Week Ending - 2019/03/17

BENNETT TAKES RACE WIN AT INAUGURAL NOTTS 20

Badgers ace Ryan Bennett continued apace with his fantastic running form of late as he progresses towards the 2019 London Marathon. The 27-year-old rocket booked onto the first ever running of the Notts 20 race as part of his training plans before the club’s league fixtures were announced and more than made up for missing the Kibworth 6 with a stunning first place finish at the National Watersports Centre. He ran a consistent pace throughout and crossed the finish line three quarters of a minute ahead of second place in a new club record of 1:55:56, eclipsing Damo Taylor’s previous impressive best set at Ashby three years ago, a record many at the club thought would never be beaten. Dave Jenkinson was the only other Badger in action there clocking a personal best of 2:43:17 in a field of almost 800 athletes.

The bulk of the club racers were tackling the hilly Kibworth course for the second instalment of the 2019 LRRL league season. A record turnout of 56 runners took on the infamous Gumbley Hill in one of the toughest races in the league calendar. Chris Baxter was first back for the club in a quality 35:08, 7th place for the in-form 30-year-old. Aaron Chetwynd sneaked into the top ten too with his 35:44. David McGowan is in incredible form right now too and he weighed in with another mighty run, this time finishing 15th in 36:15 (PB), seven seconds ahead of fellow Baddesley-man Danny Warren who is on the comeback trail after some downtime. Adi Payne ran a super 37:29 with key-man Glyn Broadhurst rolling back the years with a determined 37:49 four places behind. Jonathan Vardy (38:46 - PB) and Sam Starkey (39:14) completed the counters with classy runs of their own. London-bound Mark Repton lead home the Badgers B-team in 39:22 (PB), with Mark Cox, Matt Green, Graham Engley and veteran Tim Gould all producing the goods. Simon Gilbert powered home next ahead of men’s vice-captain Roland Bulgington while the experienced John Hanson ran an incredible race to miss out on a 6-mile PB by just three seconds on what is known as one of the hardest races of that distance in the Midlands! Cameron Barnes, Colin Lees, Ian Orton and Rob Crow all enjoyed good runs and vital cog Simon Currier continued his great early season form by helping himself to a PB of 47:25.

Other runners included David Earp, Alan Argyle, Stuart Youngs, Adam McElhone, Richard Chester, John Devenney, Terry Argyle, David Dugmore and Paul Cooper. Veteran star John Shade is another enjoying a new lease of life as he set about lowering his own V70 club record to a jaw dropping 53:33, beating off several team mates far, far younger than the evergreen 72-year-old.

In the lady’s half of the race, it was veteran Nivette Chester who led the side in 45:42, not just 25th in the race but a distance PB from the hugely experienced Badgers founder. Esther Holyoak was next home in a classy 47:21 before Charlene Dunn finished having given it everything for her 48:17, one of the stand-out performances of the day. Emma Vardy (49:13) and Emma Masser (49:20) both ran fabulous new PB’s and Steph White, who could have done with her horse halfway through the event, got back in 50:14, setting a new V50 club record in another incredible run. Pip Weston ran superbly once again in 51:25 while skipper SJ Chetwynd clocked a spirited new PB in 52:54. Judy Parkes, Hannah Coogan, Sarah Vine (54:51 - PB) and Leesa Dennis (55:07 – PB) all went well with Jenna Davies (55:19 – PB) and her namesake Jo (56:53) also running impressively. Serena Baker led home a committee of runners including Liz Peel, Clare Whetton and Ann-Marie Currier. Zoe Cope and Mandi Stain got round in one piece with Vikki Smith, Gail Gunn, Lisa Barnes, Helen Morgan and Anne Devenney completing the action for the north Warwickshire outfit.

Strong winds greeted runners at the Stafford half marathon on Sunday and it was the lightly-raced Damo Taylor who toughed it out for the club, emerging first back in a rapid time of 77:37. Lil Souter also ran, achieving a PB time of 2:00:06. Mandy Hanson competed at the 20/20 Fission event while the popular Karen Missen ran 62:57 at the Fradley 10K. Maggi Savin-Baden and Yvonne Faulkner ran the Wrexham half marathon together finishing in 2:15.

A vast number of Badgers were out in force at various parkruns on Saturday morning. Chris Baxter notched up his 17th win at Conkers in a speedy 16:52, Alan Argyle and Chris Upton also running. Dave McGowan was in good shape at Coventry finishing a creditable 5th in a bumper field thanks to his time of 17:55 ahead of fellow Badgers Rob Crow and Jo Davies. Ann-Marie Matthews ran 45:17 at Bedworth, Dave Jackson 20:17 and wife Lorna 24:58 at Heslington parkrun near York while Stuart Walton turned out at Rosliston. Richard Hill made his debut at Cieszyn parkrun in Slovakia and Leesa Dennis and Merv Jones appeared at Markeaton. Jenna Davies ran at Brueton park while John Hanson finished a superb 7th at Thornbury parkrun near Bristol in 23:21.

The remaining action took place at a dog-rich Kingsbury Water Park where key-man Glyn Broadhurst bagged a top ten finish in 19:47. Rachael Shelton was 5th lady in 22:48. Other runners included Matt Green, Sam Starkey, Colin Lees, Bill Gutheridge, David Craig, Darryl Johnson, Michael Bailey, Paul Grubb, Paul Wallace (PB), Yvonne Feasey, Nicola Stanley (28:16 – PB), Becky Kinson, Amanda Gould, Stuart Batchelor, Millie Prestwood, Paul Cooper, Terry Argyle, Nicki Bowman, Holly Matts and Andy Smith.