HORTON LOOKING GOOD AT BREWOOD

After Danny Warren’s heroics at Atherstone and then Draycote Water, for the third time in five weeks, Badgers Running Club once again produced the winner in a 10K race as Chris Horton steamed to an impressive victory in the Brewood Woggle 10K event near Wolverhampton on Sunday. The sell-out race is now in its sixth year and 43-year-old Horton was able to beat off a record number of entrants taking part this time. With just over a mile gone, the Badgers man hit the front and began to put some distance into those chasing behind by setting an aggressive tempo on the undulating rural course. Nobody was able to stay with him and as a result, he extended the gap right the way to the finish line in the village centre, eventually winning in a season’s best time of 35:45, over a minute clear of his closest rival. It capped a fine season for the former balaclava model who as a result of this win, achieved the unprecedented feat of back to back County Standards at diamond level.

Part-time TV star Jason Molloy and full-time Badgers poster boy Adi Payne ran quality races in the second leg of the Autumn Trail Series up in the Peak District. Molloy was fourth back overall in a superb 65:55 on the ten mile off road course, missing out on a podium place by an agonising 12 seconds, while Lego connoisseur Payne clocked 69:08 to bag himself a deserved 6th spot on a challenging circuit in Biggin.

At Draycote Water, Mark Repton continued his superb form with a wonderful top ten finish in the ten-mile race there. His time of 67:33 earned the Tamworth man 7th place while Nuneaton-based Gavin Crockwell was another in fine form as the Sky-Blue Rocket thundered home in 78:10. This was without doubt a break from the “Norm” as he secured a wonderful new PB. Popular club chairperson Karen Thompson once more morphed into the pretty princess of pacing for the morning as both she and the eminent professor of pace, Liz Peel, helped cajole Chester marathon-bound Judy Parkes to a ten-mile PB in 92:39. Parkes has come on leaps and bounds in 2018 and she should go into her debut marathon full of confidence in just under two weeks’ time. At the Croft Canter ten-mile race, Yvonne Faulkner ran 1:59 while Kerry Clover and Emma Vardy also featured prominently.

Ian Orton was back in action, this time tackling the Sutton in the Forest 10K race, emerging with a creditable time of 48:01 for his efforsts. Kit supremo Dave Bailey bagged a PB at the Stafford 10K thanks to his great time of 57:21, a tremendous run from the v60 athlete. The workmanlike Colin Lees ran a marvellous 1:43:25 at the Worcester half marathon as the veteran run leader keeps on getting better and better.

Over the longer distances, veteran ace John Restall featured at the gruelling Equinox 24 event completing no fewer than six 10K laps there, a magnificent achievement, while Nivette Chester must have eaten her porridge in the morning as she put a real spurt on at the end of the scenic Loch Ness marathon to sneak in under the four hour barrier for the distance, this time in 3:59:24. Fellow Badger Alan Argyle was another who had his oats as the popular 65 year old came through determinedly in a hard earned 4:17:40 and yet another marathon under his belt. Finally, Andy Smith endured his first (and final) ultra-marathon as both he and Holly Matts successfully attempted the 35 mile long Ladybower Ultra without either of the duo troubling the world record.

At parkrun, Sam Starkey was back in the thick of things. After waiting for what seemed like an age for his first win, he now romped to his third first place finish in recent weeks with a dominant display at Kingsbury Water Park, this time in a rapid 18:19. Tim Gould (20:49) and rising star Tobey Brain (21:23) both made the top twenty with Colin Lees and Lee Millership also going well. Eamon Thawley showed his finesse in 23:50 while fellow Badgers could learn a thing or two from Pete Boardman who has applied himself superbly since coming back from a career-threatening injury to become better than ever before, recording yet another remarkable PB this time in 23:57. Dean Bowd (24:41) and John Hanson (25:20) both grafted hard with the two Pauls, Messrs Grubb and Restall both in hot pursuit. Liz Peel was first lady Badger back in 27:37 with Fiona Meldrum, Terry Argyle, Karen Missen, Amanda Gould and Mandy Hanson all showing. Young Evie Whitehead gave it a good go alongside a below par Rachael Shelton who was somewhat under the weather. Teresa and David Buck also went.

At Conkers, Chris Baxter finished a steady second in 17:42. Other attendees included Adam McElhone, John Dulson (26:44) on his 50th appearance, Sarah Vine, Dave Bailey, Nicola Stanley, Jason Husselbee-Orwin and Claire Bradford. Lesley Palmer tried out he Bakewell parkrun in Derbyshire while Jonathan Davies, frequented Worcester once more. At nearby Bedworth, Rob Boland was back to his best with a barnstorming 19:53 run to earn 5th spot and team mate Gavin Crockwell too hit the giddy heights of the top ten with a solid run of 21:45 in 9th. The enthusiastic Paul Cooper clocked a PB in 31:14 too.

In Brueton, Richard Hill returned to action after his Swedish heartache while the intrepid Alan Argyle and Nivette Chester both made it round Perth parkrun in bonny Scotland. Last but by certainly no means least was arguably the parkrun performance of the weekend as the experienced Leesa Dennis travelled to Burnham and Highbridge in Somerset. In her 78th run she recorded a superb new PB of 26:16 proving that age is no barrier to success when you apply consistent hard work and determination.