Week Ending - 2022/12/11

DAVE BATTLES HIS WAY TO HALF MARATHON PB IN THE SNOW

Proper wintry weather put paid to a number of races over the weekend with a handful of those going ahead doing so with a covering of snow on the ground to add to the tricky cold conditions athletes had to face. One such place was Keyworth where the annual Turkey Trot half marathon took place. In form Badgers vice-captain Dave Jenkinson made light work of the less-than-ideal surface to romp home to a brand new personal best time of 95:41, an outstanding effort from the upbeat V50 ace with club stalwart Rob Crow also going well in 1:51:40 and Jo Davies showing plenty of bottle to finish in a very respectable 2:11:34. Liz Peel faced similar conditions in her half marathon, the Carsington Half, completed in 2:19:32. The experienced Tim Gould tackled the 10 mile Sneyd Striders Christmas Pudding run, coming home in a fast 83:00.

The rest of the racing action of the weekend took place at parkrun, at least the ones that did not fall foul of the filthy weather. Kingsbury Water went ahead, the frosty non-tarmac paths offering slightly better grip and rebound than runners have been experiencing in recent weeks there. There was a good Badgers turnout as usual with a slew of high finishes – five men in the top eleven and a third-placed lady. Once again, it was Chris Horton (17:55) who was made to dig deeper than ever to outwit the highly energetic Winston Hackett, the Atherstone veteran taking his fourth first place in the last five events here. Speedy Dave Hill, on the road to recovery, took a comfortable third with his time of 19:14. As a former mining community, Dordon has produced more than its fair share of hard men, but none more so than the bearded Chris “Apollo” Tweed, who rocked up in temperatures of around minus four in little more than a t-shirt, shorts, and hat. Such paltry protection arguably aided him to run 5K faster than ever before here as he set a course best time of 19:21, an unbelievable fourth-place effort in the conditions. Sub-three marathon ace Mark Repton took seventh in 20:32 with key men Bill Gutheridge and Glyn Broadhurst making 10^th and 11^th in a shade over 21:30 apiece.

Megan Griffiths (23:40) ran a quality new personal best as her year continues to go from strength to strength, good enough for the third spot in the ladies' side of the draw. Andy Altoft ran a personal best too with a super run of 22:50, ten seconds ahead of the workmanlike Wayne Repton who operated solidly yet again. The determined Anne Devenney ran a Kingsbury course best of 33:31 with her husband John doing sterling pacing work. Rachael Shelton, Steve Perry, Cameron Barnes, Jill Miller, Janet Crumpton and Karen Draper were also in action as were Leesa Dennis, Jo Davies ahead of her half marathon and the evergreen Nicki Bowman.

Holly and Andy Smith travelled to the Salcey Forest parkrun with Claire Bradford where the race was won by another Badger, a certain Ollie Badger, an unaffiliated runner with an omnivorous surname! Sam Starkey took 12^th in a rapid 19:23 at the fast, flat Cannon Hill parkrun in Birmingham with wife Laura and teammate Dave Jenkinson also going nicely. Dave and Yvonne Grant ran at Brixworth country park alongside their nationally famous border collie Scruff who for once came home empty-pawed, with a paucity of plastic bottles to retrieve from the area. Maybe some Japanese football fans beat him to it! Sharon Jackson travelled to Rushcliffe to clock 26:18 and Colin Lees led a trio of Badgers including Adrian Parkes and Adam McElhone back at Babbs Mill. Mark Parkinson ran 27:12 at Shrewsbury and last but by no means least was the inspirational registrar supreme Gail Gunn, who was first Badger back at Bedworth.