Week Ending - 2019/09/08

BRILLIANT BECKY HITS THE BIG TIME AT JOHN FRASER 10

In the final race of the 2019 LRRL season, Badgers played their part in another sell-out race, the popular John Fraser 10 mile event at Countesthorpe on Sunday and it was the shining star of this season’s ladies side, Becky Harris, who once again made all the headlines as she enjoyed a terrific run. On another sunny September day, the determined 34 year old, recruited earlier in the year by Cheryl Dewis, took 12th spot overall in the race and in doing so broke the long-standing 10 mile club record thanks to her stunning time of 71:58. And while she and her team mates await official confirmation from the league, it looks likely that she will be rewarded with a trophy for a top five finish in the Leicestershire senior females competition this season, a fantastic achievement, especially given she sped off to play for her football team immediately after the race! However, this was not a one-woman show by any means. Oh no. With the league title already in the bag, Nicki Bowman who has not just bounced back from injury but by running a PB of 78:22, proved she is faster than ever before. The well-muscled temptress broke into the top 40 ahead of fellow vet Cheryl Dewis (79:36) who herself is on the comeback trail after a broken foot.

The athletic Rachael Shelton was next back, in her debut season in the league, the pint-sized speedster has never failed to impress at this level and here was no different as she stormed to superb 82:15 ahead of PB-ing pair Lil Souter and veteran Sharon Jackson who finished together in 87 minutes. The hardworking Jo Hardy led the B-team home in a massive new PB for her of 90:46 with the spritely Katy Clemons in hot pursuit. Like a fine wine, Judy Parkes just keeps getting better with age. Her time of 90:51 was another personal best in a season peppered with them. Kerry Clover ran 92:44 to PB with Lorna Jackson, Jenna Davies and Zoe Cope all digging deep. Hannah Craig looked the part as she made her league debut and the experienced Hannah Coogan rounded up the female action in fine style.

The league-winning Badgers men enjoyed similar levels of success as their dashing quartet of Danny Warren, Dave McGowan, Chris Horton and Jason Molloy took second place in the team competition on the day. Warren worked exceptionally hard to grind out his 59:15 in 10th place overall while McGowan, who has been a revelation this year, bagged himself a well-earned PB of 59:36. Horton dipped under the hour mark by a single second with the pacy Molloy, a man rarely if ever out of the points, shoring up the side in 62:55. With a number of experienced troopers absent, it was left to old soldier Glyn Broadhurst, a vital cog in the Badgers set up for several seasons now, who provided fresh impetus with a PB of 63:07. Mark Repton has improved markedly this season and his latest reward was a PB of 63:10 as sixth male scorer while Baddesley boys Dave Jackson and Adi Payne, both members of the Badgers 50-cap club, rolled in manfully in 45th and 54th positions respectively.

Neil Clemons, Keir Hardy and Graham Engley have been pivotal figures in the clubs rise to prominence this term as the industrious trio powered home, all inside the top 100. David Grant, Cameron Barnes and Si Gilbert battled hard ahead of veterans Stefan Martin (73:04 – PB), Colin Lees and Pete Coogan. Wayne Repton ran a PB of 78:48 and the steady Rob Crow was another setting new standards as he scorched to a PB of 79:37. Ian Orton, Dave Earp, Alan Argyle and Stuart Youngs all did well before veterans Paul Restall, David Dugmore and John Devenney (1:42:04 – PB) rounded up a marvellous days work for their side who had already won all their leagues ahead of the race.

It was a busy day for runners across the land. The Great North Run took place on Tyneside attracting seven Badgers doing their bit. Giant striding pension expert Rob Boland ran a quality 1:42:28 and PB machine Helena Rean raced to a superb 1:58:30 alongside the pacy Kay Whitehead who was raising money for bowel cancer. Richard Hill clocked a signpost en-route to his time of 2:13 and the lovely Michelle Loveland was also fundraising as she completed her first half marathon in 2:33, less than a year after the birth of her young son. Sarah Vine (2:43) ran as did Vicki Fowler in 2:54 while Paul Cooper improved his half marathon best coming home in 2:45. New dad Sam Starkey was beset with severe ill-fortune however as he suffered a broken metatarsal in an early fall, putting paid to not just his race but his upcoming debut marathon effort in Chester next month.

