Week Ending - 2024/09/22

WET OCTET GET BEATEN OFF AT BELVOIR

Persistent heavy rain did little to dampen the spirits of the eight brave Badgers who took on the 24-hour Equinox event on the grounds of Belvoir Castle at the weekend. Despite giving their all on some unforgiving and treacherously slippy terrain, the team completed multiple 10K laps of the course to finish a superb second place in the large mixed team category. Badgers kingpin David Craig assembled a star-studded lineup for the event, covering all bases in their quest for victory. Lead-off man Matt Scarsbrook was a natural pick for his incredible unmatched pace in the club, even clocking the fastest lap of the event before the course became saturated and the runners fatigued. Mark Cox is pound-for-pound one of the top Ultra runners in Badgers and he was drafted in alongside spreadsheet king Adrian Payne. Key man Glyn Broadhurst has a wealth of experience in these 24-hour events, his engine is truly a thing of wonder and with Megan Griffiths constituting the female contingent and mile master Dave Jackson drafted in for his steady banter, the stage was set for big things. Chris Tweed completed the eight, the former Peel Road Runner was signed on a five-year deal a few seasons ago and he has not looked back, joining a select group of Badgers including Cox, Payne and Broadhurst in the sub-three marathon club in his time at the club. 

In addition to these plucky eight, Sara Wilson, Sharon Jackson, Jim Cottom and Rachael Browne all took part in the opening 10K race with Cottom’s 50:36 being the standout effort, before the quartet changed roles, acting as supporters for the hardy horde. 

In London, it was very much a case of the Gunn show in the Vitality 10,000, where Danni Gunn shot round in a superb 58:04, her fastest 10K to date and first time under the hour.

Two athletes were in half marathon action. Liz Peel tackled event number 60 with a super scenic trot around Derwent Water and its mountainous surroundings. And while most of England got drenched in rain, what is normally the wettest place in the land miraculously escaped the deluge, enabling the pacy professor to power her way home in a time of 2:11:23. Quicker still, although on a far kinder course, Chester marathon bound Matt Smith ran a quality 2:04:36 to stand him in very good stead ahead of his 26.2-mile debut in a fortnight. 

Parkrun saw plenty of action too, most of which was concentrated around Kingsbury Water Park where the hugely popular Sara Hawkins notched up her 100th parkrun. A few years earlier, Sara had been fighting for her very existence, being diagnosed with cancer in her 30s, but thankfully came out the other side and has continued to go from strength to strength, inspiring all around her with her positivity and passion for life.

Chris Horton took first place in a time of 17:57, two minutes clear of second place while Jane Barrett ran a fine 24:40 to finish second lady overall. Returning veteran ace Sam Starkey also made the top ten with his 21:33. At Tamworth Castle Grounds, Victoria Jones was 9th in 25:25 and V50 club record holder Rachel Crump took time out from her busy carpool karaoke schedule to take 3rd in a brisk 23:16. And at Walsall Arborectum, Adrian Parkes put in a great shift to run 22:47 and with it records his highest ever age-grading score of 72% at a parkrun.