- Sorry, none of the winner (but he is probably in one from last year)
Les (according to Mike)
must have been warm in 2003!
Rotherham
Advertiser 17 Dec 2004
by DON GILL
SCOTTISH international ultra distance runner Les Hill made a triumphant return to the town last Saturday to win the annual 50 mile Rowbotham's Round Rotherham Trail Race.
In a close finish to last year's event Dumfries Running Club athlete Hill
(47) just missed out on victory-but this time around he made no mistake
and won the event by a substantial margin.
Competing in the race for the third time Hill's pre-race preparation
proved to be the key to his success. He said: "Back in August a group
of athletes from Dumfries RC came down with me for a weekend during which
we reconnoitred the second half of the course.
Knowledge of the route was psychologically very important as it
gave me a lot of confidence.
"The underfoot conditions for the race were perfect but if anything
the weather was too warm. I
knew that I could win after I reached Maltby in around five hours and I
just had to tell myself to keep going.
"It is absolutely great to have finally won and I just hope that I
can come back again next year to defend my title," he added.
Hill's time of 7 hours 7 minutes 23 seconds brought him across the line
at Brampton Leisure Centre ahead of runner up Rotherham Harrier Mike
Armstrong who recorded a personal best of 7:28.27.
Swinton man Armstrong (41) was competing in the race for the fourth time
and his highest previous placing had been sixth.
The Sussex born army reservist was delighted with his performance. He
said: "The conditions were brilliant and considering that I only
really started serious training three weeks ago I was happy with the way I
ran. My boss Peter Fergusson
at Trianco Boilers at Chapletown has been a great help in allowing me time
to train.
"I was determined to do well as I was running for Sheffield
Children's Hospital and thanks to some generous sponsors I have raised
around £1000."
Macclesfield's Mark Hartell (7:36.33) filled third place, in fourth spot
was 2002 winner Rotherham Harrier Kerry Booth (7:46.03) who was
accompanied across the line by his team-mate Mick Marsters.
Kimberworth Strider Philip Martin (8:09.53) was eighth, club colleague
Martyn Gaynor (8: I0.49) ninth while Rotherham Harriers Phil Hague
(8:23.31) and Mick Cochrane (9:02.09) were 12th and 18th respectively.
First man home for Rother Valley Swallows was 21st placed David
Devine (9:14.37).
Armstrong, Booth and Marsters were successful in retaining the team
trophy for Rotherham Harriers ahead of Macclesfield’s Mark Hartell,
Stephen Watts and Julian Brown.
The women's race produced a dead beat for first place.
Sharing the honours with a time. of 9:02.34 were 46 year old North
Yorkshire Moors AC runner Cath Worth and 27 year old New Marske Harrier
Shelli Kempson who were both competing in the race for the first time.
Glasgow based Australian Sarah Kleeman (9:18.34) filled third place.
Successfully defending their title in the eight stage relay was
Rotherham Harriers Older Men in Black veteran's team of Peter Neal, John
Comrie, Steve Gaines, Terry Eastwood, Alan Chell, Peter Shaw, Nigel
Brookes and Peter Mirrlees who stopped the clock on 5:35.43.
Runners up were the Kimberworth Striders Yellow Fever squad (5:51.42) of
Martin Broadhead, Shaun Hogton, Roy Nixon, Ian Brookes, Peter Bunker,
Steve France, Keith Ward and Patrick Rooney with Dumfries RC's Doonhamers
team (6:10.13) in third.
Picking up the mixed team prize in overall fifth place behind City of
Sheffield AC (6:10.49) was Maltby Running Club Marauders squad (6:37.39)
of Rachel Smith, Caroline Boyd, Andy Thompson, Mick Barber, Gary Durham,
Barbara Rusling, Gavin Hamilton and Steve Durdy.
The advertiser's picture of Mike Armstrong - Sorry, none of the winner (but he is probably in one from last year)
