McCarthy beats the hour and the field at Draycote

Kenilworth Runners’ Chris McCarthy won the inaugural Beat the Hour race at Draycote Water, completing the two-and-a-bit laps of the reservoir in 56:25.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Nov 2014, 12:37 BST

McCarthy took the lead early on and had eight lonely miles as he secured victory by more than three minutes from Birchfield’s Nick Hardy (the only other runner to duck under the hour).

Spa Striders’ Victor Garanto Fajo was third in 1:00:46.

Striders’ Melissa Venables produced a well-judged race to win the ladies’ event in 1:08:02.

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Initially lying in second place, Venables gradually closed the gap on the leading lady, overtaking her at around six miles and going on to win by 44 seconds.

She was followed by team- mates Carolyn Wilkinson in third place in 1:10:07 and Clare Hinton in fifth place in 1:11:33.

Kenilworth’s Louise Andrews was 20th overall and fourth lady in 1:10:48.

Selected others (Spa Striders unless stated): 12, Chris McKeown (1:07:52); 16, Greg Harris (1:09:08); 22, Hartwig Busch (1:11:22); 25, Tom Williams (Kenilworth Runners, 1:11:57); 30, Richard Cookson (Kenilworth Runners, 1:13:40); 36, David Maule (1:16:50); 39, Simon Radcliffe 1:18:16); 59, Andrew Mackenzie (1:24:06); 60, Peter Schofield (1:24:06); 81, Sophie Cookson (Kenilworth Runners, 1:30:28).