Kindersley continues rapid progress as Stratford AC set the Tempo

A BITTERLY cold Sunday morning greeted runners for the penultimate race in this season’s prestigious Tempo Winter Series.

Once again, Stratford-upon-Avon Athletic Club members were out in force on the start line, with 27 yellow and black vests ready to pit their wits against Warwickshire’s steepest hill, over 12 per cent, of the 220 runners who finished the race.

In a repeat of December’s race, Stratford’s Rich Shephard was first to finish, ahead of series leader Richard Simpkiss, in a superb time of 36 minutes’ dead, 35 seconds quicker than the same race in January 2016.

Next to finish for Stratford was Robin Kindersley, the recipient of the club’s most improved athlete of the year for 2016.

Kindersley justified that award by finishing in a magnificent eighth place, in a time of 41.03 and at the same time comfortably winning the M55 age group prize by more than four minutes from fellow club member Malcolm Bowyer.

Kindersley managed to see off the challenge of 18-year-old Sam Weaving (9th, 41.31) in a reversal of the last race, when Weaving just pipped him by three seconds.

Weaving has been consistency personified in this series of races. This was his fourth successive top-ten finish and he currently stands seventh in the overall series to date.

David Smyth should be justifiably proud of his 16th place finish, in a time of 44.13.

The next three Stratford runners were separated by just 23 seconds. The aforementioned and ever-consistent Bowyer (20th, 45.07) not only managed to finish second in his age group but also just managed to edge out fellow club member Wayne Vickers (21st, 45.25).

Vickers himself finished just three seconds ahead of Emma Bexson (22nd, 45.28) exactly the same margin as in the previous race.

Bexson is having a superb series of races. She was first lady to finish in this race. More significantly, she did not originally target the race series, but early success changed her focus and she is currently first lady in the series.

Pete Evans (28th, 46.24) just managed to get the better of Sam Nicholson (31st, 46.40) who beat him in the previous race.

Third lady to finish and first in her age category was Ceri Shephard (33rd, 47.27). Ceri was more than 30 seconds quicker and 18 places higher than in the last race.

James Cusack (48.57, 49th) had another great race as he prepares for a couple of upcoming marathons.

Hannah Osborne (50th, 49.12) is another lady runner who is having an extremely consistent series of races.

Osbourne was seventh lady to finish and she is currently in fifth place for the series.

She was the first of six Stratford ladies who were next to finish for the club and was followed by Emma Vickers (50.02, 59th), Lynne Hinson (51.41, 70th), Emma Parkin (54.00, 88th), Rebecca Pridham (54.13, 91st) and Suzi Graham (55.14, 102nd) who was just seven seconds ahead of Alan Wright (55.21, 105th). Maureen Birch (58.34, 124th) was once again first to finish in her age group.

Allan Coldicott (59.41, 135th) will have been delighted to dip under the one hour mark. Eva Lowe (1.02.31, 158th) just edged out Ollie Spicer (1.02.37, 160th). Kate Sergeant (1.03.01, 163rd) felt she was affected by the extreme cold.

The final four Stratford finishers were Paul Nash (1.05.19, 170th), just two seconds ahead of Clive Shepherd (1.05.21, 171st), Nicola Reynolds (1.06.21, 176th) and Martyn Sergent (1.07.04, 183rd).

The final race in the series is on 19th February, when competitors who have completed all five races in the series will be rewarded with a hoodie.