BLAKEDOWN BOLT 2009
10 Km RACE REPORT
 

By Lesley Carr

Another fabulous summer evening of exertion, followed by some excellent debriefing in the beer tent! 
It doesn't get better than this, and the finger crossing obviously paid off, because the weather was more than kind once the race was underway.  We won't go on about the heavy winds earlier in the day, which threatened to blow aforementioned beer tent clean away! 
It was all right on the night, and that's all that matters!
 
Running club members were heavily featured in the roll of honour - we'll start with the chaps. 
First place went to Matt Giles of Stourbridge Running Club who easily breezed home with a time of 36:38, a record time for the Bolt.  The course distance had been tweaked down a little this year, following some pointed comments about its length last year, but nevertheless this was a great result for Matt.  Taking second place, Tipton Harriers' Dean Hill with a creditable 37.48. Number 3 was Darren Riley, from Sparkhill Harriers, whose time was 39.10.
  Our first past the post local runner was Alex Morgan of Halesowen
A & CC (who also scooped this award last year!) and we're particularly pleased with this as Alex was a stalwart helper in trimming,
pruning and otherwise beautifying the course in the days leading up to the event.
 
In the male vet categories, MV40+ was taken by Richard Dilworth of Amazing Feet, and MV50+ went to unattached runner Robert Bradley. 
The gentlemen's team prize went to Matt Giles, Peter Walters,
Barry Green and Mike Anslow of Stourbridge Running Club
 
Onto the ladies - and Marianne Hennesman of Bournville Harriers took first prize with her time of 45.40, not far behind our second lady was Kidderminster & Stourport AC's Jaqui Phillips with 46.04.  Louise Collins won third place for Stourbridge Running Club at 46.30.
 
Our first local lady was Jill Hall then the F35+ category prize went to unattached Emily Seward, with Susan Howarth of Mercia Fell Runners taking the F45+ trophy. 
The ladies team prize went  Jacqui Phillips, Charlotte Whorton,
Caroline Creswell and Pat Fletcher of Kidderminster and Stourport AC
 
Some lovely feedback on the Runners World website - thanks very much to everyone who took the trouble to write their thoughts down, and overall we've got excellent ratings. We know how much you all appreciate the after-race atmosphere too!
  Don't miss out on your place next year - each successive Bolt fills up even more quickly than the previous, and surely by now you've got no excuse for not getting your entry in early! 
Entry forms will be available via the website in due course, and we will email everyone who provided us with a valid email address. 
In the meantime, the date for your 2010 diaries is Friday 18th June.  See you there!