Week Ending - 2025/01/19

PEEL THE DON PLODS ON TO HER TON

Indefatigable Badgers ace Liz Peel has already fashioned a wonderful running career for herself since joining Badgers in the very early days. The university professor has already clocked up over 100 marathons, some 268 parkruns and at 63 and counting, is well on her way to achieving her aim of 100 half marathons. On Sunday, the former club secretary ran gutsy 2:06 at the Helsby Essar Four Villages Half in Cheshire. The bitingly cold temperatures were made worse by the windchill factor and it was to Peel’s great credit that she not only made it to the start line but battled on regardless when by far the easier option was to opt out. With over 450 timed events under her belt, she is one of the most experienced racers in Badgers and has undoubtedly accumulated more race miles than any other female athlete in the club, a terrific feat.

Peel’s half was the only non-parkrun action of an otherwise quiet weekend, but Badgers were spread far and wide, covering some fifteen locations across the country. At Market Bosworth, another long-serving member, this time with 473 races under his belt, took first place to equal the longest-held male club record in the club. Chris Horton led from early on to secure his first win at the country park on his third visit, his time 19:03 matching the feat achieved by Martyn Barrett back in 2013. London marathon ace Amber Nickless was the other Badger in action here. Tamworth saw several Badgers taking part, led by the inimitable Rachel Crump in 22:50, who not only recorded the fastest female time of the morning by any Badger but took first female at Tamworth as well as notching the highest wava of the morning at the Castle Grounds. Mark Repton ran a quality 19:48 in sixth place male with Charlene McGowan a fine sixth-placed female in 26:24. There was support coming from the likes of Bill Gutheridge, Carl Savage, Adrian Parkes, Alicia Gutheridge, Neil Thorne, Wayne Repton, Rhys Hopwood, Sara Hawkins, Dave Earp, Chris Young and Jack Burton-Peet who all ran well. 

At Dudley parkrun, Paul Restall was the sole Badger representative, earning the likeable Blues fan the honour of being the first Badger back. Sharon Jackson won a similar accolade at Sandwell, finishing sixth lady no less in a time of 28:53. Music maestro Adam McElhone ventured into Wales for the Porthcawl parkrun with Ivana Babicova going back to her beginnings in Beeston. Zoe Yeatman flew the flag at Lyme Park and Colin Lees was a lone ranger in Beacon Park, Lichfield. 

Closer to home, Mark Jarvis showed his pace with a brisk 20:37 at the tricky Hinckley-based Hastings High School event, finishing fourth overall. Pip Weston and Gail Gunn ran Rothay Park in Cumbria while on holiday. Peter Mann and Fiona Reidy tackled Irchester Country Park. A new event began at Vicar Water Country Park in Derbyshire where Glyn “Gee” Broadhurst became the only Badger in the race’s short history to break 20 minutes, running an exceptional 19:55 to take seventh place. Meg Griffiths was seventh lady in 24:16 while Merv Jones and Eileen McCarry also turned out at the debut event. 

Worcester Pitchcroft saw Andy and Holly Smith, along with Anne-Marie Matthews add another one to their enormous tally of 882 parkruns combined. This figure would be higher still if you included the times spent helping out at Riversley Park Junior parkrun, where Andy has been pivotal in establishing the popular Sunday morning kids’ event. Beacon Hill in Leicestershire saw Juliette Trollope taking part alongside Matt and Claire Bradford. 

Finally, Kingsbury Water Park saw another excellent turnout with Rachael Browne continuing her hot streak with a fifth-place finish with Sara Wilson two spots behind. Sarah O’Donoghue was back in action and there were solid runs recorded by Megan Church, Dave Jenkinson, Danni Gunn, and Jim Cottom. YouTube sensation Tim Stent (aka MARM) was at the water park taking second place overall but with both of the club’s professional recruitment specialists, Dave Jackson and Neil Russell, both unavailable, it was left to the likes of Alice Belcher, Sam Starkey, Ashley Taylor and Cameron Barnes to try and tempt the middle-aged solid operator into the Badgers fold. Steph Nickless, Paul Cooper, Liz Peel and John & Anne Devenney also ran.