Week Ending - 2019/03/31

BADGERS of the WEEK

Group A

Leighton Plank & Leon Millership

Group B

Nicola Stanley & David Dugmore

Group C

Paul Wallace

BADGERS OUT IN FORCE AT DES FORD 5

An unprecedented 60 Bagers turned out in force for this year’s Des Ford 5, the third instalment of the Leicestershire Road Running League. The popular five-mile race sold out in just minutes earlier in the month, perhaps not surprisingly with Bagers making up almost 10% of the field. It was the in-form Chris Baxter who led the side home, rattling his way to a PB of 27:53 in a superb 7th place. Aaron Chetwynd was next back in 13th with a decent run of 28:28 while Dave McGowan continues to impress with a marvellous 28:59 in 18th spot. Club stalwart Danny Warren is on an upward curve right now as he ran 29:20 in 22nd place while Glyn Broadhurst’s marathon fitness is paying dividends over the shorter distances now as he romped to a fine 30:19 (PB) cementing his place as one of the club’s key men. Skipper Adi Payne battled illness to bravely come home in 44th spot with Jon Vardy close behind in 31:08 (PB). Club hard-man and floor-fitting king-pin Mark Cox ran a classy PB in 32:38 – like McGowan, another one to have taken his running up a level this year.

Bearded wonder Simon Gilbert breezed his way to a PB time of 33:34 as he continues to progress nicely, two seconds ahead of the semi-legendary Jimmy Dewis. Bob Dawe is another who has worked hard over the winter and is seeing the results of his efforsts now. The top local brick-layer has put down some solid foundations, not to mention bricks, over recent months as he powered to a personal best of 33:59. Graham Engley saw his stock rise too in 34:20 while club performance director Dave Jackson made a welcome return to league race action after a 12 month hiatus, digging deep during his 34:31, a season’s best display for the hard-drinking pint-sized man mountain. Matt Green finished just behind in 34:26, narrowly pipping Jackson on chip time but unable to match the veteran tat-peddler’s nous on the gun.

The fleet-footed Tim Gould ran a brisk 34:59 and youthful Foxes fan Cameron Barnes 34:56 (PB). Colin Lees clocked 36:11 and Wayne Repton 36:14 – PB. Andrew Orchard’s hard graft started to bear fruit as he ran 36:20, John Hanson performed well yet again in 36:25 with David Earp and Ian Orton (37:12 – PB) finishing within a second of each other. Gavin Crockwell sped to a new PB of 37:49 while Simon Currier hared round in a new best of 38:21. Seasoned campaigners Alan Argyle and Stuart Youngs ran solid races while Adam McElhone helped himself to a new PB of 41:35. Veteran John Shade continues to surprise many at the club as the 72-year-old ran a remarkable 41:52. Other runners included Terry Argyle, John Devenney, Richard Chester, Paul Restall, the pacy Paul Cooper and Merv Jones.

The women’s team fielded a strong side and once again it was the in-form Nivette Chester who led the side home, 3rd in her age group and 23rd female on the day in 35:51. Fellow vet Cheryl Dewis ran a respectable 36:52 which may have been a PB if it was a quicker time than anything she had run before over the distance. Fellow Stockingford-based crimper Esther Holyoak produced the point-scoring goods once again in 37:31 while Charlene Dunn (38:35), Emma Masser (38:46 – PB) and Emma Vardy (39:20 – PB) all showed why they are now truly engrained as vital cogs in the female Badgers flying machine. Kay Whitehead rolled back the years as she made a long-awaited comeback to club colours, the popular nurse racing round in a superb 40:09. Pip Weston was in great shape a minute behind with Sarah Jane Chetwynd (41:04) recording another PB in a season positively brimming with them for the ladies’ skipper. Anna Dawe ran a marvellous 42:16 (PB), with Leesa Dennis (44:19) and Jenna Davies (44:21) also setting new bests.

Sarah Vine continues to impress while Lil Souter, Judy Parkes and Jo Davies all battled hard over the undulating terrain. Helena Rean was certainly not below par as the golfing ace romped to a PB of 45:15, Nicola Stanley showed her burgeoning credentials in 46:50 while vice-captain Ann-Marie Currier delivered the goods yet again in fine fashion, clocking a PB time of 47:00 as she too reaps the rewards of a hike in mileage. Amanda Gould made a quality league debut for the club in 49:20. Other runners included Lisa Barnes, Lesley Palmer, Anne Devenney, Tracy Piper and Vikki Smith. Nicola Orton made her league debut too with an excellent 60:48.

Elsewhere, V70 star Bob Lovegrove ran a fantastic 4:49 at the Charnwood Marathon while the remaining activity was limited to parkruns. The highest finisher was Esther Holyoak who came 6th lady at Bedworth in 22:38 while the fastest time of the weekend was set by Sam Starkey at Sutton Park in 20:07. Matt Jackson went well there in 20:24 as did Matt Green and Sharon Jackson. Carl Holyoak clocked 21:10 for 11th place at Bedworth, Charlotte Oliver, Gail Gunn and Karen Thompson also ran. At Conkers, Dave Bailey led the club home in 28:31, followed by Katrina Dawson and Chris Upton. John Hanson was prominent once again at Walsall as he raced back in 21:26, wife Mandy also getting round. Andy Smith ran 25:25 at Rosliston and Nivette Chester (29:23) led a trio of Bagers home at Bushy Park including Steph White (36:24) and Richard Chester (46:06).

The likeable Tim Gould often runs the show at Kingsbury, but he stole the show on Saturday as he was first Badger back in 20:16. Jake Bradford ran a PB of 20:58 with Rob Oliver going well for his 22:03. New boy Bill Gutheridge, Wayne Repton, David Craig and Colin Lees all broke 23 minutes while Charlene Dunn continues to impress as she posted a career best time of 22:54 to become the first Badger lady and 7th female overall back. Other runners included Michael Bailey, John Restall, Darryl Johnson, Neil Clemons, Sarah Vine, Gavin Crockwell, Fiona Meldrum and young Evie Whitehead. Experienced stars such as Alan Argyle and Liz Peel found their way back safely augmented by performances of note from Nicola Stanley, Peter Black and Paul Wallace. In addition, Shaun Coyle was back in action alongside Terry Argyle, Judy Parkes, Helen Morgan, Nicola Orton, Joanne Haddon, Anne-Marie Matthews, Helen Smith, Vicki Fowler and Lil Souter.