BADGERS MEN’S TEAM TAKE THE LEAGUE TITLE

There was a truly dramatic end to the 2018 Leicestershire Road Running League season as BADGERS went head-to-head with perennial champions Hermitage Harriers at the final race of the season the ten-mile John Fraser 10 race in Countesthorpe. Having led the league for most of the season, BADGERS saw their lead cut to the point where both teams were level going into the final meet. Unsurprisingly, defending champions Hermitage drafted in a number of their big guns for the event, desperate to maintain their status as the top side in the county. For their pesky north Warwickshire underdog rivals, it was a case of all hands to the pump in the hope that their collective strength and tremendous travelling support could overturn the odds and snatch an unlikely win in their very first season in the top flight.

As the race began, Hermitage hit the front setting an aggressive tempo almost as a statement of intent. They, for one, were not going to surrender their crown of several seasons and for the plucky BADGERS, by one third race distance, things were looking spectacularly bleak as there were four Hermitage runners already a long way up the road and a fifth, Ian Murdey, tucked safely in amongst the BADGERS leading trio of Aaron Chetwynd, Chris Horton and Danny Warren, with eight from each side to count. Running in increasingly warm weather, the BADGERS boys continued to work through the field, mindful of the fact that every place could count should it be close at the finish. Hermitage’s Paul Featherstone took a fine second place in the race with team mates Gavin McDermott and Alex Cumming bagging 5th and 6th respectively. However, Chris Horton produced an unbelievable performance to finish in a career high 7th spot in a new V40 club record time and PB of 58:40 to get his side on the board and with it give BADGERS some feint hope of an unlikely comeback.

This season’s star-man Aaron Chetwynd was next home in 10th spot, his time 59:25, another PB from the club’s form runner of 2018 and when Damo Taylor grafted his way to 13th place in one hour exactly, having helped haul the heat affected Danny Warren (60:14) from his pit of despair, BADGERS were back in the game. Neil Russell made his first league appearance since the cross-country season and did not disappoint, running a terrific 61:48 to land 24th place. Ryan Bennett returned to action after a short injury lay-off and even at 80% was able to run a crucial 62:05. Chris Baxter was a late entry to the race, but his points were vital as he ran 62:47 before skipper Adi Payne who worked his socks off, fittingly became the eighth man home in 64:30 (PB). At this point, Hermitage only had six men back and despite their best efforsts, their last two scorers were unable to place high enough to undo the great work of the BADGERS octet. Maggie and Rachael Warren worked tirelessly on the finish line to record the results as they happened and after quadruple checking the numbers, deduced that BADGERS had won by the super-slender margin of just 11 places.

While Hermitage relied on their superstars, BADGERS had the relative luxury of strength in depth, as they have had most of the season. The up and coming Dave McGowan ran a superb 66:42, just 12 seconds ahead of Sam Starkey while Jonathan Vardy (69:08) and Keir Hardy (69:15) both earned themselves impressive new PB’s. Key men Glyn Broadhurst and Matt Tonks finished together ahead of Jimmy Dewis who ensured the vets team ended up third in the league after being locked in a relegation battle earlier in the season. Good Samaritan Rob Boland led the B team home, the long-striding vice-Captain enjoying trophies by the boat load since taking the reins from the influential Dave Jackson, currently out nursing a long-term injury.

Dave Jenkinson battled hard ahead of Colin Lees and Ashley Taylor with Villa boys Cameron Barnes and Ian Orton doing their bit. Alan Argyle turned in yet another inspirational performance as he ran 86 minutes with Simon Currier clocking an impressive PB of 87:01 on a course and day not best suited to such a feat. The highly numerate Stuart Youngs followed next in 89:10 with Gavin Crockwell digging deep to clock 92:55. Richard Hill, Paul Restall, and Adam McElhone all battled hard in the heat before the industrious John Devenney rounded up a great morning with a hard fought PB of 1:45:15.

