Cross Country Results 2002/2003:

1st March	Birmingham League - Wolverhampton
22nd February	National Championships - Parliament Fields, London
15th February	Gloucester League - Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham
7th February	County Championships - Woolaton Park, Nottingham
25th January	Midlands Championships - Alton Towers, Staffordshire
11th January	Birmingham League - Stafford
4th January 2003	Warwickshire Championships - Newbold Comyn
7th December	Gloucester League - Severn AC, Gloucester
30th November	Birmingham League - Northbrook, Coventry
16th November	Gloucester League - Croft School, Blackridge
9th November	National Cross Country Relays - Mansfield
2nd November	Birmingham League - Senneleys Park
19th October	Gloucester League - Haywood Community School, Cinderford
5th October 2002	Midlands Cross Country Relays - Newbold Comyn

01/03/03 - Birmingham League Race 4 - Wolverhampton

Knowing that only a top class performance from everybody would secure the coveted third promotion place in the Third Division of the League, Kenilworth Runners travelled to Wolverhampton on Saturday with considerable anxieties but the adrenaline was running strong and with a superb team effort hey secured their promotion place and will be in the Second Division next season. Over the years Kenilworth Runners have climbed from the 5th Division and are now for the first time in their history have entered this prestigious grouping of running clubs. On the day Kenilworth Runners took second place to top club Wolverhampton and Bilston which left them only 18 points off the second club Cannock in the final reckoning.

Members in the 14 man squad all put in strong performances with Mick Johnson capping a superb season by not only winning the race on the day but also claiming the Senior Men's individual award for the 3 best performances of the season. His time for this race was an impressive 27 minutes and 49 seconds. Despite Mike's superb effort it required superb runs from the other 5 scoring runners to secure promotion with Graham Birch, Julian Simpson, Mick Williams, Lou Frondella and Wayne Oakes rising to the occasion and making sure that they kept well ahead of Kenilworth's nearest rivals. The course on the day was firm, flat and varied but ideal for fast running and Kenilworth Runners took full advantage of this. The 5 mile course comprised one short and three long laps which included two pleasant fields and a short length of disused railway track plus a rather sharp, short climb up to the line at one place

Mike Johnson biding his time		Getting ready to strike		While Graham Birch follows
Julian Simpson keeps in contact		Wayne Oakes just ahead of Mick Williams		Richard Steel keeps up the pace
Roland - ahead of Tom at last!		Tom, behind Roland at last!		Celebrating!

Birmingham League Division 3 - Promotion Winners

22/02/03 - National Cross Country Championships - Parliament Hill, London

Eight members of Kenilworth Runners travelled down the M1 on Saturday to compete in the most prestigious cross country race of the season, The National Cross Country Championship which attracts runners from clubs throughout the Country. This years venue was Parliament Hill in North London a huge expanse of rolling open ground adjoining Hampstead Heath. The senior and veteran ladies ran 8 kilometre (with 1 full lap) and the senior and veteran men ran 12 kilometres (with 2 full laps) each with a short starting and finishing section to complete the distance. The starting section set the pattern for the course with a steady climb up to the beginning of the first lap. The laps wound through some picturesque countryside but with few flat sections and many thick muddy sections it made for very tough running. With 2000 feet having run over the course throughout the day the last runners had a hard time with the mud stirred up to a fine consistency that seemed to glue running shoes to the ground.

With three ladies and five men running Kenilworth Runners were well represented in both the senior and veterans races. Jane McNally lead the ladies in with a powerful run finishing in 53 minutes 45 seconds for 361 place. She was followed by Pauline and Kristy Dable who both had good runs finishing in 55.45 (373rd) and 61.53 (393rd) respectively. Tom Dable lead the Kenilworth men with an excellent run to finish in 61.14 for 890th, just ahead of Roland Smythe in 62.08 (932nd). Stef Shillington made light work of the trying conditions finishing in 68.44( 1134th) followed by Mick Morris 78.10 (1222nd) and Colin Bricher 80.12. (1257th)

The ladies National team - Kristy, Pauline & Jane - before the mud		Roland struggles in the mud		Pauline & Jane tackle the mud
		Kristy eases through the mud

15/02/03 - Gloucester League - Race 4 Cheltenham

In this the final race of the series, it was Julian Simpson and Graham Birch who battled it out for 12th and 15th places respectively in the Mens race, whilst in the ladies it was Rebecca Kendal who continued her good form with a fourth place finish. Full results are not yet to hand so the final team positions are not known. Full report to appear shortly as well

07/02/03 - County Championships - Woolaton Park, Nottingham

Rebecca Kendall got an unexpected phone call the night before asking if she would like to run in the following days race! Having finished 12th in the Warwickshire Championships back in January, she didn't gain automatic selection but was on call as a reserve. Competing against runners from every county in England, Rebecca was up against the very best opposition and she finished in a time of 39.00 for an excellent run.

25/01/03 - Midland Cross Country - Alton Towers

On Saturday eleven members of Kenilworth Runners travelled to Alton Towers in Staffordshire to compete in the Midland Cross Country Championship Race, an annual event that has races for all categories of runners from youngsters to senior ladies and men. It attracts runners from throughout the Midlands the competition is very stern. The event also has a team competition and this year there were 15 senior ladies teams of four runners each and 27 men's teams of six runners.

