Allen breaks another Striders record in winning Road Race League finale

Race times were slower than previous years due to a headwind but that did not stop Spa Striders’ Ian Allen breaking another club record in winning the race in 54min 49sec.

Allen was also crowned Warwickshire Road Race League champion for 2019.

Fellow Striders Sue Cox and Robert Egan were two of just 12 ever-presents, having run in all 11 races in the league this season.

Leamington C&AC’s Dom Priest, who travelled back from Bristol especially to compete and secure his number one position in the under-20 category, was third overall in 57:18.

He was backed up by Dean Mawby (22nd in 62:54), Josh Hough (42nd in 66:20) and Paul Rutter (47th and 2nd M55 in 67:06).

Matt Dyer was first home for Kenilworth Runners, finishing 18th in 61:55, followed by Oliver Beasley (39th in 66:02) and Joe Chick (40th in 66:08). Dave Pettifer was first V65 in 74:18.

Leamington C&AC’s Natalie Bhangal ran a course PB of 66:31 for third senior lady and 43rd overall, cementing third-placed female in the Road Race League in the process.

Kenilworth Runners’ Marie Matthews finished sixth lady in 67:39 and along with Laura Pettifer (9th in 70:02) and Becky Beasley (12th in 71:25) formed the first ladies’ team.

Jane Kidd (76:16) was second LV55 and also won a prize for one of the top four WAVA age gradings on the day.

Meanwhile, Neil Sheward was the first of 19 Kenilworth Runners to finish the Chester Marathon.

After running a course-best 2:59:45 last year, Sheward just missed out on another sub 3-hour marathon, crossing the line in 3:00:45 for eighth MV50.

Rachel Miller just missed the Good For Age qualifying time for London of 3:15 but still ran an excellent race to finish in 3:17:09 and eighth FV40.

There were new PBs for Linda Fullaway who finished fifth FV50 in 3:36:29, Emma Garnett (3:31:29), Mark Alldritt (3:36:50), Richard Clarke (4:01:02) and Emily Lomax (4:39:12).

Neil Smith led Striders home in 2:47:05, followed by Simon Ludford (2:51:40, PB), Michael Pugh (3:12:51), Billy Morton (3:38:11, PB), Mike Cox (4:01:19), Abi Morton (4:20:02, PB) and Helen Pugh (4:27:33).

Leamington C&AC’s Marina Lobato was rewarded with a massive 20-minute personal best of 3:40:29 to finish 94th.

The race was won by Tom Charles of Trafford AC in 2:29:28.

Spa Striders’ Jo Fleming came back from injury in style at the Alcester 10k, finishing first lady and 24th overall in 40min 33sec.

Clubmate Ben Parkinson (40:47) was hot on her heels, followed by Chloe Kinton as third senior female in 43:27.

Jason Hemming (44:46), Emma Bird (48:47), and Sarah Brooke-Taylor, in a new PB of 59:57, also represented Striders.

Striders also running the 10k distance were Chris Wilson (40:09) in Tamworth and John-Paul Hunt, who ran cross-country at the Pattingham Bells Run, finishing in 43:36.

Ves Hill was out representing the green and red at the Shrewsbury Half Marathon, finishing in 2:08:39.

Over at the Basingstoke Half, Richard Lowery crossed the line in 2:09:07.

At the Warwickshire Sprint Triathlon, Helene Wright (1:07:22) and Laura Peake (1:14:21) both finished third in their respective age categories.

Kenilworth Runners’ Martin Belcher and Rob Smart were two of more than 20,000 runners who completed the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday.

The ideal weather conditions and large crowds made for a good run.

Belcher finished in 1hr 50min 34sec and Smart in 2:09:29.

The winner was Leonard Langat of Kenya in a course record 59:30.

The first woman home was Lucy Cheruiyot in 68:20.

Kenilworth Runners’ Jim Richardson was pleased with his first marathon for three years, finishing 46th in the Bournemouth Running Festival Marathon in a time of 3:04:00.

Spa Striders’ Kevin Baskerville clocked 4:13:40.

The race was won by Lloyd Biddell in 2:25:48.

Sam Moffatt finished the half-marathon in 2:04:05.

Leamington C&AC’s Wendy Daniels had a comfortable win at the BMF Supernova 5k in Bournemouth. On her comeback from an Achilles injury, Daniels crossed the line in 19min 31sec, more than 30 seconds ahead of second-placed female Holly Wilkinson of City of Portsmouth AC.

While Leamington C&AC’s men’s team failed to qualify for the National Road Relays at Sutton Park, the club were represented by their youth squad and their senior ladies’ team.

The under-13 boys kicked the day off with debutants Jacob Ellis and Oliver Wetherall joining James Gould who was celebrating his 12th birthday.

The trio started off almost at the back of the pack but were able to claw some positions back to finish 40th out of 48 completed teams.

The under-15 girls’ team had two runners pull out at the last minute but Emma Dobson and Melanie Gould ran well.

C&AC’s under-17 girls showed their strength, fielding two teams.

Ana and Emily Lovett teamed up with Lucy Green to finish 26th overall, with Molly Minshull, Rositsa Gugutkov and Saffia Chiba coming home in 35th.

The senior ladies had Megan Rothman running the team’s first and fastest leg of the 4.33k course in 16:29.

Mum Monica went second, followed by debutant Aneta Radaczewska.

Zara Blower completed the team, running a time of 17:35 to bring the ladies home in 41st position.

Spa Striders’ Liz Draper and Andy Heath were back on the ultra trails, this time running the Atlantic Coast Challenge which involved three marathons in three days from Padstow to Land’s End.

Heath completed two days before a hamstring injury retired him but Draper finished the race in 20:29:33.