Week Ending - 2025/08/03

MAGIC MATT'S MEDIA MASTERCLASS

BADGERS pace sensation Matt Scarsbrook tore it up at the Media City 10K in Salford during the week. The 28-year-old set off with real intent and effectively bullied the opposition out of contention with a blistering first lap of a total of four. The subsequent circuits were a lot more challenging as more and more back markers meant that front runners were forced to weave and dodge their way through heavy traffic, which was unsettling to both pace and rhythm. Notwithstanding, the Baddesley man used his experience to sustain a solid tempo, taking the tape in 31:57, a minute clear of second-place Matthew Cleave of Stockport. The victory was an ideal confidence booster ahead of the upcoming Leicestershire Road Running League race at Huncote on Wednesday, where Scarsbrook can secure the individual title should he finish ahead of the in-form Harry Robinson of Hinckley. 

At the British Transplant Games in Oxford, Martin Graham began superbly well, picking up a silver medal in the 5K race walk event before attempting to go one better in his 5K race. The 50-year-old, who received a kidney transplant from his father many years ago, was in a strong position before stopping to help one of his rivals who required medical attention mid-race. Selfless Graham dashed off to find help before rejoining the race and gutsing it out to take an unlikely bronze medal spot in a 24:51, another remarkable haul for the well-liked Mancetter man and uncle of GB star Ellis Cross. 

The Hooky 6 race at Hook Norton was attended by David Grant, who ran a fine 41:35 with Yvonne Faulkner-Grant rolling back the years with her fastest time at the race in 53:42, eight years after her previous best was achieved at the Oxfordshire venue. The 25K long Dovedale Dipper race saw Andy Stretton finish in a fabulous 2:47:40 to win the V60 prize, with Fiona Meldrum taking 3rd female V60 in 3:58:40. 

At parkrun, Tamworth was very much the place to be for speed as four Badgers hared into the top ten. Chris Horton was first over the line overall, by over a minute and a half, no less in 16:53, with Luke Neal taking 6th in 19:02. Mark Repton broke 20 minutes once again to take 10th male with Rachael Browne finishing 3rd female in a swift 23:19. 

At Long Eaton, streamlined key men Dave Jackson and Chris Tweed both recorded their fastest parkruns of 2025, coming in at 18:33 and 18:36 respectively in a brotherly show of briskness. Sam Starkey was another Badger to dip under 20 minutes with a fine 19:55 at Coronation Park, Swadlincote, taking third place in the process. 

The highest placed female parkrunner of the weekend was Meg Griffiths, who took second at Jubilee parkrun in Bedford, clocking a respectable 22:34, while there were top ten finishes for Mia Cox (4th at Holbrooks), Jane Barrett, Rachel Crump and Yvonne Faulkner-Grant, who were 10th at Quakers Walk, Forest of Dean and Barmouth respectively. 

Maggi Savin-Baden is one of only a handful of Badgers ladies to break the 70% wava threshold, and at Stratford on Avon on Saturday, she reached a career best 73.29% with a brilliant parkrun effort of 28 minutes. Solid operator Chris Young clocked a solid course best at Conkers with his 22:15.