On the day there were 127 senior lady finishers and 329 senior men which shows what a popular race this is. The event took place in a large open area alongside the famous Theme Park. Its setting was most picturesque lying on the side of a steep hill with beautiful views of the Staffordshire Moorland in the distance, making it an ideal setting for a cross country race. Not that it made it an easy race for the recent wet weather meant that many parts of the course were deep in mud and the course was very hilly. The start was set near the top of the hill and the three equal lap course firstly took runners along the side of the hill weaving up and down as it went to return on a line just below until it reached a gate where it gently dropped down a green way at which point the main obstacle could be seen for the first time. This was a steep climb up the hillside some two hundred metres long after which there was a long steady incline beside a stone wall and coppice ground to the start and the beginning of the next lap.

In the ladies six kilometre race Celia Mills lead Kenilworth Runners in with a fine run in 31 minutes and 29 seconds putting her in 60th position overall. She was followed by Pauline Dable who also had a good run finishing in 39 minutes and 3 seconds in 117th position. In the men's twelve kilometre race Mick Williams, despite an injury, had an excellent run in 49 minutes and 12 seconds and finishing in 87th position overall which was a very impressive run on such a tough course and against top quality opposition.

The finishers were:-

Kenilworth Runners were only able to field a senior men's team which finished in 24th position.

11/01/03 - Birmingham League Race 3 - Stafford Common

Fielding a nearly full strength squad the Runners achieved a fantastic result today - 3rd place - finishing with 165 points. This was good enough to put them in 3rd place overall as both Northbrook and Warwick University slipped up. With the final race taking place in Wolverhampton on 1st March there is a very good chance that we can consolidate on this position - our best finish in the three seasons that we have been in division 3.

With Mike Johnson still on holiday, Wayne Oakes injured and Lou Frondella working, one wonders what may have been achieved if they had run. However, the fact that they couldn't run and the result we achieved just goes to show the strength that we have in the Club at the moment.

On a course that had to be changed from the anticipated due to the frozen ground - even the water was solid - it meant that it was run in the opposite direction from 3 years ago and only consisted of two laps. The ground was so hard it was like running on a road with bumps in it! Not surprisingly there were one or two murmurs before the race from runners who thought that the race shouldn't be run. Needless to say the majority wanted it to go ahead. Once the gun went it was Graham Birch who led the Runners followed by Julian Simpson and Mick Williams. Julian and Mick were nip and tuck until the final stages when Micks' experience saw him pull away to open up a two second gap. At the back of the field, Mick Morris, Colin Bricher and Roger Wilkes battled it out before Roger just eased ahead of Colin. Mick, taking it steady, was glad when he crossed the line without incurring any mishaps!

Not only are the A team in third position - the B team also lie third.

Results:

04/01/03 - Warwickshire Championships - Newbold Comyn

Newcomers Julian Simpson and Rebecca Kendall to the honours in this years Championships finishing 20th and 12th respectively in their races. Due to the appalling weather over the previous few days, the course had to be dramatically changed as part of the course by the river was under a foot or so of water. Unfortunately the changes did not preclude us from running up Beacon Hill - 3 times! In fact the weather had made the ground very slippy, so much so that several runners on their descent from the Beacon actually ended up in the trees rather than following the course

With no Mike Johnson running this year, there was no repeat of a County place being achieved, although Mike would have had his work cut out this time round.

Twenty three Runners turned out for the race - an excellent turnout despite the cold - but at least the rain/snow held off.

Results:

07/12/02 - Gloucester League Race 3 - Plock Court

Richard Elliot took the honours in the Mens race whilst debutante Rebecca Kendall produced a great performance in the ladies for 12th place. On a bleak winters day - at least the course wasn't waterlogged this time - the number of runners appeared down from other races this season, but it still didn't make it any easier! With only just enough runners to enter one Mens and ladies team we should at least have maintained our position within the league. Just as well there is no relegation to worry about in this league, although to be fair only 6 teams have put teams in for all 3 races! The same is to be said for the ladies - where only 3 teams have completed all three.

Results

Position after Race 3: (For those teams who have completed all 3 meetings)

30/11/02 - Birmingham League Race 2 - Coundon Park, Coventry

On Saturday afternoon another magnificent run by Mike Johnson enabled Kenilworth Runners 'A' team to maintain their 5th position in the highly competitive Third Division of the Birmingham Cross Country League. Mike improved on last years 3rd place to WIN the race in an impressive 34 minutes 12 seconds. The 'B' team were lead in by Richard Steel who finished the race in 55th position. This gives them 4th position in the league. The Runners were well represented in the race with twenty members of age ranges up to nearly 70! Whilst never in the hunt for trophies or awards the fight for places lower down the order was no less competitive and a group of five runners lead by the impressive Stef Shillington also battled it out so that only 11 places separated them at the end. The race was held on Coundon Hall Park, Coventry and the recent wet weather made conditions ideal for a winter cross country race. This race was hosted by Northbrook A.C. and as is usual in the Birmingham League the organization was superb. The course for the three lap 6 mile race was beautifully designed using the full potential of the Park including a short section of woodland in each lap. Marshals were available at every turn and tape marked the route clearly. Whilst predominantly flat there were some gentle climbs on the course.

Mike Johnson takes the lead towards the end of lap 2