Week Ending - 2022/03/06

BADGERS BATTER AT BOSWORTH

The 2021/2 Derby Runner League cross country season drew to a close on Sunday at the historic Bosworth Battlefield where Badgers battled their way over boggy ground to score a host of individual and collective successes. The men’s team went into the race needing to keep a resurgent West End Runners outfit in their sights in order to win the top division for the fourth successive season while the ladies had it somewhat easier in Division One, their lead being such going into the race that even a mediocre performance would still guarantee them promotion to the topflight next season.

The race was won by Badgers own flying machine Matt Scarsbrook who bolted off at the start and never once looked like being caught, winning his second race of the five this season, and by the biggest winning margin of all races. This in turn enabled him to deservedly scoop the series win for top overall senior male, thanks to his two first places and three seconds. It should also be noted that two of his second-place finishers came behind Olympic triathletes so hardly any shame in those performances. The Baddesley man dominated from the very start and only something out of the ordinary could prevent him from winning. As it materialised, the 25-year-old kept a cool head and navigated his way successfully to the finish line over a minute clear of his nearest rivals.

Chris Horton was next over the line, in a career-best fifth place, earning him the top spot in the V45 category across the whole season. This was an outstanding effort from someone who does not particularly like cross country running and still runs his races in oversized shoes that were donated to him by team-mate Danny Warren in order to encourage him to take part more regularly! Dave Hill was next back running another gutsy effort on unforgiving terrain. The relatively flat course held vast amounts of water, really sapping the energy out of the legs and making it harder than usual to find sections of the course with a hard fast rebound. That said, both he in eighth place and rising star Ryan “Preecey” Preece in ninth made sure the side got off to a dream start with four runners in the top ten.

The craggy former captain Adrian Payne weighed in with another reliable showing grabbing 16^th overall after an extended warm-up and Aaron Chetwynd continues to creep back towards his scintillating form of 18 months ago with a quality ride into the top twenty. With two more to count, including another veteran, Badgers were at this stage looking well up against their title rivals, the genial John Savin-Baden spotting the runners as they came through. With the ever-reliable Glyn Broadhurst missing with a broken elbow, fellow vets Jimmy Dewis and Dave Jackson stepped up to the plate with terrific displays ensuring the men recorded a magnificent fourth consecutive title win. They were more than ably backed up by the likes of Cameron Barnes, Rob Crow, Martin Graham and Mick Bailey while Ashley Taylor, debutant Jamie Lawrence, Pete Greenfield and another ex-skipper Simon Currier all slogged it out through the mud, thankfully devoid of the infamous Bosworth Bog this year. The experienced Eamon Thawley and newcomer Ross Kilburn also ran.

The ladies were intermixed with the men at this race and once again it was Eleanor Fowler who was right up front at the business end of the race. The Nuneaton Harriers star has represented Badgers as a second claim runner this season and she produced her best finish to date with a tremendous third place overall which enabled her to take the coveted V40 award for the league series, never once finishing outside the top five in any of her races. Cheryl Dewis’s considerable presence has underpinned the ladies team this term and the highly respected V50 athlete once again showed her mettle with another determined display of “no excuses” running. Making the top twenty, she too picked up an award, third in her age category for the season, a wonderful and well-deserved achievement. Newcomer Emma Woolrich has undoubtedly bolstered the team this year and was only four places behind Dewis with another top-end effort. With birthday girl Emma Masser making a welcome return to action in 48^th place and the indefatigable Pip Weston, 2^nd V60 for the season, once again scoring for the team, it was no surprise that the ladies topped their division and will start next season back in the topflight.

Sharon Jackson made her first appearance of the season with a good return to form and ever-presents Mandy Stain, Ann-Marie Currier and Gail Gunn also chipped in alongside the hardworking Ivana Babicova. The brilliant baking boffin, Maggi Savin-Baden was also in action but sadly had to withdraw partway in due to asthma problems. Other individual successes included Mick Bailey grabbing 3^rd V65 male in the league and Glyn Broadhurst 3^rd V45 male after another solid campaign. Captain fantastic Lil Souter was delighted with her charges and hopes to be joining them on the course rather than coordinating from the sidelines soon once her latest injury has subsided.

Away from the league action, four Badgers took on the notorious 20-mile Grizzly race in east Devon, stunning views and treacherous gradients combining for an epic event. Men’s captain Carl Savage was first back in 3:42:57, just a few seconds in front of vice-captain Dave Jenkinson. Charlotte Oliver was first Badger female to finish in a course best 5:19:26 with multi-sport guru Paul Grubb rounding things up with a courageous 5:32:17.

Last but by no means least this week was Hannah Coogan who had trained hard for the Wrexham half marathon over the winter only to have her hopes dashed by Storm Eunice. Not wanting to waste her newly earned fitness, she waited two weeks and dropped onto the slightly more testing Warwick half and proudly completed the race in 2:15:23, another good endeavour.