Week Ending - 2019/08/25

SUN SHINES BRIGHTLY ON BADGERS ATHERSTONE 10K

Bumper crowds enjoyed a fruitful morning of running fun as the sixth Badgers Atherstone 10K took place in beautiful bank holiday sunshine on Sunday. The race attracted an impressive 619 runners much to the delight of all the Rey Mysterio fans in the sweltering crowd. It was Mancetter man and former Badgers vice-captain Rob Boland who set an early high tempo, but his initial pace sadly faded along with his hopes of victory as the race approached Steamin Billy’s on the high street. From here, South Derbyshire Road Runners star Liam Bradbury took cherge of matters and despite being shadowed for a large portion of the race, he swept to victory in a superb 36:14, eight seconds ahead of fellow debutante Jay Fallaize of Rushden based Higham Harriers. Last year’s winner, Badgers ace Danny Warren finished a fine third in 36:44, another terrific run in far from favourable conditions.

The ladies’ event was another close-run thing as Nuneaton Harriers’ Strava segment queen Polly Keen held on to a 13 second advantage over second placed Annie Byrne as both ladies broke 40 minutes with time to spare in 39:05 and 39:18 respectively. Their overall finish positions of 9th and 11th again bore great testament to their undoubted running abilities. The pacy Rosanna Andrews of Northampton Road Runners, who won the very first event here back in 2014, returned to take third place in 41:06.

Paul Sidwells of Run Free Fell Runners took the V40 prize with the speedy Ady King from Kettering picking up the V50 award. There were mayors everywhere on the podium as local celebrity and Badgers mainstay Martyn Barrett scooped the V60 prize while James Farmer (SDRR) and Emily Negus (Nuneaton Harriers) took the Under 20 prizes. The female age grade winners were Sarah Hetherington (V40), Sarah Davis (V50) and Caroline Beechey (V60). The promising Beth Dennis and Badgers own Matt Jackson won the Under 17 age category prizes and Badgers once again sneaked home in the team prize despite some very close competition from SDRR who had to settle for the best represented club in the race from which the host club were understandably exempt.

Home club runner Emma Masser donned the Badger outfit and did amazingly well to complete the course, albeit somewhat slower than her usual high standards. As well as providing a marvelous colourful spectacle of running for the town, the event also helped raise much needed cash for a number of charitable concerns including Georgie’s Gift and Warwickshire & Northampton Air Ambulance. Hundreds of supporters lined the streets to watch the procession of runners battle their way back home in seriously warm conditions, a far cry from in 2018 when heavy rain descended upon the presentation party forcing people to literally run for cover.

The tough nature of the hilly course allied to the hot weather meant that there were very few personal best performances. That said, husband and wife duo Bob and Anna Dawe somehow achieved new bests in the race, Bob’s marathon training is clearly beginning to pay dividends while Anna just keeps going from strength to strength after only taking up running last year. In form Arsenal fan Dave McGowan ran a sterling 38:24 to bag fifth place while fan’s favourite Jason Molloy dug deep to take 10th overall, one of only 17 runners to break 40 minutes. With so many club members running well, it was hard to single out individual performances but Martyn Barrett’s 46:56 stood out not just because it won him his age category prize but it even eclipsed Alan Argyle’s 10K V60 club record, vilifying perma-tanned Barrett’s determination to stick rigidly to his warm weather location-based training programme and all the sacrifices that come with it.

For every Badger taking part, there were countless others helping out behind the scenes. Those running included Graham Engley, Cameron Barnes, club stalwart David Craig, former men’s captain Adrian Payne, Carl Savage, John Dulson, Colin Lees, Ian Orton, Pete Coogan, life-saving Dave Earp, Matt Green, Ashley Taylor and seasoned campaigner Alan Argyle. First Badgers lady back was the athletic Rachael Shelton in 15th place followed home by the in-form Becky Kinson, Yvonne Faulkner, Kerry Clover, one-to-watch Lorna Jackson, Amy Wakelin, steady Nicola Stanley, Jo Davies, Gail Gunn, the determined Mandi Stain and Karen Missen. There were a number of husband and wife combinations too as Neil & Katy Clemons, Keir & Jo Hardy, Ian & Sharon Jackson and John & Anne Devenney all strutted their matrimonial stuff around the Merevale Estate. Other runners included the Restall brothers, John and Paul, Richard Hill, Mandy Hanson, Karen Draper, Dave Dugmore, Lee Millership, Adam McElhone, the indomitable Eamon Thawley, steed of speed Gavin Crockwell, Dave Bailey, Paul Wallace, Michael Ball, Lesley Palmer, Charlotte Phillips, Lisa Barnes and Vicki Fowler.

