Mike Scandett completes challenging Grand Union Canal race - The Leamington Observer

Mike Scandett completes challenging Grand Union Canal race

Leamington Editorial 28th May, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

KENILWORTH Runner Mike Scandrett took on perhaps the biggest challenge of his career as he completed the grueling Grand Union Canal Race.

The 145-mile run starts in Birmingham and sees participants travel via canals to Little Venice in London.

It is widely regarded as one of the toughest races in the UK and although conditions for this year’s event were near on perfect, 63 runners out of a field of 100 managed to complete the race.

Club mates from Kenilworth Runners provided food, water and encouragement along the course and in the later stages (after 65 miles) buddy runners were allowed to run alongside Scandrett.




The early stages to Scandrett progress and as he progressed through Warwick he was met by plenty of well-wishers from his town.

At about 60 miles he slipped and pulled his hip, tweaking an old injury which he had carried onto the start line.


This was the first low point of the race and by the end Scandrett was suffering severely from shin splints and bad blisters but managed to complete the course in 36 hours and ten minutes which placed him 29 out of 63 finishers.

Cassie Oury was all smiles on Bank Holiday Monday after finishing as the first lady in the Alderney Coast ten-mile race.

The Spa Strider runner made it an enjoyable trip to the Channel Islands, while Jannie Hawkins was in action at the Buxton Half Marathon on Sunday.

Hawkins took on the challenging course with 460metre ascent and finished as the eighth fastest lady and she finished as the first fastest F35.

Over 20 Spa Strider runners took part in the Leamington Parkrun over the weekend, with notable performances coming from Will Johnson who finished third in 18.25.

And Fiona Edwards and Bethan Gwynn finished third and fourth fastest ladies respectively in 21.29 and 21.40 (personal best).

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