Harrison and Roddy produce Great runs in Birmingham

On his 13.1 mile debut, the 18-year-old set the 12th fastest half-marathon time of the year by an under-20 athlete in a UK Athletics-ratified race, setting a slew of unofficial distance personal bests en route.

Foggy, cool conditions may not have been favourable for the helicopter attempting to provide live pictures for Channel 5, but they ensured calm and therefore quick conditions for racing.

In a race won by 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Micah Kogo of Kenya in 60:17 and followed by a string of fellow Africans, the race for minor places was very much a local affair, with many of the region’s best distance athletes taking part.

First Kenilworth Runner home was Rich Simkiss, who for a second year running found himself running with the lead female athletes and so guaranteed plenty of television coverage.

Not quite being able to repeat his 2012 performance, nevertheless Simkiss ran a fine race to set a season’s best of 1:13:16 to claim 22nd position, albeit just behind ladies’ race winner Sara Moreira (1:12:49).

Simkiss was followed by Roddy who set off at a searing pace, leading his club-mate until after half distance.

Such was the strength of performance from Roddy that he went about setting unofficial PBs at five miles (27:50), six miles (33:27), 10k (35:01), eight miles (44:52) and ten miles (56:24).

Maintaining his pace to the finish, Roddy clocked a superb 76:03 to finish 36th.

Following Roddy came a succession of strong performances for Kenilworth Runners.

Despite not enjoying the fog, Alex Atkinson ran excellently to set a new PB of 1:23:56, while Martin Belcher was delighted with his 1:35:29 clocking, which was his fastest half-marathon performance since 2009 and earned him third position in the V60-64 category, less than a minute behind the winner.

Leamington C&AC’s Chris Hitchman was 209th in 1:24:33, while first year senior George Loveday ran a controlled first attempt at the distance for 1:29:20.

Sue Harrison accepted a late invitation to race following her win at the Rugby 10 the previous week.

Passing the two-mile mark in 11:09, Harrison found herself alongside former world champion Berhan Adere from Ethiopia.

Harrison contined to run sub six- minute-miles, passing the five-mile mark in 28:51 and she kept up the relentless pace to reach ten miles in 58:31 - her fastest ten-mile run for six years.

Crossing the line in 78.19 for 61st overall, she finished fifth lady and was the second of the UK runners home behind Ipswich AC’s Claire Holme.

After an injury-plagued year, Harrison admitted the result owed a lot to the perseverance of herself and those around her.

“I knew I was well up in the ladies race but there was no way of telling where I was or how far clear I was of the next runner,” said Harrison. “My left hamstring was tightening up and I had to run fast but controlled.

“I can’t thank those people around me who have helped me through a very difficult three months.

“The facilities at the Warwickshire Golf and Country Club afforded to me by the manager Glenn Rayner have been superb.

“My training partners Steve (Hundal) and Zara (Blower) have remained supportive and as alway my coach, Les (Barnett) has been his usual positive self.

“While running is a very individual thing, to be successful you need a strong team around you.”

Fresh from her victory in the 1,500m at the Cerebral Palsy National Championships in Nottingham, Leamington C&AC youngster and T37 athlete Sophie James ran a fantastic personal best of 1:39:51.

Team-mate Emma Fulcher ran 1.46:12 for a PB.

Claire Goult is believed to be the first Kenilworth Runner lady to finish. Her time of around 1:41 is likely to be a PB and better last year’s Birmingham time by eight minutes.

However, her chip appears to have failed to register a time.

Second Kenilworth lady home was Mairead Murphy, who set a Power of 10 PB with an excellent 1:45:55.

Steve Goult led home the Spa Striders contingent in 1:27:34. He was followed by Kate Evans (1:46:41), Barbara Gunter (1:50:23), debutant Gary Perkins (1:55:54), Verity Hill and Daniel Martin (both 1:56:47), Jenny Owen (2:04:42), Beth Gawthorpe (2:11:28), Steve Atherton (2:11:37) and Nicola Wright (2:20:54).

Results (Kenilworth Runners unless stated): 22, Rich Simkiss (1:13:16*); 36, Paddy Roddy (1:16:03* PB); 179, Alex Atkinson (1:23:56 PB); 540, Tom Marshall (1:30:10 PB); 819, Marcus Leek (1:33:25 PB); 1,040 Martin Belcher (1:35:29); 1,067, Neil Smith (1:35:42); 1,235 Jack Blakemore (1:37:04); 1,583 Stephen Chalkley (1:39:21); - Claire Goult (1:41 †); 2,823 Mairead Murphy (1:45:55); 4,760 David Brown (1:54:25); 4,981 Elizabeth Keell (1:55:14 PB); 5,179 Elizabeth Williams (1:55:57 PB); 5,763 Lisa Sears (1:58:09); 5,930 Samantha Moffatt (1:58:49); 6,892 Elizabeth Cross (2:02:46); 7,451 Nicki Atherton (2:05:40); 7,452 Julie Bruce (2:05:42); 8,902 Charles Keane (2:13:01). *Gun time only provided for elite athletes in official results.