Phil’s golden year is given cracking finale

Held around Moreton Morrell College, the off-road course of approximately 10k includes numerous horse jumps and fences to climb, and the course was made doubly difficult by the heavy ground.

Gould’s time of 37min 29sec saw him clinch victory by just three seconds.

Fellow club member Kath Foly celebrated her birthday by completing the course in 59.09 dressed as an elf.

Six Spa Striders also took part, with Bethan Gwynn coming home first senior lady (third lady overall) in 50.33 to help Striders to the team prize.

Jill Ibberson was the second senior lady in 52.19 and she was followed home by Rich Sykes, who completed the course in a Santa outfit in 53.50, Ben Parkinson (56.07), Sue Cox (1st F45 in 56.59) and Richard Brookes (59.16).

After a year’s absence, the Sneyd Striders Chrismas Pudding Run returned for its 25th running.

The ten-mile race featured a new two-lap course which gently undulated for most of each lap on semi-rural roads in and around Bloxwich.

Despite a treacherous surface, Kenilworth Runners’ Matthew Kingston-Lee ended the year as he began it with a new personal best, clocking 59min 46sec for 17th position.

Neil Smith followed in 166th position with 1:17.44, while Joan Mason ran excellently to clock 1:34.49, finishing just ahead of Liz Hegan (1:35.31).

Mike Ellis led Spa Striders home in the Bedford Half Marathon on Sunday. Ellis came home in 77.23 (3rd M35) to finish 14th in a field of almost 1,500.

Carolyn Wilkinson (90.38 and 3rd F40), Melissa Venables (91.29 and 3rd F35) and Dawn Clark (95.18) took the ladies’ team prize in a race which doubled as the Bedfordshire County Championship.

Mark Hall was the first Kenilworth Runner home, running a fine race to finish 312th in 1:36.54.

Rod Goodwin made up for the disappointment of the Luton Marathon being cancelled, knocking nearly six minutes from his previous best to clock 1:38.52. Anton Raath finished in 1:43.02.

Fellow Spa finishers: Trevor Wilkinson (82:56); John McNally (1st M55 in 85:20); Rich Shephard (85:38); Darren Gillman (101.37); Richard Bicknell (104.18); Pete Schofield (105.07); Kate Evans (108:27, PB); Joanna Hawkins (112:35); Sandra Stokes (128:23).

Kenilworth Runners fielded a men’s team of six in third race of the Gloucester League over 9.85k.

Richard Simkiss ran a strong race to finish fifth in 35.31, closely followed by Mike Johnson in seventh (36.09).

Roger Homes (41.18), Martin Smith (47.35), Steph Shillington (52.02) and Tom Dable (54.09) completed the team who were 11th out of 18.

n The Leamington C&AC-organised Christmas morning race is set to start from a new venue this year.

The event which attracts 70 to 80 runners has previously started from the Avon Tavern in Warwick.

However, the pub has closed down and the race will take on a new route, setting off from The Millwright Arms in Coten End (10.30am).

The race is free for all club-affiliated runners and just £1 for non-members, which entitles them to become members of Leamington C&AC until New Year’s Eve.

Registration for all competitors takes place at 9.30am at The Millwright Arms.