Week Ending - 2025/01/05

HUNCOTE HASH OR BUST AS THEY SAY

Badgers Ladies co-Captain Liberty Underhill finished an injury hit 2024 in style after taking a superb second place finish at the popular Huncote Hash cross country race. The no-frills, low-cost event usually sells out and Badgers had seventeen runners in action on the day, with Underhill’s fabulous 48:44 the standout performance on a testing morning. The 10K course contained all manner of muddy wet hazards but the fleet footed Underhill made light work of them all as she sped round in a Hash-based PB time (U25).

Rapid Ryan Preece was back in action after bulking up over the Christmas period. The pacy mathematics prodigy stormed home in 5th place overall in 42:21 to kick start his training and ultimate assault on the 2025 London Marathon. The reliable Danny Warren also found his way into the top ten with a classy 42:54, demonstrating high levels of technical competency in clearing the array of gates and styles strewn across the course.

There were top ten finishes for veteran stars Sara Wilson and Rachel Crump, the former now coached by the venerable Dave Jackson, finished in a fine 55:48 with the irrepressible Crump following immediately behind in 9th place. Cameron Barnes ran well in one of his favourite events while Jim Cottom continued his good form with his 52:49. Other runners included Colin Lees, Chris Young, Emma Masser, Rachael Browne and Suzy Farrell while the experience of Rob Crow, Steph White and Sharon Jackson all ensured Badgers had a good presence on the final results table. Jill Miller and Matt Smith completed the action. 

In addition to the Hash event, there was the opportunity for Badgers to squeeze two parkruns in during the week as several locations held a bonus New Years Day Event in addition to the regular Saturday morning slot. At a treacherously wet Kingsbury Water Park, it was the speedy Lucy Marchi who led the way, taking first place female overall in a marvellous time of 23:10 given the conditions. Rachael Browne (3rd) ran 24:16, her best time in two years while Jane Barrett and Sharon Jackson packed the top ten. Tamworth saw Chris Horton start the year in style with a first place finish of 17:29, again in wet weather. Marathon man Mark Repton finished a creditable 8th with a raging hangover, his time of 20:56 a home-town based course PB for 2025 (V40). 

On Saturday, many locations had to cancel due to icy conditions but there was a great turnout at Kingsbury where Badger of the Year Ryan Preece finished a gallant second behind the Cheltenham based Tamworth AC speedster Pete Hackett. Rachel Crump and Rachael Browne made the top ten females with excellent runs. At a perishingly cold and wet Holbrooks, Chris Horton continued his winning streak with a dominant victory in 18:44, leaving him unbeaten at parkrun in 2025 – let’s see how long that lasts! Megan Church, boosted by a pre-race pep talk from the genial David Craig took a fine fifth in 26:53, her best race to date according to RunBritain at least.  

Last but not least, at Battlestead Croft in Burton, Glyn Broadhurst and Megan Griffiths were hoping to exploit a vulnerable parkrun, MARM style, and ended up with podium finishes, Broadhurst 3rd in 19:37 and Griffiths 2nd lady in 24:28, her fastest time at the course this year, let that be known.