LES CROUPIERS RUNNING CLUB

3.95 miles 1150 feet        Sat 8th January 2011

Keswick AC athlete Chris Edis ran out a comfortable winner in this short sharp race held on the Kymin on the outskirts of Monmouth. A bright afternoon welcomed the 72 runners who started in the narrow Mayhill lane for the first and toughest climb of just under 1 mile to a turning point just short of The Tower on the top. From here the route descended through narrow footpaths in even less distance before the longer and slightly less steep climb to the summit at almost 850 feet. Doesn’t sound like much but you’ve climbed most of it twice in two and a half miles !
Second and third placed Jason Rowley and Ken Ham, both from across the Severn Bridge, had a very close race, finishing 3 seconds apart. There was another close battle in the ladies race where promoting club Les Croupiers athletes Katie Beecher and Libby O’Duffey were separated by 10 seconds. The course records set in 2008 by Rob Gordon at 29.50 and Helen Fines at 33.34 stayed safe and sausage butties and a pint in the Mayhill pub where awards were presented rounded off the afternoon.
Rod Jones