Week Ending - 2023/05/28

GUTHERIDGE RUNS SUPER NEW 5K BEST AT KWP

Badgers were spread far and wide at the weekend’s parkrun events with over fifty runners covering 17 different locations between them. The recent warm spell had enabled most locations to offer firm underfoot conditions, conducive to quicker times if not increased levels of sweatiness. As ever, the greatest number of Badgers were racing at the parkrun in closest proximity, Kingsbury Water Park, although strictly speaking the new Market Bosworth run is in effect now the nearest using the club’s Atherstone Sports Club headquarters as its base.

Nineteen Badgers were in action here, along with a handful of noble volunteers helping out such as race director Matt Green and event organiser-in-chief Hannah Coogan. The highlight of the morning was undoubtedly Alicia Gutheridge’s super new personal best time of 28:22. The Baddesley lady has been knocking on the door for weeks now and it was only a matter of time before her old best was toppled, a fully deserved reward after a sustained stint of good training. 

Up top, Chris Horton notched up his 30th Kingsbury win in 117 visits. The veteran ace never looked in danger during his 17:56 apart from almost going the wrong way at the start and colliding into a pair of lapped runners towards the finish! Ashley “T-Dogg” Taylor enjoyed a less calamitous run, the Warton-based solid operator did not need keeping on a metre-long leash as he hurtled around in a splendid 21:37. For years, Taylor lived in the mighty shadow of GB star Ellis Cross, long-time claimant to the title of the fastest man in Warton, but since his relocation to pastures new, Taylor has rightly assumed the title. Some even went as far as to say Cross purposefully moved away for fear of being usurped by the likeable 31-year-old but Taylor, for one, would never boast about such a tale. 

Next through was Chris Tweed, the Dordon hard man generously pacing 22 minutes on the day. Neil Thorne, David Craig and birthday boy Adrian Parkes soon followed through while Megan Griffiths continued her excellent spell of good form with a fourth-place female finish of 23:20. Lee Millership was the second quickest Albion supporting Badger of the morning at Kingsbury in 25:19. Mark Cordiner-Barton ran well, Adrian Payne sauntered round ambivalently. 

There were no special favours in the Coogan household as Peter Coogan clocked a respectable 25:33 for the two-lap 5K. Unfounded rumours of him asking his wife and event director Hannah to divert all the lead runners away from the main course towards a tunnel painted onto a large brick wall never materialised as the martial arts man finished in 62nd place. Jill Miller bagged yet another top-ten finish with intellectuals Judy Parkes and Maggi Savin-Baden not far behind. Mark Reynolds dipped under 30 minutes with Beginner’s graduate Grace Barsby impressing with her time of 31:56 alongside returning veteran John Restall. Other runners included Steve Perry, Simon Payne and Chris Young who ran another PB with a super effort of 23:16, a man in form for sure. 

Claire Bradford was the sole Badger at Market Bosworth, tackling the tricky off-road course in 52:22. Karen Draper and Leesa Dennis both ran at Beacon Hill parkrun where ex-local football ace Merv Jones led the way in 29:53. Sam and Laura Starkey were the fastest Badgers husband and wife combo at Abbey Park parkrun, Sam’s 20:10 helping their cause as much as the fact that they were indeed the only husband and wife combination from the club present at the aforementioned parkrun. 

Paul Grubb rolled back the years with a rip-snorting season’s best time at St Mary’s, the darting don clocking a quality 23:36 to fall one place outside of the top ten men on the day, a terrific effort. Stefan Martin took on the highly challenging Woolacombe Dunes event, managing a creditable 29:05 over the sands there. Holly and Andy Smith collected a rare Z for their parkrun alphabet quest at the Zuiderpark run in Holland. David Grant was a little closer to home at the Hinckley-based Hastings High School parkrun, running a solid 24:13. Marathon major Mark Repton was one of only two men going under 20 minutes with his 3rd place 18:27 at Beacon parkrun in Lichfield with Suzy Farrell another going exceptionally well as she blasted her way to a PB in 23:47, not to mention a personal best also. Colin Lees also produced high-quality goods in 21:56. And yet the hits kept coming. Adam McElhone, number one Badger at Babbs Mill yet again in 24:45. The two Vicky’s Jennings and Brunsdon both completing Irchester in 39 minutes. Sarah Vine and Paul Cooper both breaking 30 minutes at Coventry. And who could forget Sharon Jackson marauding her way into the top ten once again, this time at Bestwood parkrun in 27:52. 

Elsewhere, Conkers saw a quartet of Stuart Batchelor, Carl Savage, John & Anne Devenney all in action, the latter chalking up a course best in 33:49. Veteran star Gail Gunn was running at Graves uo north with Wayne Repton making 24:52 at Upton Court. Last but by no means least was club stalwart Nick Bowman who was first Badger back at Witney parkrun. 

With the Swithland 6 league race approaching next weekend, there was a shortage of Badgers racing on the Sunday in readiness for the big meet. Only Dave Purvis turned in a performance, but oh my days, what a performance. The recent signing has been steadily improving seemingly every month and at the Edinburgh marathon festival, Purvis took on the 10K event to emerge with a brilliant new personal best time of 49:52, his first sub-50 for the distance and surely a sign of even bigger and better things to come.