Crowle Gunpowder Plot 10km

Sun. 28th May 2006

Left: Richard Malin sprinting home. Right: Sale Harriers Matt Bond

B&R’s Richard Malin returned to Crowle where he had set the course record in 2004 and ran inside that mark by 40 seconds but still had to settle for second place. Over 400 runners started the 10 km and after the lap around the field, Richard and Matt Bond (Sale Harriers Manchester) led the runners out on to the road course. The first mile was flat and fast through Crowle and then the route went out on the quiet country lanes and became more undulating. Richard and Matt could be seen side by side going up the hill at 3 km having already opened up a gap over the chasing runners. The course then made a loop and the half way mark was a U-turn in the road about half a mile past Sale Green. As they passed the oncoming runners in the opposite direction, Richard was being led by about 10 metres. Richard eventually finished in 32-06 with Matt Bond winning in a new course record of 31-57. The winner had run about the same time the previous week in the Manchester 10k but there it was only good enough for 52nd place! Cheltenham Harriers Dan Duke was 3rd in 32-46. So clearly the pace was hotter than in last years race that had been won in 34-53.

The women’s race was won by Lynne Cox from Tipton Harriers in 37-48 with last year’s winner and course record holder (36-56), local runner Victoria Briggs (Halesowen AC) in 3rd (40-49). Second placed Emma Gooderham (unattached runner) (40-43) was also the first female vet 35+.

Other B&R runners: Phil Anderson 21st (38-33), Jeanette Malin who had been 2nd woman last year in 41-34 was 6th this time in 43-57 (79th overall) and Dave Carney 284th (56-10). There were 404 finishers.

Oh and if you were wondering why a race in June is called the Gunpowder Plot 10k – the route passes close to Huddington Court where the gunpowder plot was hatched. This house was the home of the Wyntour family and at 6 a.m. on 7th November 1605 thirty horsemen set out from the court. They rode through Worcestershire calling at Hewell Grange and Hagley Hall before being surrounded and captured at Holbeach House in Kingswinford that night. The three Wyntour brothers were eventually executed for their part in the plot – including John Wyntour executed at Red Hill in Worcester.

Leading mens results:

1 Matt Bond (Sale Harriers) 31-57

2 Richard Malin (B&R) 32-06

3 Dan Duke (Cheltenham H.) 32-46

MV40 Jonathon Grix (Bournville H.) 34-57

MV50 Peter Richardson (Worcs. AC) 36-53

MV60 David Whymant (Amazing Feet) 40-44

Leading womens results:

1 Lynne Cox (Tipton) 37-48

2 Emma Gooderham (U/A) 40-43

3 Victoria Briggs (Hales.) 40-49

WV45 Karen Hewlett 51-17

WV50 Rosalind Townsend-Hope (Worcs. AC) 45-46

Full 10 km results (pdf on Crowle web-site), click HERE.

(PA)