Week Ending - 2019/05/19

BADGERS PUT ON A SHOW AT WEST END

Badgers broke their already impressive attendance record for a league event when a whopping 68 runners turned out for the fifth instalment of the 2019 league series, over the unusual distance of 8 miles at Syston on Sunday in the West End 8, beating the record set a year earlier at nearby Market Bosworth. The men’s team were looking to consolidate their position at the top of the table, but host club West End dominated proceedings, even producing the overall race winner in Seb Hall. Despite the bumper turnout, Badgers were without the in-form Chris Baxter due to holiday and the pacy Damo Taylor following the birth of his new-born daughter. As a result, it was left to the club’s most capped runner, Danny Warren to lead the side home which he did with some aplomb. The Baddesley man capped what was a great week for him personally with a stellar performance, coming home fifth overall in 46:04. Fellow Baddeslonian Dave McGowan (49:22) was leading the race at one stage but dropped back to a still respectable 26th place overall while key-men Chris Horton (49:37) and Neil Russell (49:41) played their not inconsiderable parts to take 29th and 31st places respectively.

Badger of the Year Aaron Chetwynd was next home in 50:22 with outgoing skipper Adi Payne battling determinedly with a time of 50:45. There are few, if any, runners more respected in the club than 44 year old marathon man Matt Tonks and he showed his class with a terrific 51:15, hopefully putting his injury woes of the past two seasons behind him. Veteran ace Glyn Broadhurst secured the final scoring place by winning a bunch sprint and thereby pipping Jon Vardy to the line by one second in 51:31. Badgers strength in depth was on display once more as Sam Starkey (51:49), Ron Mahoney (52:14) and Neil Clemons (52:52) all powered home. Jet-setting Justin Haywood ran a super quick time so as not to miss his flight to the sun, helping the vets team in 54:12 and the improving Mark Repton (54:34) recorded yet another high quality performance in a season that has seen his running go to a whole new level. Keir Hardy made a welcome return to league action with a rapid 55:01 and the popular Jimmy Dewis ran a top class 55:05. Graham Engley bolted round in 55:30 while the club’s elite performance director and newly appointed men’s vice-captain Dave Jackson came through in 57:06. The hard-drinking veteran is one of the top characters in the club (v40) and used to be something of an 8-mile specialist, with many members reminiscing fondly about his seminal malted milk fuelled performance at Skirlaugh, Humberside two years ago when he made the club seniors record his own.

Stefan Martin finished strongly in 56:59 while Si Gilbert helped himself to yet another PB, this time of 57:25 as his season continues skywardly. The evergreen Martyn Barrett was going for gold once again making 57:23 for the distance, a hugely impressive feat as he approaches his 61st birthday. Cameron Barnes ran strongly and Matt Green, Colin Lees and the fast-finishing Bob Dawe all battled hard. Other runners included Mark Cox, Rob Crow, David Earp, Ian Orton, the influential John Hanson and 8-mile V60 club record holder Alan Argyle. Newly elected men’s captain Simon Currier weighed in with an impressive PB at the distance clocking 64:39 while Adam McElhone, Richard Chester, Terry Argyle, Paul Cooper, Wayne Repton, John Devenney and David Dugmore also ran well.

The ladies were not to be outdone and once again it was new signing Becky Harris who shone brightly, taking 13th place in a strong field that included last season’s unbeaten leading female Joanna Male. Her time of 56:53 was a full two minutes faster than the next Badgers lady, the in-form Nivette Chester, who herself ran a sparkling PB time of 58:53. Cheryl Dewis is on the cusp of individual honours in the league this term and she ran a superb 60:38 which will do her standings in the V45 category no harm. The powerfully built pocket-rocket Monika Lampart (61:10) and top Stockingford hair-stylist Esther Holyoak (61:30) both performed superbly meaning the ladies side was one of the strongest the club has assembled so far. The improving Emma Masser then stormed home in 65:49 with rising star Emma Vardy also impressing in 66:39.

Like a fine wine, Pip Weston just gets better with age as she cruised home in 67:13 and Charlene Dunn ran an excellent 68:41, another who has helped add more consistency to the ladies’ team recently.

Skipper SJ Chetwynd has taken her running to new heights in 2019 and she delivered a captain’s performance in 69:52. Katy Clemons ran another good race in 71:34 while Lorna Jackson showed just why she is one to watch this year, piling through a tiring field to finish in 71:56. Jo Hardy produced an exceptional finish to clock 71:30 with Jo Davies running an industrious 71:55. Helena Rean was on Cloud 9 after her team’s fortuitous penalty shoot out play-off win and she delivered the goods once more in 71:58. Lil Souter gave her all for her time of 72:35 with Anna Dawe and Kerry Clover finishing within seconds of one another after races of genuine dynamism. One of the performances of the day belonged to Janet Crumpton who managed a fantastic personal best, pacing her race sensibly and finishing with real finesse to earn her time of 75:41. Other runners included Sarah Vine, Hannah Coogan, Vicki Smith, Mandi Stain, Gail Gunn, Bev Spencer and Pauling Morris. Lesley Palmer, Lisa Barnes and Debbie Wilson all got round in good time making it a wonderful day for all at the club.

Elsewhere, Richard Hamblett hit the comeback trail with his appearance at the Run to the Wyre 10K while Holly Matts and Andy Smith both featured in the 5-mile Mount Famine fell race in the Peak District and the 8-mile Mini Mountain Challenge over the same weekend. In North Carolina, USA, Angela Stallings was out in force at the NCRC half marathon in Umstead which saw her son Grady make his half marathon debut.

Parkrun was populated by plenty of Badgers over the weekend with Sam Starkey leading home a veritable plethora of quick beasts at the Kingsbury Water Park event. The soon-to-be Dad finished 8th in a brisk 18:23 ahead of teammates Matt Jackson, Graham Engley and Cameron Barnes. The finish results read like a who’s who of Badger members with Colin Lees, Bill Gutheridge, Esther Holyoak (6th lady), Bob Dawe, Chris Upton, Michael Bailey, Katy Clemons, John Restall, Evie Whitehead, Paul Restall, Darryl Johnson, Amanda Gould, Carl Holyoak, Nicola Stanley, Terry Argyle and Merv Jones all notable by their attendance. Seasoned campaigner Alan Argyle led home a strung-out pack of runners inclusive of Lisa Barnes, Teresa Satchell, John Hanson, Mandy Hanson, Vicki Fowler, Gill Holmes and Fiona Meldrum.

On the road, there were appearance for Charlotte Phillips at Leamington, Stuart Walton at Rosliston and Sarah Vine at Conkers. Holly Matts and Andy Smith got round safely at Bakewell while Ian Orton ran 23:17 at the Isabel Trail parkrun in Staffordshire. At Bedworth, Monika Lampart finished an impressive 2nd in 22:00 beating off fellow Badgers John Dulson, and Dave Bailey along the way.