Week Ending - 2025/07/19

HORTON STEAMS TO THIRD AT SUTTON

The Birmingham Running Festival is always a popular event amongst many, taking in the stunning scenery of Sutton Park. The event incorporates a Junior Race, 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon. Many will relate to the course more for the hosting of the National Road Relays, which stages it as the venue normally twice a year. On Sunday, we had our very own Chris Horton tackling the tough Half Marathon Course, coming home in a magnificent time of 1:19:00 and finishing in 3rd Place overall. A truly gutsy performance on a rhythm-sapping 4-lapped course. Horton has once again been integral this season for the club in the Leicestershire Road Running League, and currently stands as the leading V50 in the league, an epic showing by the 51 Year-old, who is once again setting an example that there are no boundaries if the right training and work are put in. We also had two fellow Badgers run in the 10k Course on the day; Yvonne Faulkner-Grant came back in a time of 60:25 to finish 3rd overall in her age category, meanwhile Carl Savage was also in action coming back in 61:56, a couple of very solid performances. 

There was plenty of Parkrun action this weekend; at Holbrooks Parkrun in Coventry, Chris Horton came 4th in a stacked field to run a stunning 17:35, easily making him 1st back in his age category. Mark Cox was also in action at Holbrooks, coming in 7th Place with a superb 18:43 clocking and a course PB this time around. It was only last week that Cox had set his new parkrun PB on a much faster course at Abbey Green. A wonderful couple of weeks for the Badgers Ace. 

At Victoria Embankment Parkrun in Nottingham, we also had two Badgers in action; first Suzy Farrell ran her fastest this year, by running a stunning 24:59, doubling the celebrations with another fellow Badger in Colin Lees, who amazingly clocked up his 400th Parkrun, running in 22:32. 

Overseas, we had a few Badgers competing in Parkruns. First of all, over in Poland at the wonderful Debinski Forest, we had one of our rising stars in Mia Cox in action, coming home as first lady in a rather stunning 23:04, finishing over a minute clear of the next lady back in the field. Over in the Netherlands at Zuiderpark Parkrun, Ericca Bassford was in action, grabbing her first Z of parkrun coming back in 31:36. 

Focusing closer to home, Warwickshire in this case, Kingsbury Parkrun once again had an array of Badgers running. Michael Garrett was first back in 22:22, finishing 4th overall in his age category. The tenacious Rachael Browne was first lady back for the club on the day with a solid 24:49; finishing just a second behind her was popular clubman Adrian Payne in 24:50. Dave Jenkinsion was next back in 27:33, and not far behind him was Paul Cooper in 27:41. Janey Barrett & Jill Miller were next home in 28:16 and 28:17 respectively. Alice Belcher ran well in 28:23, as did David Craig & Michael Moulton, who ran 28:49 & 42:23 to complete the round-up. 

At Tamworth Parkrun we had nine Badgers in action; first back and coming in the top ten with a fantastic 8th Place was Mark Repton in 20:04. The Marathon man is no stranger to grabbing solid times on this local course. Bill Gutheridge secured a place in the top 40 by running a very solid 23:15. Wayne Repton is also very used to this course and he came home in 24:18, and just a couple of minutes behind was Adrian Parkes in 26:35. Leon Millership ran well in 27:21, as did Matthew Smith in 28:41. Katrina Dawson put in a solid shift to come home in 31:41, her first event at this venue. Sara Hawkins & Ivana Babicova were the final Badgers back in 34:35 & 41:28 respectively. 

Over at Bedworth Parkrun, Kat Wilson celebrated a new PB of 23:49. Running this event quite frequently, Wilson shaved almost two and a half minutes from her run on the same course last week. Her daughter Lilly Wilson also ran a PB of 24:43 and finished top in her overall category, more good signs for the future. Anna Savin-Baden came through in 34:03, and Melissa Stagg was our last Badger home in 39:41. 

Vale Park Parkrun in Burslem saw our Club Captains in action as Glyn Broadhurst finished 6th in 19:49, and Megan Griffiths ran solidly to come back with a time of 23:15. Babbs Mill saw a few Bagders in action. First back was Carl Ford in 28:36, running his second fastest over the distance this year. Joanne Hardy & Kier Hardy also ran, finishing both in 29:08, and finally Ian Cooper was last back in 33:08. 

And finally we had a very special overseas achievement as our very own Jimmy Dewis competed in the European Aquathlon Championships representing Great Britain. Hosted in Banyoles in Spain, The Event takes in a 1 kilometre swim, finishing with a gruelling 5 kilometre run. Dewis battled strongly to come 23rd overall, with a completion time of 51:33. A truly wonderful achievement to see one of our club members competing for our country.