Treat Multi-Terrain 8

Sunday 12 th March 2006

Above: Ann Stuart (B&R) first FV45

The number of runners in this year’s race from Kidderminster & Stourport’s H.Q. was down on last year, with the very cold weather perhaps discouraging entries on the day. There was also the potential clash with the Stafford 20 for runners training for the London Marathon and the attraction of the Fradley 10k for those seeking a road race after a winter of XC. However, the turnout by B&R was much improved, partly because this year the Ballycotton 10 in Eire has fallen on a different weekend.

The hardy souls who did compete were greeted by a freezing wind and a light covering of snow on the fields and hill overlooking the start. In fact many runners were happy to forego a warm up on the track in favour of a few minutes extra shelter in the clubhouse.

The front of the field may have been a bit denuded by the absence of runners who had competed in the Inter-Counties XC at Nottingham yesterday – for example Kidderminster & Stourport’s Tom Kenderdine, a regular winner of local MT events,  opted to marshal as in previous years following the Saturday race. This did have the advantage of making for a closer and more exciting race with no one runner opening a large lead over the field.

The race started on the running track and headed off across the snow-flecked rough grass and along the grassy footpath alongside the golf course. B&R’s Ian Keyte led the front pack of four or five runnesr through the first half mile. After the climb up the path and track to the transmitter on top of the hill this group was still bunched and Ian had settled into about third or fourth position.

After a few hundred metres of road, the course turned back off road and down a steep sandy path leading to the flattest stretch on the course. Gavin Moorhead passed Phil Anderson on the stiff climb about half a mile before the huts near the Wyre Forest visitor’s centre and kept ahead of him on the rocky downhill and farm track to halfway and on the uphill pavement section from the roundabout near Bewdley.

The runners were then heading for home and as we passed under the Severn Valley railway for the second time we had a chance to swap encouraging shouts with team-mates going the opposite direction. There was a steady one mile climb up towards the top of the course again but as always the going was good on the well-drained sandstone gully and the last section now even has a tarmac path. Phil managed to get ahead of Gavin at the top of the gulley and had the advantage of having two other runners from Cobra and Halesowen to work with on the last hill. Suddenly, the runners were back on the track leading the transmitter, knowing that after turning right at the top it would be a fast one mile zig-zag down the hill to the path on the golf course.

Ian had been fourth on reaching the turn at the aerial but seventeen year old Marc Roberts from Kidderminster & Stourport had plenty left and passed him passed him on the last downhill just before the golf course. Apparently Marc has a background as an 800m and 1,500 m runner which would explain his turn of speed at the finish. Phil couldn’t match the finish of the two yellow vested runners over the last few hundred metres and Gavin was close behind as third B&R finisher.

Left: Phil Anderson finishes 14th. Right: A relaxed John Manley after finishing. (Sorry no pic of Ian as he was first in & had to fetch the camera)

John Manley was next B&R runner home, just outside the hour, and was pleased with his run having only decided to run on the morning of the race. Dave Whipp was in sight on the final field as John crossed the line and Len Quartly was less than one minute further back. Anne Stuart was running smoothly on the final straight as she came home in under 64 minutes as first B&R woman. A smiling Roger Beacham appeared non the worse for wear after his run at Ballycotton last weekend and by my reckoning was first male vet 65 home (unfortunately there was no prize for that category). Tracey Jones who has been training hard for the marathon, finished in 73-18 in her first ever race. Her marathon training partner Bridget Birch was ten seconds behind after tripping on an unseen root and falling heavily – she was led away for first aid with a possible broken finger but hopefully it won’t interfere with her training schedule.

Left: A race debut for Tracey Jones. Right: Bridget Birch finishes in spite of a fall.

The closeness of the men’s race was reflected in the fact that the first five runners were separated by only forty-six seconds. With vets taking the first three positions there was some delay as the allocation of prizes was decided (where runners qualified for two prizes they were given the higher value one). At least the wait gave us an chance to watch the highlights of Blues versus the Baggies and have a great plate of chips in the clubhouse. Ian got the men’s vet 45 trophy and prize (a kit-kat towel) and in the women’s race, Anne picked up chocolates as winner of her vet 45 category.

With such a good turnout, we had hoped to have a chance in the men’s team competition but Kidderminster & Stourport packed four runners in the first seven finishers to win by a clear margin. They also won the women’s race in spite of some of their team havnig raced at Wollaton Park in the XC yesterday.

Click HERE for more B&R pictures on gallery page

Leading finishers in men’s race

1 Simon Link (Stourbridge) 50-32

2 Michael Williams (Kenil.) 50-36

3 Bob Park (K&S) 50-48

4 Marc Roberts SM (K&S) 51-03

5 Ian Keyte MV45 (B&R) 51-18

Leading finishers in women’s race

1 (22) Emma Hornby (K&S) 56-38

2 (25) Lucy Wright (K&S) 57-28

3 (27) Susan Haworth (-) 57-50

Other B&R finishers

14 Phil Anderson 54-08

15 Gavin Moorhead 54-23

39 John Manley 60-11

44 Dave Whipp 60-57

61 Len Quartly 62-50

62 Ann Stuart 63-56

74 Roger Beacham 65-19

107 Tracey Jones 73-18

108 Bridget Birch 73-28

136 finishers

Prize winners

Senior men:

1st Simon Link

2nd Michael Williams

3rd Marc Roberts

MV40 Dave Munt 51-24

MV45 Ian Keyte

MV50 Bob Park

MV60 Gordon Orme (Birchfield)

Senior women:

As per 1-2-3 above.

LV35 Sue Bartram (West Bromwich)

LV40 Helen Elliott (Worcester)

LV45 Ann Stuart

LV50 Dianne Edge

P.A. 12/3/05