by Stef Shillington 64.27 (1,146th) and Mick Morris in 68.26 (1,183rd place). Overall there were 1,220 finishers - the last runner home completed the course in 81:56 - some 42:30 behind the winner - Sam Haughian who ran the course in 39:26!!!!.

16/02/02 Gloucester League Cheltenham

Eight members travelled to Cheltenham to compete in the last of the four Gloucester Cross Country League events. This was held in the Park adjacent to The Prince of Wales Stadium which was a splendid venue for the event. About 200 runners took part in the event which comprises three equal laps of the Park weaving in and out of the little woods and spinneys and crossing a stream mid way in each lap. The Men's race was proceeded by the Ladies race, which completes two laps, and in this race Pauline Dable represented the Club and had a fine run finishing well up the field (no time available). There was little mud in evidence and so times were brisk with Richard Elliott leading the Kenilworth group in with an impressive run of 35 minutes and 55 seconds. Richard Steel was next in 38 minutes 30 seconds with the ever improving Roland Smythe hard on his heels in 39 minutes. The other Kenilworth runners finished in the following times:- Tom Dable 41.03 Roger Wilkes 43.56 Stef Shillington 44.55 Mick Morris 48.50 Colin Bricher 51.34

09/02/02 National Counties Championships - Wollaton Park, Nottingham

Mike Johnson wearing the colours of Warwickshire made an impressive debut at this years event finishing 116th overall and 4th for the County. In a field including many international runners it was always going to be a tough race, and over the 4 lap, 12K course it was never going to be a stroll in the park. However, Mike took up the challenge, and although being out of the pack for the first lap or so, managed to work his way through the field. By the start of the third lap he managed to get a second wind to continue his steady progress past other runners. The pace was fast and furious, so any chance of trying to ease back were not treated sypathetically by other runners. Mike's time of 41:23 put him some 4 minutes behind the winner - proving that this wasn't a race for the faint hearted. Out of the 350 that started the race, only 312 finished! His efforts, and those of the rest of the team ensured that Warwickshire finished 14th on the day, the overall winners, Lancashire being well clear of the rest.

26/01/02 MidlandsChampionships - Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa

Kenilworth Runners were back in the thick of it (literally) with 11 members taking part in the Midland Cross Country Championships held at nearby Newbold Comyn in Leamington Spa. The course chosen for the Championships was exactly the same (with one minor exception by the river) as that used for the Gloucester League race in late November. But that is where the similarity ended for whilst the earlier race had followed a dry period and was correspondingly firm and fast, the recent rains had turned the course into a quagmire with thick mud throughout. Times suffered as a consequence. Wayne Oakes lead the team home with a splendid run in 52.37 minutes giving him 116th position. He was followed closely by Mike Williams who turned in a magnificent run of 53.15 minutes giving him 131st position.

32 teams took part in the race each team consisting of the first six club runners to finish. As a result Kenilworth Runners finished in a comfortable 22nd position which given the strength of the opposition was an excellent achievement.

12/01/02 Birmingham League - Princethorpe College, Rugby

Mike Johnson continues his fine running form by becoming only the first Kenilworth Runner every to have won a League Race. His outstanding performance helped the team recover from their stutter at Coventry to end up being 5th on the day and 6th overall with just one race to go. On a course that was slightly different from the last time that we ran here, it was nevertheless excellent well laid out and marshaled. The only glitch to the day was the lateness of the first aid people in turning up, which under the new risk assessment rules bought in for this year could have meant the race being cancelled. Fortunately, the runners couldn't be doing with red tape holding up their fun and decided to run. A wise choice. On the 3 lap course the ground was fairly firm throughout and it was only during the second lap that Mike Johnson started to show his supremacy. In the end he was a good 20 seconds ahead of the second place runner. Fellow newcomer, Graham Birch - ex of Sphinx - was the next runner home in 16th place, just in front of Wayne Oakes, 20th, Richard Elliot 31st, Roger Homes 46th and Lou Frondella 53rd. Mick Williams was making a welcome return after his injury sustained on the opening race at Sennellys Park and finished in a creditable 69th place, and 1st for the B team.

Full results:

05/01/02 Warwickshire Championships - Newbold Comyn

Mike John and Richard Elliot produced the performances of the day as the Club fielded an understrengh team for the 9.5K race at Newbold Comyn. Mike Johnson's 3rd senior place was good enough to get him into the County team for the County Champs in Nottingham on 9th February, whilst Richard's 28th place was good enough for 2nd vet overall.

Mike Johnson produced an excellent run and has the opportunity to represent the Club at County level although prearranged plans may prevent him from taking up his place. In the Clubs 16 year history, this is the first time that anyone has achieved this honour.

Richard Elliot also continues to do well, and his 2nd vet placing overall is also a Club first.

Unfortunately the rest of the runners couldn't quite match these exploits - but then I don't think they were planning too either. The 3 lap course was run the opposite way round to the Gloucester League and because of the discovery of a rare species of grass, the course was diverted from the river to a track in the woods. Conditions were not too bad but the change in temperatures meant that parts of the course were very slippy, whilst others were still rock hard. Beacon Hill is still hard no matter which way you approach it.

Stan avoided an early bath for this race although Roger missed the start by 2 minutes - just to give Stef a bit of a chance?

Full results and placings:

Mike Johnson leads John McKenna and Richard Elliot just after the start		Mike Johnson making his way up the field		As is Richard Elliot
John McKenna being chased by Tom Dable representing Sphinx for this event		Stef just keeping ahead of Roger Wilkes		Who is trying his hardest to catch him!

