Foulerton is beaten at the last after brave effort in debut half-marathon

Leamington C&AC's Tom Foulerton narrowly missed out on victory in the British Heart Foundation Warwick Half Marathon - his first-ever race over the distance.
Eventual winner Dominic James and runner-up Tom Foulerton battle it out. Pictures: Morris TroughtonEventual winner Dominic James and runner-up Tom Foulerton battle it out. Pictures: Morris Troughton
Eventual winner Dominic James and runner-up Tom Foulerton battle it out. Pictures: Morris Troughton

Foulerton tracked unattached runner Dominic James until the eight-mile mark, with the duo well clear of the remainder of the 950-strong field.

The 40-year-old moved into the lead but was unable to shake off his younger rival despite a couple of quick miles and a 13th mile split of 5min 12sec and James pulled away in the final 50 metres to win in 1:14:19.

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Foulerton was five seconds further back, with third-placed runner Hywel Davies (McCarkiss Endurance Project) a further three minutes down in 1:17:49.

Women's winner Helen Talbot.Women's winner Helen Talbot.
Women's winner Helen Talbot.

Dom Hull was next home for Leamington in 1:22:18 (12th) followed by Brian Miller (37th in 1:28:02) and the club’s first lady and ninth lady overall Jade Holt (1:32:42).

Andrew Higgins (93rd in 1:34:07), club debutant Wes Stanton (184th in 1:41:34), Alex Montgomery (2nd M60 in 1:43:11), Anouk Molliex (236th in 1:43:47) and Mary Donaldson (2:16:52) who is taking a break from track and field to run her first marathon in London a week on Sunday, completed the C&AC contingent.

Twenty Kenilworth Runners took part, with David Leadley, in his last warm-up race before London, 24th in 1:24:40.

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Simon Dunnett (31st in 1:27:25), Paul Royle (42nd in 1:28:32) and Neil Sheward (48th in 1:28:55) all finished inside the top 50, while Barry Elkington was first V60 and 136th overall in 1:37:53.

Women's winner Helen Talbot.Women's winner Helen Talbot.
Women's winner Helen Talbot.

Dorota Woloszynska was the first Kenilworth lady to finish in a new personal best of 1:38:12 (141st), while Tina Crow was 166th overall in 1:40:02, also a PB.

There were new PBs, too, for Becky Phagura (150:45), Kerrie Flippance (1:51:19) and Evie Atkinson (2:11:18).

Marathon-training Lee Harrison undertook pacer duties for the two-hour finish and came within six seconds of the target.

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Clare Hinton (1:31:49) led Spa Striders’ ladies home with a confidence-boosting performance which showed a return to her best is not far away.

She was followed by Melissa Venables (1:37:51), Carolyn Wilkinson (1:39:17), Ruth Tennant (1:50:49), Amanda Wiggins (1:51:04), Sandra Stokes (1:57:44) and Frances Parkes (1:58:47).

Emily Tudge clocked 2:00:15 for a ten-minute PB), with Jo Fleming (2:02:50), Kathleen McCann (2:08:15), Hazel Mann (2:11:40), Tanya Brittain (2:22:44), Natalie Dellar (2:23:31) and Helen Pugh, an official 2:30 pacer, completing Striders’ female contingent.

For Striders’ men, Chris Liddle produced a three-minute PB of 1:23:00 to finish 15th.

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He was followed by Sunny Dhesi (1:23:16), Mike Pugh (1:24:04) and Pete Teevan who clocked 1:28:35 to break 90 minutes for the first time.

The women’s race was won by Helen Talbot in 1:27:55.

Selected others (Kenilworth Runners unless stated): 57, Josh Layton (Spa Striders, 1:30:29); 69, Dexter Teale (Spa Striders, 1:32:28); 88 , Robert James (1:33:50); 89, Oliver Beasley (1:33:51); 95, Simon Ludford (Spa Striders, 1:34:23,PB); 96, John Weir (1:34:35); 105, Rich Sykes (Spa Striders, 1:35:04); 106, Rob Thompson (Spa Striders, 1:35:28); 108, Steve Hession (Spa Striders, 1:35:36); 163, Sat Phagura (1:39:50); 168, Rob Mantell (Spa Striders, 1:40:17); 192,Phil Houghton (1:41:54); 193, Rob Egan (Spa Striders, 1:41:55); 267, Simon White (Spa Striders, 1:45:16); 270, Ian Davis (Spa Striders, 1:45:32); 289, Linda Fullaway (1:46:51); 303, Melissa Janda (1:47:48); 356, Louise Andrews (1:50:45); 358, Ben Cohen (Spa Striders, 1:50:47); 431 Eugene McNally (Spa Striders, 1:54:50; PB); 485, Dave McNamara (Spa Striders, 1:57:52); 497, James Richardson (1:58:41); 538, Lee Harrison (2:00:06); 553, Billy Morton (Spa Striders, 2:02:04); 628, Matt Leydon (Spa Striders, 2:08:15); 679, Doug Rattray (Spa Striders, 2:11:42).