Last updated October 29, 2019

NEW RECORD SET IN 40 MILE CROSS COUNTRY RUN

On August 22nd 1999, Miranda Aston, Project Engineer at Whitley’s Rapid Prototyping & Tooling Department and her partner Ulli Ull, a Photography Lecturer at Coventry Technical College, set a new joint Ladies running record in the Coventry Way Challenge. The event is one of the toughest cross-country events in the West Midlands. The pair finished in 8 hours 26 minutes knocking 21 minutes off the previous record.

The 40-Mile long challenge takes a route forming a rough circle of about a 5 miles radius around Coventry. Starting in Meriden, it takes in Burton Green, Kenilworth, Stoneleigh, Stareton, Bubbenhall, Ryton. Wolston, Bretford, Brinklow, The Oxford Canal, Ansty, Bedworth, Corley Ash, Corely Moor and then back to Meriden.

The route is virtually all off road and incorporates seven flights of steps, over a hundred and five stiles and approx. thirty gates of various kinds. It crosses dozens of fields (some of them ploughed!), meadows, a golf course, farm tracks, woodland paths, towpaths, footpaths and bridges, through a tunnel, a castle, a factory and even a private garden!

“We have taken part in numerous races and two London Marathons, but I can honestly say this is the event to beat them all – it is the most beautiful and scenic course I have ever run – it’s hard to believe that you are only ever about 5 miles from Coventry city centre,” said Miranda.

The event was organised by Cyril Bean from Coventry’s Octavian Droobers Orienteering Club, of which Miranda and Ulli are members. The Coventry Way Association has just been awarded a small grant to help establish this event. – It is a challenge open to all walkers, joggers, runners and relay teams.

Miranda and her partner also ran in the London Marathon and raised just under £1,300 pounds for St Johns Ambulance (£200 of which was donated by Jaguar Cars). Miranda said “It was an excellent day and thankfully we did not require the services of St John’s ourselves.“