An administrative oversight saw the Launde 6 Leicestershire League race parachuted into the calendar at short notice causing a direct clash with the Badgers 10K which was booked well in advance. As a result, Badgers reluctantly fielded teams to go to Launde to honour the fixture and despite missing the majority of their usual personnel, the men’s team enjoyed notable success taking maximum points yet again from the race and their trio of Aaron Chetwynd, Neil Russell and Chris Horton winning medals in the process. With just one race to go, a number of Badgers are in the running for individual honours in the league hence the need to attend. Two of these, Chris Horton and Becky Harris were first back for the men and women respectively and did their chances no harm at all. Horton finished 5th overall and first V40 in an impressive 35:52 while Harris was 7th senior female in a rapid 45:09 on a course every bit as challenging as the one left behind at home. Neil Russell looks well set for honours too in the vets’ division and he came home in a superb 37:02 to take 12th spot overall with Chetwynd four places back. The Badgers vets were out in force as a resurgent Matt Tonks celebrated the birth of his first grandchild with a strong yet measured run of 38:52 while half marathon club record holder Ryan Bennett narrowly avoided a bum-pat from the club’s freshly shorn performance director Dave Jackson who stormed back to the points scorers in 39:19. The hard drinking Scot, playfully nicknamed “The Body from Kirkcaldy” due to his distinctive muscular physique, almost became a triple points scorer, only missing out on account of not being female.

Key man Glyn Broadhurst rolled home next followed by the much-improved Mark Repton. Veteran endurance athlete Si Gilbert and triathlon star Jimmy Dewis also made the top 100 as did golf ace Luke Melling. Wayne Repton somehow recorded a six-mile PB in 49:13 with Captain Courage, Simon Currier rounding in his herd from midfield.

The ladies side fared less well despite a particularly strong start. Quality new signing Steph Norman is as steady as they come and she followed the impressive Harris towards the head of the field, taking 29th place overall thanks to her excellent time of 48:44. The duo have made a real positive impact on the ladies side who are already divisional winners this season and Norman boasts an excellent running pedigree as her father, Tony, is still turning out great performances for Nuneaton Harriers even now in his 70’s. Helena Rean and Cheryl Dewis got home eventually after the popular Rachel Crump, who was flying at the time, suddenly collapsed a mile and a half from the finish and was taken by ambulance for immediate medical attention. This took other Badgers out of the event as they stayed with her until help arrived or in Nicki Bowman’s case, sacrificed her race altogether to care for her team mate. Jenna Davies was another casualty earlier in the race with an achilles problem but nowhere near on the scale of the much-loved Crump who is now back at home recovering thankfully.

Danny Warren ran midweek in the high speed BRAT Summerfield Smash 5K in Birmingham clocking a huge new PB of 16:30 in a fast field that saw him end up 13th. Fellow speedster and current 5K club record holder Chris Baxter placed higher at the Prestwold Chase the Sun 5K finishing in second place thanks to his quick time of 16:59. Nivette Chester placed second lady in the 10K event there in an impressive 45:10 with veteran Gail Gunn bulleting round in 62:10.

At parkrun, Mark Repton finally joined the 50 club. The 35-year-old father of two has improved beyond all recognition this year and on Saturday he ran 20:03 at Kingsbury to take 11th place in a big field. Jack Reynolds put in a top run in 21:39 with Bill Gutheridge and the revitalised David Craig both going sub 22. Wayne Repton, Mark Reynolds, Darryl Johnson, Gavin Crockwell, Ashley Taylor and Dean Bowd also ran while the first Badgers lady back was Becky Kinson who is in red hot form right now. She ran a quality new personal best time of 24:32, great reward for her recent dedication. Lil Souter also broke 25 minutes while Pip Weston returned after injury. Katy and Neil Clemons got round ahead of marathon ace, club stalwart and published academic Liz Peel. Sarah Reynolds also featured as did Evie Whitehead, Matt Heap, Merv Jones, Leesa Dennis, Michael Ball, Teresa Satchell, Vikki Smith, Andy Venney, Dave Bailey, Paul Wallace, Sarah Grant and Vicki Fowler.

Dave McGowan was the highest placed finisher of the weekend in 2nd place at Margate parkrun managing a wonderful 18:06 on the Kent coast. Charlene Dunn also finished. Glyn Broadhurst made the top ten at Markeaton parkrun near Derby in 18:59 with Nicki Bowman finishing slightly later in 25:53. Colin Lees led the way at Long Eaton in 22:19 with Ian Orton just two seconds back and Richard & Nivette Chester and Stephanie White all following shortly afterwards. At Sandwell Valley, Zoe Cope and Jenny Davies were back in the groove once more while Upton Court saw the arrival of a quintet of Badgers led by Carl Savage in 21:45. His colleagues Jared Karim, Yvonne Faulkner, Richard Hill and Eamon Thawley all getting the trip.

John and Mandy Hanson made the pilgrimage to Bushy parkrun where it all began while Holly Matts and Andy Smith both ran 32:22 at Clumber Park. Gail Gunn was in action at Fountains Abbey and Mick Bailey was back at it in Somerset giving the Burnham and Highbridge circuit some hammer. Jason Husselbee-Orwin flew the flag at Conkers and Anne-Marie Matthews went to Lowestoft.