Kenyon flying high as he takes Staverton win
DESPITE not being part of this year’s county road race series, CLC’S annual Staverton 10-mile event saw more than 200 advance entries and a great turn-out on a bitterly cold and blustery January morning.
Using the Aviator Inn at Staverton Airport as its base, the race is a two-lap event out and back around Churchdown from the airport.
CLC’S star runner Will Ferguson was not able to run due to illness, and the race was won by Gloucester AC’S Steve Kenyon in a time of 56:14.
He was followed home by Ryan Bennett of the Badgers running club in 56:54 and Robert Farley of Bitton Road Runners in 56:56.
The first lady home was Helena Youde of Almost Athletes in 1:05:15 and 25th overall.
The next lady home was Samantha Harris of Forest of Dean AC in 1:06:20 and third was Kate Krzywiec of North Cotswold Tri & Run in 1:07:41.
The only CLC competitor was Mike Speke, who came home in 101st place in 1:22:37.
The feedback after the race – both at the event and on social media – has been overwhelmingly positive, with runners describing the event as a combination of well organised and friendly.
One runner commented that he’d never experienced mile markers so accurately measured and positioned.
Race adjudicator Graham Fletcher said: “The race director (Eoin Mcquone) was managing his first ever race and he did a really good job.
“At one point, the CLC Striders were not planning to stage the race because of a lack of organisers but they decided to go ahead and pulled this together in a short space of time and should be congratulated for their efforts.”
Thanks go to the many supporters of the event: Ben Pullen – the farmer at Chosen Hill Farm; Up and Running – for the race bibs and other bits and bobs; Churchdown Co-op – for supplying 250 bananas free of charge; All at The Aviator Inn for making us so welcome; The airport itself for their permission; Steve and Lynne Hudson – for providing chip timing on the day; Graham Fletcher – the race adjudicator and also to the many, many club members who marshalled and helped out before and on the day.
CLC will be making a donation to the CLIC Cancer charity from race proceeds, as per the wishes of farmer Ben Pullen, across whose land the course makes its way back to the airport on each loop.
Buoyed by the success of the event and the positive feedback received, the club is exploring introducing a new summer road race.