In the ladies’ event, it was rising star Cheryl Dewis who led the side home for the second successive race, in 26th place altogether. Her time of 77:56 was yet another PB in a season truly littered with them for the Stockingford based barber. Esther Holyoak has been a great servant for the club in recent years and once again she worked tirelessly to finish in a gutsy 84:39 with Emma Masser managing a fine 87:00 and marathon star Liz Peel showing her endurance attributes making 89:15. Emma Vardy rounded off a superb debut season with her time of 90:00 before club stalwart Serena Baker crossed the line in a very impressive 90:58 to become the side’s sixth scorer and therefore enable the ladies side to take a creditable 3rd place in division two.

Lorna Jackson has benefitted from some exceptional coaching in 2018 under the tutelage of her mentor Sian Owser-Rimmer and is without doubt one to watch in 2019. Another is Charlene Dunn who has enjoyed a great start to her BADGERS career and looks a hot prospect heading into next season. Her time of 93:45 enabled her to narrowly pip more experienced team-mates Nicki Bowman and Karen Thompson to the line. The classy Helena Rean goes from strength to strength as she cruised to yet another V60 club record in a sublime time of 96:51. Her colleagues Zoe Cope, Charlotte Oliver and the indestructible Leesa Dennis who bagged another PB in the heat, this time 97:58, all ran well with Clare Whetton showing she is as determined as she is glamourous by running a belligerent 1:40:57. Kerry Clover followed through next ahead of hardworking skipper Sarah Jane Chetwynd. Jo Hardy and Janet Crumpton got around safely before veterans Anne Devenney and Mandy Hanson completed the course to a raucous reception and helped the ladies vets’ side to consolidate their 4th place standing in division one. The club’s mixed team ended up third in the top flight.

Away from the cut and thrust of league action, there were other BADGERS doing the racing rounds over the weekend. Globe-trotting Abbie Liddle was back on the road after a quick home visit last weekend for the BADGERS 10K. She romped to a great time of 48:05 in the Wimbledon Common Chase the Sun 10K race while Vicki Fowler clocked 80 minutes in the Cosford Spitfire 10K in Shropshire. In the 16-mile Totley AC Exterminator Trail Race in the Peak District, Mark Cox and Jason Molloy ran an impressive 3:05 over deeply challenging terrain. Holly Matts safely made it round the Harvest Hobble marathon in Lincolnshire and David Earp successfully conquered the Man V Mountain challenge in a smidgeon over six hours up in Snowdonia. Helen Tibby took on a brave double, the Wolverhampton half marathon as well as the Bedford Twilight 10K which also featured Vicki Fowler who ran 78 minutes.

There was action at parkrun too as Eamon Thawley stormed to a well earned PB of 23:37 at Conkers which saw Katrina Dawson, Dawn Cross and birthday boy Paul Grubb all featuring. Ian Orton managed a hearty 23:33 at Chester where new mum and wife Nicola also ran. Steph White flew the BADGER flag alone at Wolverhampton in 24:03 and brothers Alan and Terry Argyle both got involved at Rosliston. David Craig, Jared Karim and Richard Hill all travelled to Evesham to run while Mark Repton enjoyed a top ten finish at Cirencester as he ran 20:08 to grab 7th place. Maggi Savin Baden recorded 28:13 at Heartlands parkrun in Cornwall while Matt Tonks took a fine 6th place at Bedworth in 19:28 as the marathon legend continues his recovery from an injury hit 12 months. Andy Smith and Gail Gunn also ran while Luke Melling finished first at the unofficial Bedworth parkrun event held on the Sunday, clocking a super time of 18:19 over the 5K course.

Finally, at Kingsbury Water Park, it was the speedy Sam Starkey who bossed the show with a sterling 4th place finish ahead of the big league title decider. He ran a rapid 19:21 ahead of David McGowan in 10th place (20:28). Popular Shrimpers fan Matt Green was next back in 21:06 with the twinkle-toed Tim Gould coming home in 23:02. Leon Millership, Colin Lees, Dean Bowd and Mr Kingsbury John Hanson all made it round while Liz Peel was first female BADGER back in 27:54. Dave Bailey, Yvonne Faulkner, Lesley Palmer, Anne-Marie Dittman, Tracy Piper, Karen Draper, Adam and Eileen McElhone also featured while Teresa and David Buck also went.