Week Ending - 2025/07/05

BIG SMILES FOR BIG MILES

As the year 2026 approached the halfway mark, only four club records had been broken or set at Badgers up until the 30th June. Then, on a balmy night in Lincoln, two fell on the same evening after wonderful performances from two veteran athletes. First over the line was the impressive Susie Stringer, who only had to complete the course in order to claim the vacant V40 female record. It was until now the only unclaimed club record outside of the upper age group very long distance events, but not one to tick a box for the sake of it, the determined Stringer knuckled down and ran the second quickest mile by a Badger in history, managing a gold standard time of 6:17.
Ten seconds later, current V60 club record holder for the distance Adrian Parkes made it home to improve his best time by thirteen seconds to set a new benchmark and personal best of 6:27. In addition, this achievement gave the veteran Bonehill athlete a rare Platinum Plus club standard, something very few runners have managed historically.

At the Windmill Fell Race in Leicestershire, Ryan Preece took a fine third place in the event, even missing the England v DR Congo match in the process, although it is up for debate as to which exercise was the more challenging! Dave Jenkinson and Erica Bassford also completed the hill-rich circuit. 

David Grant ran a superb 3:56 at the Rasselbock Sherwood Pines marathon, his last trail marathon before switching to the road later in the year. Adrian Payne took 6th overall with a speedy run in the Chiltern Ridgeway Trail Half Marathon and with it a trophy for the first V40 back. Team mate Stefan Martin placed 60th overall and 12th in his age category. Major marathon running banking enthusiast Dave Purvis was in action at the JP Morgan Chase 5.8K Corporate Challenge in London, clocking 26:13.

At parkrun, there was success for Cameron Barnes at Tamworth as he clung on for a spirited win in 18:55, just four seconds covering the top three. It was his first win for over four years and his first at the Castle Grounds. Over at Abbey Park, Chris Horton produced a fast 16:53 to win comfortably, and give him his 90th career parkrun win spanning 26 different locations. Glyn Broadhurst, Megan Griffiths and Rachael Browne finished 3rd, 4th and 5th in their respective gender categories at Kingsbury Water Park. Nivette Chester finished 3rd at Market Bosworth, with Joanne Crow and Lilly Wilson 8th and 7th at Barmouth and Bedworth, respectively.