Week Ending - 2025/06/28

SIX FROM SIX FOR SUPER MATT

The Steve Morris 5 race took place at the weekend with Badgers star Matt Scarsbrook once again dominating proceedings with yet another magnificent win in the 2026 Leicestershire Road Running League. His latest success means he has now won all six of their league races he has contested this year, and it was only the re-run of the same event back in January that he missed, due to an unfortunate knee injury. Since coming back, at the Kibworth 6 in early March, he has gone from strength to strength. There he beat horse-bothering Owl Simon Allen by just 8 seconds, but now his margin of victory was over a minute ahead of second-placed George Seymour of Wreake Runners, and over a shorter distance event too. His winning time was 26:08, good enough to have won the January version of the event, which is quite some going given the oppressive temperatures encountered on Sunday. Of the eighteen Badgers to have raced in both Desford 5 races this year, only two were able to improve on their times from January, clearly indicative of the wild variation in conditions between winter and summer. 

After suffering a week where the UK has been sweltering, it was a morning where, in normal times, it would be considered a hot day's running, but in fact felt like a welcome cool break from the intensely hot weather. A nice breeze on the way out on the bridle path also meant runners would be on the receiving end of an appreciated tailwind on the final dash to the finish line. Following Scarsbrook home, two and a half minutes later, was birthday boy Ryan Preece. The self-styled Swede-of-Speed raced back in 28:38 to take 11th place the day after returning from his summer holiday, a good effort all things considered. Two places back, Chris Horton ran a fine 28:49, more than a minute and a half shy of his personal best but still good enough to take the coveted V50 trophy as well as the only Platinum county standard for the club and one of only four altogether in the men’s side of the race. 

Danny Warren celebrated his 150th league race for Badgers, an outstanding achievement and in doing so became the first person in the club’s 15-year history to reach that mark. He weighed in with a superb run in his least favourite of running conditions, crossing the line in 29:12 and in 18th spot overall. With the heat affecting everyone’s performances, the county standards were all dialled down somewhat, but Warren’s fine gold standard was matched by the next two solid operators over the line. Adrian Payne and Mark Cox were big hitters in the V40 category in 2025, and here they finished either side of the 50th place runner with times of 30:40 and 30:54 respectively. 

Cameron Barnes led the B-team home with a hard-fought 31:30 in 60th place. Sub-3 marathon ace Luke Neal chipped in with a plucky effort in 32:16 before Lee Taylor joined his teammate Horton in becoming the second person in the club to have improved their time from January’s race despite the adverse weather conditions, the Nuneaton-based Everton fan clocking a fine 32:59 as he made the top 90. It was good to see Mark Coggan back in competitive action for the club, and he once more produced the goods with a quality 34:57 to finalise the scoring for the men’s vets team on his return. He pipped a handful of seasoned teammates to the line; Matt Green, who has been in great form this season after a stellar 2025, finished four seconds behind boxing coach Coggan, with Sam Starkey and Stefan Martin both running soundly to show skipper Glyn Broadhurst exactly how it is done. The captain limped round in 37:16, chicked by his female counterpart Megan Griffiths, who ran a superb ruddy-cheeked 36:23 to lead the ladies' side home with her battling 23rd place finish. 

Stacey Horner was welcomed back into the fold for this race, and she performed brilliantly too, her time of 37:21 good enough for 35th place and 7th in her age category, which in turn earned her a Bronze standard, the joint highest on the day for female Badgers. Emma Masser is in the best form of her career right now, and she launched a terrific assault on the undulating five-mile course, getting home in a fabulous 38:47. Fifteen seconds earlier, fellow vet Susie Stringer crossed the line in 43rd place with a great run for the battling ladies side. Andy Altoft is a completely different beast this year, running PB’s each time he tackles a different distance. So it was no surprise to see his 5 mile best get beaten with a great 39:04.  

The impressive Erica Bassford continued her remarkable 2026 campaign with a high-class run of 39:36, dipping inside 40 minutes, a place ahead of the experienced (and mildly weary given his training during the week) Dave Jenkinson. Bill Gutheridge and Janey Barrett both took one for the team before Joanne Crow produced one of the runs of the season, never mind the day. In her 49th year, the Atherstone athlete pushed hard from the start, chasing a personal best on a day when both course and climate were distinctly against her. While nobody can question her superb form at present, getting anywhere close to a PB for someone so experienced would be a significant achievement, and as it materialised, Crow was able to match the time set at the speedy Joy Cann 5 race two years ago, a quite stupendous effort. Onlookers could see the determination etched on her face as she approached the line, famously the exact place where husband and pacer Rob had THAT photo taken last year! 

Mark Reynolds continued his good year with a time of 43:29 before Alice Belcher was first Belcher back in 43:26, pipping her brother Luke by 51 seconds. Hannah Burgess clocked a fine 44:25, and Terry Gillman-Taylor ran his fastest 5-mile time in 46:39. Fiona Audley looked good in her 46:51 with Yvonne Faulkner-Grant, Sharon Jackson and the popular Lil Gillman-Taylor all finishing well within 50 minutes. Carl Ford made his 5-mile debut in 49:24, and Maggi Savin-Baden ran 50:30 to finish 3rd in her age category, the best placing for a lady Badger on the day age-wise. Anne-Marie Matthews and Sara Hawkins both battled hard on what was a particularly tough day. 

There now follows a five-week break between league events; the Joy Cann 5 in early August is the next stop, with Badgers men now looking to have a mountain to climb to defend the title they have won for the last six seasons. The vet men also have their work cut out; with Neil Russell emigrating last year, the team are weaker, and rivals OWLS are both stronger and have a greater squad depth. Realistically, second place looks about as good as it can get team-wise. The ladies are keeping their heads above water in a competitive top division, while the mixed team are also playing second fiddle, this time to the perennially strong West End Runners outfit, who are solid across both genders. 

Away from the league action, Sharon Jackson, Rachael Browne and Jim Cottom were in action at the Round Sheffield event, and Wayne Repton ran the mile race at Lee Valley in London in 6:33, finishing in sixth place.