Bourton Roadrunners

Autumn Shakespeare

CHRIS and Kate Kryzwiec pulled off a husband-and-wife double for Bourton Roadrunners at the Autumn Shakespeare on a traffic-free flat course at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon.

Although the course was perfect for a PB, conditions were not. It was windy, cold and drizzly on race day.

Fifteen Bourton Roadrunners shivered on the start line (shared by runners of all race distances), with 13 running the 5k (tempted by the club's six from ten competition points), two running 10k and one undertaking the marathon.

Chris stormed around for a 17.36 race win in the 5k, and Kate finished first lady in a super-speedy 20.45. Darren Long overcame injury woes, looking comfortable to finish fourth in 19.42.

Catherine Wheeler, running her last race as a 20-something on the eve of her 30th birthday, managed a huge PB of 21.09.

Eleven-year- old Bourton junior Christopher Hunt was the smallest person in the race but had big ambitions for a sub-22 finish.

He worked hard for 21.51 and said his body felt as if it was "running underwater" down the long drag-racing strip to the finish.

Steph Holton was next in (22.42), followed by Brian Hulcup (23.06) who didn't wait for wife Liz (23.43). Chris Dry sneaked under 24 minutes (23.56) while Kerry Lee Taylor ran 24.07. Gill Carrick finished in a determined 25.31. She was followed by Linda Edwards (26.12) and Gary Holton (26.27).

While the 5k runners celebrated, Margaret Hollamby and Alan Thomas were completing their second lap. Margaret finished the 10k in a superb 46.49 – ninth lady and first FV55, chased by Alan in 40.07.

Meanwhile, Steve Edwards was grinding out an eight-and-a-half lap marathon (his 706th). The Bourton contingent cheerfully waved to Steve as he completed his second and third laps, before they headed home as the weather turned increasingly grim.

Everyone pitied Steve and even more so his wife Teresa, who was nonetheless all smiles and enthusiasm despite the gale-force wind and driving rain.

The deterioration in conditions was reflected by the fact that 10 per cent of the field failed to finish the race. Steve came home in a triumphant 12th place (3:17.05) and a teeny bit closer to his goal of 1,000 marathons.