KENILWORTH RUNNERS
A TOTAL of eight Kenilworth Runners completed the fifth Oxford Half Marathon on Sunday with Steve Marr leading to the team home after finishing 19th.
Marr crossed the finish line in 1:17.19 and he was followed by Tom Marshall who finished in a time of 1:30.44 to claim 12th position in the M50 category.
Elizabeth Williams was the sole Kenilworth lady finishing 212th in time of 2:09.13. The race was won by Steve Naylor in 1:10.24, although Vincent Boit who was leading the race was sent two miles the wrong way and pulled out in disappointment. There were 7,500 entrants.
It was the start of the XC season for Kenilworth Runners with several members travelling to Cotswold Farm Park in Gloucestershire for the first race in the Gloucester League.
In the ladies race Laura Gould was first home and Sally Evans first Kenilworth lady veteran home, while in the men’s race, Stephen Page was first home in 11th position followed by Phillip Gould in 15th position.
The ladies team finished 24th out of 40 and the ladies veterans’ team came 15th out of 27. The men’s team finished 4th out of 23 and the men’s veterans 8th out of 24.
SPA STRIDERS
It was also a busy weekend for Leamington-based Spa Striders who had runners at races across the country and overseas.
Hannah Smith ran the Budapest Marathon in an impressive time of 4:11.18, while back home Gary Perkins led the club to the finish of his namesake’s Great Eastern Run in a time of 2:01.52.
Following him minutes later were Julie Heaton (2:03.17), David Lithgow (2:07.14) and Claire Westrope (2:08.34).
Elsewhere, Fiona Edwards struggled through the Blackpool Autumn Breaker 10km event to come in as the sixth fastest lady in just over 44 minutes, just outside her personal best.
Pete Soley put in a great performance at the Alcester 10km to cross the finish line as the third fastest in the V34 category in a personal best time of 37.50.
Lucy Tugwell got round the course in 48.39 while at the Oxford Half Marathon, Tim Down just missed out on a personal best time by finishing 59th in 1:21.52.
And Mel Venables completed the Marathon de le Somme 100km road race in Amiens, France on Sunday in a time of 8:24.46.
Her time was quick enough for her to finish as the second fastest lday qualify for the England and Celtic nations 100km later this year.