New grandad Matt Tonks ran a classy 1:25:06 at the Vyrnwy Half Marathon in north Wales, while closer to home, Luke Melling took 6th place in the Nuneaton 10K, finishing in a superb 37:18, a race that saw veterans Gavin Crockwell and Adam McElhone also finish in 47:20 and 53:37 respectively. Matt Green toughed it out at the Draycote Water 20, the well-respected Shrimpers fan clocking 2:46:17 in a demanding 20 miler.

Carl Savage was one of a number of Badgers in action at the Lichfield 10K but even he could not match the raw pace of David “DC” Craig who rolled back the years with his second impressive run of the weekend, this time in 46:38. Other Badgers included Leon Millership (49:12), newcomer Averil Caton (58:32), Dave Bailey (59:13) and the rapid Mick Bailey (no relation) who managed a fantastic PB of 48:18. Eamon Thawley, aka the Lord of Pace, donned his familiar knee support and powered round in 56 minutes.

Elsewhere, Dave Earp tackled the 23-mile Man v Mountain challenge event and Richard Hill squeezed in the Ayr 10K after his morning parkrun, no wonder he was left jaded after his Great North Run with that schedule! The hard-hitting floor-fitting king pin that is Mark “Coxy” Cox took a marvellous 7th place in the 35 mile Leicestershire Round Ultra race, in an ultra-impressive 5:37. Vicki Smith (2:28) and Sasha Wickham (2:58) both successfully completed the New Forest half marathon in Hampshire, in Wickham’s case it was her very first attempt at the distance.

Despite the multitude of distractions in place on the Sunday, parkrun saw more than its fair share of action the day prior. Marathon star Matt Tonks stormed to a quality first place finish at Newtown parkrun in north Wales, taking the tape in 18:15 as he continues to edge back towards his former speedy best. Badgers key-man Glyn Broadhurst ran a superb new PB at Kingsbury Water Park to finish 4th male overall thanks to his time of 18:01, a great achievement after a mammoth 146 runs previously and surely a sub 18 is on the cards soon for the lager-loving lothario. David Craig sped back in an impressive 21:12 with Mark Repton, Sam Starkey, Bill Gutheridge and Wayne Repton all zipping round. Mick Bailey has been a revelation since joining and he recorded a phenomenal 23:02 as his season goes from strength to strength. Rachael Shelton was first back for the ladies in 24:35 closely followed by rising star Katy Clemons in 24:58. Other runners included Ian Orton, Dean Bowd, John Hanson, Merv Jones, Peter Black, Nicola Stanley, John Dulson, Dave Bailey, Paul Wallace and the experienced Mandy Hanson. In addition, Andy Venney, Pete Boardman and Jo Hardy also ran while newcomer Averil Caton enjoyed her new lease of life by hammering home an impressive new PB of 27:01.

Other Badgers achieving personal parkrun bests this weekend included Lesley Palmer who romped to a superb 29:31 at Minehead and Sarah O’Donoghue who ran 32:07 at Perry Hall. Maggi Savin-Baden bagged her target standard time running 27:53 at Long Eaton, Stuart Walton strode to moderate success at Rosliston and Alan Argyle was first Badger back at Conkers. Richard Hill flew the flag at Crichton in bonny Scotland, Jared Karim and Yvonne Faulkner chalked one off at Queen Elizabeth parkrun in the South Downs and Holly Matts and Andy Smith both plodded round at Gedling parkrun.

Finally, at Bedworth, Ryan Handley continued his great form running a brisk 18:22 in 4th spot ahead of Terry Argyle, Jenny Davies, Zoe Cope and Anne-Marie Matthews. Karen Missen turned out at the Isabel Trail parkrun and veterans Colin Lees, local dominoes ace Paul Grubb and Adam McElhone featured at Babbs Mill parkrun. Ann-Marie Currier did not run.