Kit Bell 5 Mile Race Report 18th August
2002 by Susan Green
The first running of the Kit Bell 5 Mile Road Race took
place last Sunday on the South Humberside Industrial Estate. Replacing the
Grimsby Kit Bell 10K event, which was popular with runners over the last 13
years, the change of venue from the Willows Estate course was due to safety
reasons with increased Sunday traffic.
Organised by Wolds Veteran RC with sponsorship from Martin
Anderson Insurance, North East Lincs Council and Novartis, around 80 competitors
started in what will hopefully become as popular an annual event as it’s
predecessor.
A surprise on this inaugural run saw Melanie Hayward of
Beverley AC beat off a challenging pack of the areas fittest athletes to finish
outright winner, a female to win overall is a very rare occasion in mixed road
racing and the first in this area
From the starters gun at 11 am, the runners were set off in a torrential downpour of rain to completed the 2-lap traffic free course. Melanie found herself tucked in to a leading pack of 6 runners which kept together for some 3 miles into the race, then the pace began to tell for some, leaving Melanie and Ian Anderson (Knavesmire) to battle out the last one and a half miles. Still together at the three quarter mile straight run into the finish, Ian pushed hard, but it was Melanie who had the strength and speed to win in 28mins 15secs to Ian’s 28mins 21secs.
A battle for 3rd place between race sponsor
Grimsby Harriers Martin Anderson and J Sizer of Bridgend saw Martin just lose
out in 28mins 59secs to J Sizers 28mins 56secs.
Previous Kit Bell race winner Daphne Ellmore (F50) of the host club recorded an excellent 30mins 9secs in 2nd position, not far from her best time for the distance, 3rd place went to Cleethorpes AC’s Beverley Wilson, also a veteran runner in 30mins 55secs.
Veteran runners accounted for nearly 50% of the entrants
who proved that you are never to old to keep up fitness, there were 10 over 60
years young finishers, 4 over 70 years, and the ever present Dennis Holt of Clee
AC, now a mere 75 years young, leaving many youngsters at their heel.
Team events were won by Cleethorpes AC men and women, Kit
Bell trophies donated this year by the Sandwich Corner and Steve Houlton
Decorators were presented to the first Wolds Vets to finish, which were won by
Steve Green and Daphne Ellmore.
Other category awards were F35 L Brown Clee AC 43.10. F40
Fay Fenwick Clee AC 34.00. F45 Liz Dransfield Wolds Vets 46.52. F50 Sandra
Charlton Wolds Vets 42.32, F55 R Armstrong, Doncaster 39.58.
Male: M40 H. Powell Clee AC 30.29, M45 J Haines Clee AC
30.36, M50 G Riley Clee AC 30.52, M55 N Scruton Scarborough 29.49, M60 C Wheddon
Clee AC 35.42. M65 J Phelan Wolds Vets 38.28. M70 B Bunting Wolds Vets 40.42.
Prior to the main race 42 completed the shorter 4k fun run,
running a loop of the Humber Bank footpath and finishing at the Novartis club
grounds. Ages varied from 5 months to 72 years old, with 8 members of the
Emptage family having a fun fitness morning run. First home was 16 year old
Craig Smith from Louth, with 14 year old Cheryl Newson first female. Councillor
Jane King presented medals to all finishers.
Wolds Veteran Runners would like to thank the following for
their valued assistance, Councillor Jane Hyldon-King, NE Lincs Council, Varia
Hollinshead of Novartis and Martin Anderson Insurance. Thanks to officials and
marshals for their assistance in the smooth running of the event.