This
year’s Wolverton 5 mile road race will be held at 2pm on Saturday 28 November
2009.
The first Wolverton
5 Mile Road Race was held in 1965 and has been held every year since that time,
on the last Saturday in November. The early races were organised by the then
Chairman and now President, Milford Callow and his wife Rose holds the
distinction of having officiated at every single race. The first winner was
Mike Price (Bristol) in 24.10. The following year, this record was reduced to
23.34 by Tony Sunderland (Shaftesbury Harriers). This record held until 1969
until Ron Grove (Leicester Coritanian) reduced it to 23.20. This record held
until 1980, despite some excellent performances from international athletes,
Tony Simmonds and Ian Thompson (Luton). The 1980 race was a tremendous contest
between international steeplechasers, Roger Hackney and Gordon Rimmer, with
Rimmer getting the edge in 23.08. The biggest ever field in the Wolverton 5 was
in 1981 when there were over 700 entries and 530 finishers.
By 1991,
the two-lap course round the Wolverton Railway works was becoming heavily
congested and the decision was taken to move the race to Willen Lake, where it
has been held ever since. The course has remained essentially the same,
involving two laps of fast, traffic-free redways. Registration/Numbers and
Refreshments will be available at Camphill Milton Keynes on Japonica Lane (next
to the Gyosei Japanese School that was used last year) off Brickhill Street
(V10) with ample parking. In 1992, British international, Alison Wyeth,
recorded the super-fast time of 26.21. This was the fastest five-mile time by a
woman in any British race in 1992 and remains the race record. The following
year it was the men's turn when Justin Hobbs (Cardiff) ran the fastest
five-mile time by a man in any British race in 1993, recording 23.01. In 1995
the course round Willen Lake was modified to improve the finish. The best times
on this new course are 23.35 by Julien Moorhouse, set in 1999, and 26.36 by Liz
Talbot (now Liz Yelling), set in 1996. Keith Cullen won the race in 2003 in
23:46. Prizes of £100 are offered to the first man to break 23 minutes and the
first woman to break 26.20.
Directions: From Junction 14
of the M1 Motorway, head for Milton Keynes; At the first roundabout, turn right
onto the A509; At the second roundabout turn right again onto the V10,
Brickhill Street; 200m up this road there is a car park on your right. The race
headquarters is at Camphill Milton Keynes on the other side of Brickhill
Street. There is a footpath at the end of the car park: turn left to cross over
Brickhill Street to Camphill, or turn right, up the hill, to go straight to the
course.
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Prizes: |
First 6 men |
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First 4 women |
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First men's teams |
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First veteran men's teams |
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First women's teams |
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First veteran women’s team |
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£100 prizes: |
First man to break 23 minutes |
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First woman to break 26.20 |
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Entry Fee: |
£8 (£10 unattached) |
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Late entries (on the day): |
£10 (£12 unattached) |
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Entries to: |
Race Secretary, |
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Entries close: |
21 November 2009 |
Cheques
should be made payable to MMKAC
Please
send an SAE for directions and number.
Results
of the 2008 Wolverton 5
Results
of the 2007 Wolverton 5
Results
of the 2006 Wolverton 5
Results of the 2005 Wolverton 5
Results of the 2004 Wolverton 5
Despite
the cold wet weather the Men’s race was a cracking contest with the previous
year’s winner Steven Body out to make it four wins in a row. However, double
Olympian, Keith Cullen, on the comeback trail after recent injuries, was
looking for a fast time. On the short two-mile first lap, Cullen headed off
fast, tracked by Dutch 2:11 marathon runner, Greg Van Hest, with Body third and
Blackheath’s David Taylor in fourth, John Downes was back in fifth. On the
second three-mile circuit, Cullen moved into a useful lead while Taylor eased
past Van Hest to give chase. Cullen looked as though he still had something
left in the tank as he crossed the line in a fast 23:46 with Taylor eight
seconds adrift. Last year seven women, including Anna Berrill, broke 30
minutes. This year no women ducked under the half hour and Berrill won with
some ease with Sarah Cox in second place.
Results of the 2003 Wolverton 5
The race
was held on Saturday 23 November 2002. Steven Body of Vauxhall completed his
hat-trick of wins in the Men's race emulating the feat of Billy Dee (formerly
of Luton United AC) in the 80s. MKAC's new star, Richard Nifah, finished
second, ahead of Chris Shelton of Chesterfield. Billy Dee won the veteran's
race ahead of Julian Critchlow (Watford) and Andy Magnall (Shaftesbury). Twelve
men were inside 25 minutes, including the first three veterans, the best
quality field for many years. In the women's race Bideford's Vicky Pincombe
thwarted Louisa Wood's (Bedford & County) ambition of repeating her win of
two years ago. Louisa has finished first, third and now second. Anna Berrill
has now run the race three times - each time for a different club (Ilford,
Bedford Harriers and Bedford & County). The winner of the veteran women's
race was the very sprightly F45, Fiona Kennedy, one of the seven women under 30
minutes, another best quality field for many years.
Results of the 2002 Wolverton 5
The
2000 Wolverton 5.
Picture
of Phil Jones and others after 1 lap - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of the winner Simon Body - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of Louisa Wood at the finish - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of the Ian Russell - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of Alex Bowden, just ahead of Linda Dewhurst - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of the Alan Daglish of Vauxhall AC - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of John Hamilton and Trevor Hook - Valerie Russell.
Picture
of Roger Goddard, Phil Jones and Jim Docherty at the finish - Valerie Russell.
