Some races get added into your race calendar automatically and start to become a habit. Slowly the Kenilworth Killer is becoming one of these races for me. I’ve written the race reports each time I entered, but this year I decided to let someone else help write the report. So I volunteered Beth as she was able to enter as part of a relay team!
Today, my Dad thought it would be fun to try and kill me by entering me into the Kenilworth Mayday 10km race as part of a relay team! Then to top it off he is forcing me to write the report!
At the start, Dad and I were joined by a small hard core group of Massey runners who had entered the race. As they stood around chatting about the course, Kelvin and Dave Philips tried to easy my worries or maybe put me and James off by giving me an insight of the route and the hills I would face.
I was part of a relay team with Sam and my Mum! Mum thought it was a good idea for me to go as the first of the team of runners so my dad could look after me and escort around Abbeyfields.
As soon as the race started I realised I am not my Dad’s favourite child, as he just ran off and left me to suffer alone on the 4 hills and numerous inclines. After seeing my dad disappear off I tried to stay with Kelvin and Dave Philips but they were also mean and ran off and left me! And I didn’t even have enough breathe to be a moody teenager!
Kenilworth Runners find it amusing to torture poor runners as just when you complete a hill they send you back up another grassy monster! I would add in swearing for effect however my mum will be checking my writing and would be shocked at my language! Looking back now Kelvin and Dave were correct this was a very hilly run.
The final 0.33km is all downhill 😀 which I greatly enjoyed as I could see the finish for me and pass on the baton to Sam before staggering on to collect my goodie bag and money from Mummy to buy chips and a hot chocolate. Fortunately this meant I only saw the last part of the race as I was busy glugging down a hot chocolate and watching my brother devour my chips!
Kenilworth Runners know that this is a hard race and the marshals all the way round were very encouraging and supportive and this made the hills no easier but it was nice to know they understood.
Weather played a huge factor this year as the wind seemed to always be head on and the days of rain beforehand made parts of the route very boggy and slippery, but doesn’t that just add to the fun?
For three of the Massey runners this race was following on from other races; James – Birmingham 10km, Dave Philips a Hilly ½ on Sunday and Kelvin VMLM – so well done to them for getting out and racing. I on the other hand was chasing a course PB – under the hour is the ultimate aim for me in this race and if I keep up my improvement on this course I should achieve that in 2020!
Despite Beth’s constant post run moans about aches and the hills – I wonder where she gets that from? – she really enjoyed the race; especially the post race refuelling and medal – maybe next year we could have a few more Massey runners and a few Relay teams.
Massey Times (To follow)
- James
- Daniel
- Kelvin
- Dave
- Relay – Beth, Sam & Mary
Beth and Daniel Connolly