Gould stays in control to boost London preparations

The 2012 event attracted in excess of 800 competitors and 13 from Kenilworth Runners, with Phil Gould once again leading them home.

Gould ran a controlled effort at around his predicted London marathon pace to complete the race in 2:05:06, which was good enough for 23rd position.

Liam Chapple and Clive Pearce were the next Kenilworth Runners home, finishing in 2:22:50 and 2:22:53, respectively.

Behind Rod Goodwin (2:40:32:) a group of five Kenilworth Runners finished together, with Claire Goult, Sally Hicks and Tina Crow crossing the line with Steve Wright and Stephen Chalkley in a gun time of 2:48:21.

Sixteen Spa Striders took part and Rich Merrill was first home in 2:11:18 for 48th place, with Melissa Venables continuing her impressive form to finish third lady and first F35 in 2:17:01, a new club record.

Kenilworth Runners finishers 23, Phil Gould (2:05:06); 127, Liam Chapple (2:22:50); 128, Clive Pearce (2:22:53); 309, Rod Goodwin (2:40:32); 404, Claire Goult (2:47:55); 405, Steve Wright (2:47:55); 406, Stephen Chalkley (2:47:55); 407, Sally Hicks (2:47:56); 408, Tina Crow (2:47:56); 458, Lucy Beaumont (2:51:32); 459, Rebecca Smith (2:51:34); 503, Stephen Payne (2:55:43); 646, Phil Thomas (3:08:20).

Spa Striders finishers: Nick Adams (2:22:42); Hartwig Busch (2:25:45); Richard King (2:31:00); Michelle Clements (2:34:52); Justin Mallard (2:37:34); Kate Evans (2:39:02); Esther Wollaston (2:40:55); Mark Lewis (2:45:10); Clare Hinton (2:48:52); Jo Butler (2:50:23); Phil Wood (2:56:53); Jackie Lindsay (2:57:09); Harki Kalsi (3:18:35); Fiona Salmon (3:20:46).

Connor Carson and Pete Matthews of Kenilworth Runners donned their Mercia Fell Runners Club vests as they headed north to take part in the opening round of the English Fell Running Championships at Lad’s Leap in the Peak District National Park. The race was 5.9 miles long with 1,700ft of climbing and started from the campsite at Crowden on the Woodhead Pass, near Sheffield.

Carson demonstrated his outstanding all-round ability by finishing 43rd out of 309 runners and claiming ninth in the MV40 category in a time of 50:05.

Matthews came home in 58:17, with the race being won by their Mercia team-mate Simon Bailey in 44:16.

Kenilworth Runners junior runner Patrick Roddy headed to Ilton in Somerset to take part in the Aviva ESAA English Schools Cross Country Championship.

Determined to make a good start in the 7,050m race, Roddy placed himself in the first pen and, after leading up to the first bend, began to suffer thereafter.

The Year 12 senior had to wait until the final lap to start overtaking, with a sprint finish helping him come home 193rd of the 311 finishers in 27:03. Berkshire’s Jonathan Davies won the race in 23:02.

Six members of Kenilworth Runners headed to the village of Chedworth, six miles north of Cirencester, to take part in the ten-mile multi terrain race.

Richard Green was the first Kenilworth Runner home, completing the course in 1:09:39. Not far behind came Richard Steel (1:10:52). Reg Smith finished in 1:24:39, followed by Nicki Maritz (1:24:31), Tom Dable (1:27:38) and Pippa Green (1:33:35).

At the Banbury 15, Spa Striders’ Nadine Fleckenstein posted a personal best time of 1:48:40, with Richard Bicknell (2:00:42) and Richard Brookes (2:24:48) also taking part.

Ryan Kenny’s second appearance at the Leamington parkrun yielded a second win, with the Coventry Godiva Harrier coming home in 16:27 to finish well clear of Neville Chapman (18:10). Spa Striders’ Will Johnson was third with a PB of 18:47.

Kenilworth Runners’ James Griffiths continued his pleasing return to form with a new PB of 19:25. Team-mate Michael Crust also shaved a couple of seconds from his best with 23:22. Tom Dable finished 75th in 25:16, while wife Pauline Dable was 114th in 28:18.

Stef Lunn led the women home in 23:18, with Bethan Halliwell just 18 seconds back in second. Striders’ Sue Cox was third in 23:40.

Other Striders finishers: Ian Taylor (22:23); Paul Quinney (22:30); Jude Baum (24:41); Julie Heaton (25:03); Gary Perkins (27:12); Kevin Pantling (27:50); Chris Garden (29:24, PB); Ruth French (30:25, PB); Ian Oliver (31:50, PB); Janette Roberts (32:10).

Kenilworth Runners’ Stuart Hopkins took his third victory of the year at the Coventry parkrun, clocking a highly respectable 17:01. Phil Fusi finished fourth in 18:12.