Chris Davies warmed up for his most recent and prestigious Great Britain call up to date, by winning The Shropshire 4 mile Race from The Shropshire Golf Club, around Granville Park on Wednesday night.The Shropshire is the 3rd race in the Sexarathon Race Series, sponsored by Up and Running, Shrewsbury and organised by Telford Athletic Club.

In a record field of 180 finishers, Chris from Eaton Constantine, heard on Monday that he has been selected to race for GB over 5000m in the Europa Cup meeting in Florence, in just over a week's time.He cruised round the first lap, content to sit in the pack and as the leading group went into the wooded section at the start of the second lap he started to pull away. Chris has been hampered by a calf problem since his magnificent 10K race in Manchester with Haile Gabrisalasee. But his first training session since then was on the Telford track on Tuesday night and this race on Wednesday showed him that the injury is behind him and he can now concentrate on preparing for Florence.

Chris won the race in 20.31, his third consecutive victory in this event. Chris Rimmer from Bishops Castle, winner of the previous race in the series was second in 20.44, with Wrekin Road Runner Paul ward, winner of the opening race at Lilleshall 3rd in 21.02. Robin Sedman Smith was 4th in 21.12, reversing the Phoenix race position with Chris Bagshaw, who had to settle for 5th in 21.27. Greg Wilson,Sexarathon Series Champion in 2000, when he also won the Shropshire race, made a welcome return to the series, finishing 6th and first over 45 in 21.33. Dale Wilkinson, made a massive improvement from finishing 18th last year to 7th, the same position as in the Lilleshall race, in 21.41. Rick Hailey, from Little Wenlock, showed no ill effects from a recent knee problem finishing 8th and first over 50 in 21.41.Ioan Ilie from Ketley Bank who has made a big impression on the local running scene this summer wasa 9th in 21.58 whilst John Sanders completed the top 10 in 22.02 as the first over 40 runner.

Claire Martin, won the womens race in 22.38 just 11 seconds slower than last year, despite the evenings hot and dusty conditions. Claire has won two out of the 3 Series races to date and must have her sights et on becoming the first athlete in the Sexarathon's 23 year history to win 5 overall titles. Kim Green, winner of the Lilleshall race was second in 23.23 whilst Cheralyn Evans completed a hat trick of 3rd places, as the first over 40 in 24.04. Denise Cureton, produced a much improved performance to take 4th overall and first over 35 in 25.30.Emma Davies was 5th in 26.11, just ahead of her Telford Ac team mate Gill Pugh 6th and 2nd over 40 in 26.17. Lucy Dalton was 7th in 27.06, with Lorraine Rollinson of the army in 8th, 28.04. The Telford Harriers pair of Jean Turner,28.41, 3rd VL40 and Jane Staite, 28.54 were 9th and 10th.

Other leading veterans were

2nd V40 Andy Smith,TAc,13th 22.50.
3rd V40 John Garmson, Newport, 15th, 23.08.

2nd V45 Steve Jones, TAC,14th, 23.00
3rd V45 Paul Jameson, West Bromwich Harr,31st, 24.05

2nd V50 Keith Bate, Dudley Kings, 36th, 24.34
3rd V50 Paul Williams, Wrekin Road Runners, 37th,24.35.

1st V55 Geoff Farmer, North Staffs, 24th, 23.43
2nd V55 Colin Mattock, TAC, 25th, 23.52.
3rd V55 Malcolm Dawes, TAC, 27th, 23.54.

1st V60 Roger Sandland, TAC, 77th, 27.26
2nd V60, Alan Hodgkiss, TAC, 100th, 29.01
3rd V60, John Brown, Newport, 112th, 29.59

1st V65 Albert Corfield, Newport, 82nd, 27.47
2nd V65 Lindsay Pulley, Amazing Feet, 154th, 34.47
3rd V65 Clive Williams, U/A, 157th, 24.57.

1st V70 Mick ward, Oswestry, 98th, 28.58
2nd V70 Jim Sutton, U/A, 164th, 36.17
3rd V70 Tony Hewson, Ludlow, 168th, 37.09

2nd VL35 Sue Lloyd, RAF, 29.07
3rd VL35 Karen Harvey, U/A, 30.28

1st VL45 caroline Deacon, Telford Harriers, 32.22
2nd VL45 Victoria Northern, U/A, 34.07.
3rd VL45 Pat Adams, Wrekin RR, 36.27

1st VL50 Barbara Ward, Oswestry, 30.27
2nd VL50 Madeline Aston, Wolves and Bil, 33.57
3rd VL50 Anne Strowger, U/A 35.22.

1st VL55 Melinda Laws, Wenlock Olympians, 35.36
2nd VL55 Cynthia Lewis, Telford Harriers, 38.04

1st VL60 Kathy Ling, Wrekin RR, 44.44.

The next race in the Sexarathon series is the Ironbridge 4,at 7.30pm, on Wednesday 6th July, registration at the Tontine Hotel, Ironbridge, Entries on the night only for details contact Margaret Kelcher 01952 604046.
Paul Sanderson