Week Ending - 2020/06/28

BADGERS MAGIC MILE RACE

The mile is a seldom run distance in athletics yet remains one of the most iconic at the same time. People measure their runs and pace using miles but surprisingly few people at club level have ever had a go at seeing just how fast they can cover the one mile distance. This week, as part of the World Cup competition and beyond, Badgers held their inaugural Magic Mile race with entrants selecting their own course and submitting their times remotely in order to remain safe. The results also enabled runners to tick another milestone off on their way to achieving this year’s Leicestershire county standard times, which have been made virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

First back in a time of 5:10 was club record holder Chris Horton, some 18 seconds off his very best for a man who has raced this distance more than anyone else at Badgers. Second home was Rob Boland who strode in with a time of 5:36, a terrific run from a man in form and arguably the stand out performance in the event. New boy Chris Davies showed his prowess with a brisk 6:15 along with Matt Green who clocked a hayfever affected 6:24. Nivette Chester was the fastest lady of all in a rapid 6:44, some seventeen seconds quicker than Rachael Warren’s long standing club record set in 2016. Rob Crow was the other competitor breaking seven minutes, the veteran Birmingham City fan getting it done in 6:52. The pacy Pip Weston recently moved up an age category but she out performed many of her much younger peers with an absolutely incredible run in 7:11, a monumental achievement in the circumstances. Jo Hardy and Karen Thompson both recorded the same impressive time of 7:17 with Clare Whetton going a second longer in a World Cup final qualifying time of 7:18, a magnificent effort from her. Andy Smith and the determined Jo Davies also coincidentally bagged the same time too, 7:27 to be precise with Holly McClay putting her foot down to get back in 7:53. Anne Devenney ran a superb 8:56 in her attempt and Paul Cooper made his first crack at the distance one to remember in 8:51. Veteran Jo James plundered a time of 9:42, a remarkable effort given her recent return after a lengthy lay off.

This week sees Badgers take on the LRRL lockdown league 5K along with the conclusion of the eagerly anticipated Badgers World Cup Final which will be between hairdresser Clare Whetton and Chris Davies with Anne Devenney and Jo Davies battling it out in the third and fourth place play off. Matt “Denmark” Green takes on Rob Boland in the Shadow Cup final with the results to be announced on Friday evening.