Week Ending - 2024/08/18

PAYNE ON THE GAIN TRAIN

The annual Race The Train event in Tywyn, Wales took place at the weekend with three gnarled veteran Badgers doing their best to beat the locomotive in action over the iconic 14-mile course, rated as one of the prettiest racing landscapes in the country. Dave Jenkinson and David Craig tried heroically to outpace the train, V50 marathon club record holder and vice-captain Jenkinson getting over the line in 2:05:26 for 156th place overall and 14th V50. Craig, a race winner back in his heyday no less (not this race I must add), finished in 330th with a brave 2:34:17. However, it was Adrian Payne who managed to beat the train as he came home in 36th place with a time of 1:43:56, the train, evidently not a Thameslink one or it would still be in a siding somewhere, completed the route in 1:48 giving the Baddesley-based hunk a four-minute cushion. Badgers vet men’s team won the Leicestershire League this season and have already bolstered their squad for 2025, with the signing of Payne, 40, on a long-term deal. They are still looking to add to their squad and have their sights firmly fixed on Stoke Golding ace Mark Cox who will be available to run for them in November.

In north Norfolk, cross-country enthusiast Eamon Thawley took part in the Sandringham 24-hour race, covering some 40 miles before retiring early with blistered feet, the noble Grendonian ruing his footwear choices in the aftermath of what was an epic encounter.

At a sunny Stratford Upon Avon on Friday evening, Chris Horton and Maggi Savin-Baden were in action in the annual Summer Six race. Oxford University professor Savin-Baden produced a marvellous run to achieve her final club standard time of the season in 58:51 and is thankful that next year her targets will become more generous as she moves into a new age bracket. In-form Horton took a share of the prizemoney with his 5th place finish, first veteran home, and helped himself to his second PB and club record (V40) in just nine days with a rip-roaring time of 33:30, a whopping 42 seconds quicker than his previous best set in 2022. 

Thirteen may be unlucky for some but not for the Badgers as they celebrated their 13th birthday in style with a weekend of fun and running-based activity. The action began at Kingsbury parkrun where over 50 members arrived to either race or volunteer on a beautiful morning at the water park, a real bumper turnout, facilitated by the hard-working Alicia Gutheridge primarily. Ryan Preece led the way home, taking first place in a rapid 16:58, the fastest winning time in over twelve months. He was pushed every step of the way but his trademark grit and speed endurance enabled him to take the spoils by 12 seconds. Chris Horton was a minute back in 3rd, with his fastest time there for two years (17:49). Chris Tweed ran a stoic 19:41 to bag 6th place with Sara Wilson the leading lady in 2nd overall with a swift 22:09. Suzy Farrell took 6th lady in 24:58 but run of the day arguably came from Dave Purvis in 15th overall as he clocked his first ever sub 22 5K, with his 21:49, cashing in on his marathon training fitness with a super effort.

There was limited action at other parkruns around the land, usually brought about by members holidaying. Eamon Thawley notched up his 150th event at Sandringham and Glyn Broadhurst made it to a staggering 300 with his 2nd place run at Stonehouse near Gloucester (18:39), in which Megan Griffiths also ran 23:33 for 5th female. New signing Mark Jarvis finished 2nd at Llangollen in a speedy 18:10. The oldest member of the club, Peter Greenfield, ran a wonderful sub-30 at Whitby. Mark Repton took 7th at his local Tamworth parkrun and club founder Nivette Chester travelled to Market Bosworth to take 9th lady in 27:10. 

Post parkrun, the celebrations continued at Aqualand in Cliff Lakes followed by fun and games at a local camping field before a variety of social runs the next day en route to a delicious cooked breakfast at the wonderful Horse and Jockey pub at Bentley.