Week Ending - 2025/06/22

GLEE FOR DC AS HE HITS 350

Not many Badgers have run more parkruns than club stalwart David Craig, and on Saturday, he chalked up his 350th appearance with a run at Kingsbury Water Park, his 270th at the venue where he was one of the core team members responsible for establishing the event back in 2013. Never one to make a fuss or blow his own trumpet, “DC” as he is affectionately known, celebrated in typical low-key fashion as he becomes only the second person in the club after Andy Smith to reach the milestone. In addition to reaching this fantastic mark, it should also be pointed out that Craig has also volunteered an impressive 65 times. Hot weather put paid to any hopes of getting close to his PB of 20:21, set ten years earlier but the Fillongley man was happy enough to plod round in midfield for a time of 25:40 alongside multi-time Kingsbury winner Megan Griffiths, who emerged as 9th lady.

On a sweltering morning, the run was also notable for the end of a seven-month-long winning streak, set across fifteen parkruns by another long-serving Badger, Chris Horton. Ironically, the Atherstone man put together one of his best efforts to date as he clocked an unbelievable 16:56 over the double lap course but ultimately came up six seconds short of rapid race winner George O’Connor, 31 years Horton’s junior! Youngster Mia Cox took second female on the morning, her superb effort of 23:22 representing a parkrun PB for her on a day when bests were few and far between. 

Elsewhere, there was a fourth-place finish for Yvonne Faulkner-Grant at Boston, who raced round in 26:31. Sam Starkey managed 7th at Ashbourne Rec, running a brisk 20:17, while pool playing hunk Dave Jackson went sub-20 at Monsal Trail parkrun, let that be known. Erica Bassford just missed out on a top ten place, taking 11th female at Grangemoor near Cardiff in 26:43, while Liz Peel ventured east to appear at Vingis parkrun in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

Away from the cut, thrust and general pleasantness of parkrun, there was only one member in race action as many at the club avoided the heat and saved energy ahead of the upcoming Steve Morris 5 race at Desford next weekend. Wayne Repton finished third in the RunThrough London Lee Valley mile race, clocking 5:58 for a Gold Standard Time.