Solihull Half Marathon, Sunday 15th August 2021

Solihull Half Marathon returned this year in a new format with RunThrough onboard as new organisers.  Kenilworth Runners were happy to support another local half marathon and fielded 19 runners in the race, second only to Knowle & Dorridge who had 21 present on the day.

The route started in Solihull’s Mell Square, winding through Brueton Park before heading to Bentley Heath and a loop visiting local villages and Knowle High Street.  The weather was perfect for running and while the course was more undulating than it appears at first glance the lack of any major hills resulted in a number of PBs across the Kenilworth field.  After the months of isolation and cancelled races it was also great to see the number of supporters on the streets along the route.

Rachel Miller was the first runner home for Kenilworth in 90^th position with a time of 1:30:04 which was 12^th female.  Joe Chick was seconds behind in 93^rd position to complete in 1:30:21.

Mark Alldritt (1:33:04 – 114^th) and Ian Beasley (1:38:03 – 178^th) were next and incidentally the first two of seven runners from Kenilworth achieving personal best times at the half marathon.

The race was won by Jason Bennett in 1:12:20 and there were 1076 finishers.  Emma Styles from Nuneaton Harriers was 1^st female who finished 11^th overall with a time of 1:17:19.