Siggers’ Berlin build-up win at Kenilworth Half

Siggers’ time of 1hr 13min 30sec was a couple of minutes down on his club record run of 2014 due to a high mileage training week in his preparation for the Berlin Marathon.

However, it was still enough to put him almost a minute clear of second-placed Chris Sharp (Knowle & Dorridge).

Coventry Godiva’s Oliver Paulin was third in 1:15:50.

Leamington C&AC’s Eoin O’Flynn clocked a new personal best of 1:18:04 to come home fifth as he continues his Amsterdam Marathon build-up.

Fellow C&AC runner Garrath Schule was ninth in 1:18:50.

Kenilworth Runners’ David Leadley finished 16th in a new personal best of 1:22:53, with new member Jason Hill (24th in 1:23:58) and Wayne Briggs (1:24:30) completing the first-placed men’s team alongside Siggers.

Will Johnson was the first Spa Strider across the line, fading in the final 5k to slip from fourth at two miles to eventually come home 11th in 1:20:58.

Kevin White was 14th in 1:22:07, with Andrew Graham 28th in 1:24:23.

There were PBs for Striders’ Tom Gotts (1:28:23), Andrew Bonjour (1:32:56), Tom Holbrook (1:43:58), Matt Leydon (1:45:09) and Dan Martin (1:48:07).

The ladies’ race was won by Kate Wright of Stratford AC in 1:21:26.

However, Kenilworth again took the team prize with Danielle Bryan running a superb new PB of 1:24:10 – the second fastest half marathon by a Kenilworth lady – to finish third lady overall and first senior lady.

Clubmate Imogen Peace finished fifth lady and third WV35 in 1:26:12, with Melissa Damro (8th LV35 in 1:30:35) and Louise Andrews (1:36:26) completing the victorious ladies’ team.

Leamington C&AC’s Natalie Bhangal claimed her second sub-1:30 time, clocking 1:29:50 for second senior female, with Angela Chahal battling piriformis syndrome to come in 121st overall in 1:34:10.

Susan Cox was Spa Striders’ first female home in 1:37:32, with Kate Gadsby (1.38.21) and women’s skipper Bethan Gwynn (1:38:22) battling it out for second and third and Elena Savelieva producing a new best of 1:46:54.

Selected others (Kenilworth Runners unless stated): 22, Ben Rajan (Leamington C&AC, 1:23:47); 47, Craig Bower (Leamington C&AC, 1:26:35); 50, Neil Sheward (1:26:47); 54, Chris Hitchman (Leamington C&AC, 1:27:18); 58, Michael Williams (1:28:10); 61, Brian Miller (Leamington C&AC, 1:28:33); 96, Paul Okey (Leamington C&AC, 1:32:28); 133, Jack Gammon (Leamington C&AC, 1:35:47); 135, Graham Garlick (Leamington C&AC, 1:35:46); 152, Andrew Higgins (Leamington C&AC, 1:37:26); 188, Jenny Philpott (1:39:46); 208, Rachel Miller (1:41:04); 221, Steve Webb (Leamington C&AC, 1:41:45); 222, Jenny Jeeves (Leamington C&AC, 1:41:47); 248, Pavan Ayyalasomayajula (1:43:53); 276, Tom Williams (1:45:22); 293, Fay Manders (1:46:06); 299, Graham Roberts (Leamington C&AC, 1:46:47); 394, Rupe Chahal (Leamington C&AC, 1:53:18); 461, Sheela Hobden (1:57:05); 577, Alistair Kirkwood (2:06:47).

Kenilworth Runners’ Phil Gould and Martin Dorrill could be forgiven for missing the Kenilworth Half due to the draw of the fast and competitive Wilne 10k in Derbyshire, which, more importantly, formed the Midland Masters Championships.

The race did not disappoint with a continual stream of runners to maintain a constant challenge throughout.

Both Gould (36th in 33:57) and Dorrill (93rd in 36:57) ran season’s bests behind race winner Ryan McLeod (29:51).

Gould was delighted to win gold in the masters V35 category following a summer of predominantly track running over 1500m.