Week Ending - 2023/12/03

BADGERS CLEAN UP AT MAVERICK EVENT

There was no shortage of success for Badgers runners at the Maverick Oxfordshire races on Saturday. Eight athletes took part in the multi-distance trail series with Liberty Underhill returning to her very best form with a dominant run win in the middle distance event, triumphing by an incredible two and a half minutes in 55:33. In the same race, Pip Weston rolled back the years with a great time of 70:58 to take first place in the V60 category.

Ryan Preece was another winner, the cerebral mathematics graduate giving a running masterclass to everyone taking part in the short-distance race. He took the win by a huge margin, some four minutes clear of second place in a marvellous 27:27. Dave Hill almost made it a hat trick for the club, only to be thwarted by eleven seconds in the long-distance race in 88:11. Adrian Payne took a fine 8th spot in 96:46, with Ashley Taylor (1:57:48) making the top 100 and Dave Jenkinson following home in 2:04:33. 

Stefan Martin was third in the V50 category over the middle distance race with a cracking time of 56:37. 

Elsewhere, Holly and Andy Smith managed times of 2:31 in the Carsington Water half marathon, despite some unpleasant weather conditions. Carl Ford travelled to Scotland to run in the 10-mile Mighty Deerstalker Rat Race.

Parkrun saw plenty of action, most notably at Aston Hall where Sam Starkey finished first male overall in 21:32 with in-form Suzy Farrell taking second female in 25:04. Jim Cottom hit the heights of the top ten as well with a speedy 24:13.

Liz Peel produced a season-best performance at Kingsbury Water Park, making the top ten in 26:47. Jill Miller (5th) and Megan Griffiths (2nd) both made the top ten with Mark Repton being the first Badger back in 20:13 for 7th spot. There was no stopping Jamie Lawrence at Market Bosworth as he comprehensively finished first Badger back while Judy Parkes notched up her 100th parkrun with her effort at Sence Valley Country Park. Charlene McGowan produced a great return to form not long after welcoming her second child into the world, the Baddesley speedster was the 8th lady back at Tamworth Castle in 27:10.