Week Ending - 2022/11/20

BAGERS OUT IN FORCE!

Last Sunday saw the commencement of two major sporting events.

Firstly, Badgers took to the muddy paths of Holly Hayes Wood near Coalville for the opening fixture of the Derby Runner Cross Country League where their men’s team seek to defend their title won last year while over in somewhat warmer climes in Qatar, the FIFA World Cup kicked off in a far more corporate fashion, albeit with a distinctly less inclusive environment. The course at Holly Hayes is relatively flat but also a tricky affair with fallen leaves concealing many an exposed tree root and a myriad of twists and turns creating a recipe for disaster for the navigationally challenged. That said, unlike in Qatar, no volunteers were killed or injured during the course set up and there was a very relaxed attitude towards those choosing to bring a bottle of beer along for a mini post-race celebration in the cool November lunchtime.

Badgers were missing a number of runners for the opener due to fixture clashes and injuries, but still fared well thanks to their enormous strength in depth. With Matt Scarsbrook unable to score for the club as a Birchfield Harrier first-claim athlete, it was left to Danny Warren to carry on where he left off here in 2021 with a barnstorming 3^rd place finish over terrain that ideally suits his running skill set. The 36-year-old has rediscovered his very best form after a mixed 2022, hampered in the large part by a troublesome hip problem which thankfully now appears to be behind him. Eleanor Fowler is also back after an injury-hit year and she led the ladies home again with a superb fifth-place finish. She was backed up by a strong debut performance from Kat Wilson in 57^th with the experienced trio of Emma Masser, Stephanie White and Sharon Jackson all following behind. Glamourous hair salon owner rounded up the action for a depleted ladies' side, proving that you can still look good after trudging through mud in the wood.

New men’s skipper Mark Cox was leading from the front with a solid 15^th place effort, just in front of key man Neil Russell who once more showed his class with another brilliant run on this course. Aaron Chetwynd made a welcome return to action, stepping into the top 30 after fellow Baddesley boy Adrian Payne tumbled out of the race partway through with a badly bruised cloaca. Cameron Barnes was next back with more key men coming to the party in the form of Sam Starkey and Chris Tweed. The veteran stars were crucial to the club’s overall tally with two required to count from eight scorers, like the speedy Russell before them, both were in the points as of right rather than being there through age. Dave McGowan and Carl Savage placed next with Martin Graham sneaking into the top 100 overall. Dave Grant, Oliver Wheldon, Sean White, Jamie Lawrence and Eamon Thawley all made it around, but connoisseurs of the action were treated to a revival of the long-standing midfield duel between clubmates Ashley Taylor and Robert Boland. This time, it was “T-Dogg” who triumphed, on his least favourite surface, with the returning club treasurer Roland Bulgington (Boland) for once vanquished by his solidly operating gag-cracking nemesis.

The Derby 10-mile race saw eight Badgers smashing out some super times, none more so than Bill Gutheridge who has been in the form of his life since turning forty. Here he led the side home in a personal best time of 73:01 a terrific effort. Fellow vet Justin Haywood endured something of a culture shock in the chilly climes of Derby but still had the ability to crank out a quality 74:28. Mick Bailey continues to defy time, producing a super 81:11 while fending off illness and Anna Savin-Baden bagged a ten mile best too in 1:42:17. Megan Griffiths was first lady Badger back, again in a PB of 83:19. Peter Mann and Fiona Reidy ran together inside the two-hour mark with Fiona Hutton swinging along around a minute later. Andy Altoft ran a quality 10K PB of 47:10 at his hometown of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire.

A further eight Badgers were in Clowne, Derbyshire for the half marathon there and it was Colin Lees who led the octet back in 1:47:13. Rob Crow also broke two hours in 1:58:54 while his partner Jo Davies managed an excellent 2:09:04. Jo Hardy produced one of just two PB’s on the day with her super run of 2:03 with half marathon collector Liz Peel crossing the line five minutes thereafter. Fully-fledged marathon runners Karen Draper and Ann-Marie Currier managed 2:26 apiece while Suzy Farrell ran her second PB of a memorable weekend for her with a fine time of 2:18.

Her first best came at Babbs Mill parkrun clocking 25:15 for 5K there (8^th place). Dave Jackson bagged a career-high second place in 19:54. Wayne Repton ran his fastest parkrun for three years with his 22:04 at The Wammy in Wolverhampton.

Gdansk in Poland saw a gaggle of Badger tourists doing their best in the snow and it was Adam McElhone who kept right on to the end to help himself to a huge personal best with his outstanding 23:58 in conditions that were anything but conducive to fast times. Judy Parkes took 11^th place in the event.

At Kingsbury Water Park, Megan Griffiths celebrated her 100^th parkrun with a sixth-place finish alongside Rachael Shelton and Sharon Jackson in a shade under 27 minutes. At the top of the field, a below-par Chris Horton was bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive unassisted win but was ultimately outgunned despite a heroic late fightback, missing out by two seconds in 18:03. Aaron Chetwynd managed fourth in 18:43 and Ashley Taylor made the top ten too in 21:44.

Glyn Broadhurst was the quickest Badger of the weekend with a superb season’s best 17:24 at Walsall Arboretum (6^th place) and other top ten finishes included Yvonne Faulkner (9^th at Gloucester North in 28:17) and Laura Starkey (8^th at Arrow Valley in 23:09).

The cross-country league continues this week at Bagworth Heath, where a young Ryan Bennett made his infamous mark some years ago before his running career hit the skids. Round three continues in mid-January after the extended break.