08/12/01 Gloucester League - Forest of Dean

On Saturday nine club members made the long journey to Cinderford to run in the third race of the Gloucester Cross Country League Cinderford is a village which lies on the western bank of the Severn in the Forest of Dean where the organisers of the league had planned a superb cross country course using the full potential of the varied forest tracks. Heywood School in Cinderford provided the base for the race which started and ended in the School playing fields. Immediately after the first 200 metres the whole character of the area changed into an idyllic world of trees, small plantations and dark thickly wooded avenues. The course comprised of one short lap of 1.6 kilometres followed by three longer laps of 2.8 kilometres which followed forestry tracks in the main but added some variations with a stream crossing and a fair degree of mud. Few of the sections were flat, however the slopes were generally gentle and extremely pleasant whilst, at one vantage point, offering the bonus of a spectacular view over the Severn on each of the long laps. A really excellent course and race with well organised marshaling throughout. Richard Elliot lead the Kenilworth team in with a time of run 39 minutes and 59 seconds giving him a prestigious 19th place overall in a race that had plenty of quality opposition.

Pauline Dable ran in the shorter (6 kilometre) Ladies race and completed in 34 minutes and 29 seconds with an good run over a difficult course.

01/12/01 Birmingham League - Coundon Hall Park

With several of our top runners injured or missing Kenilworth were forced to field an understrengh side for the muddy encounter at Coundon Hall Park today. But whilst the team may have finished 12th on the day, it was Mike Johnson who led them home for a magnificent individual 3rd place. Conditions were atrocious - especially with the over night rain and the downpour half an hour from the start - so much so that the ground was covered in large parts by water. Where it wasn't it was very soft underfoot. 15 runners turned out to brave the conditions and compete over the flatish 3 lap course. The race itself was full of incidents as shortly after the start, Stan Alexander decided to take an early bath and went headfirst into a large pool of water. Undeterred he picked himself up and continued, but trailing at the back of the field. Stan, at the back, pushing his glasses back on whilst the rest smile at his misfortune!

By the middle of the first lap, Mike Johnson was in 7th position followed by Wayne, and Richard Elliot close behind. Meanwhile at the back we were neatly packed with, Stef Shillington, John Jones, John Woodrow, Colin Bricher, Mick Morris and Bob Griffiths all vying for last place! The game plan was not following the script. John Woodrow leading Colin and Mick on the first lap After the initial exuberance had died down, the race strategies began to develop. Mike Johnson quietly made his way through the field up to 3rd whilst at the back Stan started to pull everybody in and make up ground. At the end of the second lap the field was well and truly strung out and it looked as if some of the back markers were in danger of being lapped. As it happened this turned out to be true and Mike Johnson managed to overtake quite a few of his own team members!!

By now the A and B team places were beginning to take shape. However, surprise of the day was John McKenna making a welcome return after a two year absence to take 6th position for the A's. Heading the B team by the end of lap 2 was now Stan and filling that all important 6th place for the B's was Mick Morris. Wayne making his way through the wood Towards the end of the race it began to turn very cold - even for the spectators, so it must have been equally as bad for the runners, who by now were caked in mud. Still at least there was a hot shower to look forward too and a warm cup of tea. Not one of our better days admittedly, but we are still 8th overall after two races and 8th overall in the B team competition. Full results and tables and more photos below.

John McKenna returns after a two year absence		Mike Johnson, already breaking away from the others		And this was the start - at the back, out of shot, Stan was taking his early bath!!
Richard Elliot leads a group on the first lap		Whilst Richard Greenhalf has the course all to himself		Roger Wilkes trying to keep John Woodrow at bay on the first lap.
Richard Steel holds off a challenge in the woods		Mike Johnson flying through the woods		John Jones celebrating 'cos he's done 2 1/2 laps?
Roger Wilkes on his last lap - and he's still smiling		Colin Bricher on the last lap		A fine pair of legs - but whose are they?

17/11/01 Gloucester League - Newbold Comyn

On Saturday nine members of the Club traveled to nearby Newbold Common to compete in the second of the Gloucester Cross Country League Races. Newbold Common is an ideal venue for a cross country race. The course chosen on Saturday was 7 miles long and had a fine mix of underfoot conditions, combining a short flat grassy lap in the field by the Pavilion, followed by three long laps each of which went through the muddy section by the river then joined the flat section to the north of the Pavilion to arrive at Beacon Hill after which it headed through the green way back to the river. At the end of the third lap runners were diverted over the field back to the finish by the Pavilion. An excellent course in excellent conditions. Runners from all over the Midlands competed in the race and at the start there were over 130 runners eager for the challenge. Non more eager than the Kenilworth leading runner, Richard Elliot who had a superb run completing the course in 47 minutes and 50 seconds to earn a well deserved 21st place. He was pursued by Richard Steel who finished in 49 minutes and 35 seconds for 35th position.

The full list of Kenilworth Runners times is as follows:- Richard Elliot 47.51 (21st); Richard Steele 49.36 (34th); Tom Dable 54.13 (73rd); John Dagnan 56.24 (83rd); Richard Greenhalf 58.30 (97th); Andy Biss 59.04 (99th); Stef Shillington 59.34 (102nd); Colin Bricher 63.49 (115th) and Mick Morris 65.47 (118th).

Pauline Dable represented the Runners in the ladies race which followed a similar course as the men but with one large lap. Pauline had an excellent run and finished in a superb 32 minutes and 19 seconds for 53rd place..

Positions after the 2nd race: