Week Ending - 2021/05/16

SCARSBROOK TAKES SUPERB 3rd AT BIRMINGHAM RUNNING FESTIVAL WHILST BROADHURST CHIPS AWAY AT CATTON PARK BACKYARD ULTRA

Badgers flyer Matt Scarsbrook produced yet another exceptional performance, this time at the Birmingham Running Festival half marathon event. The 24 year-old Baddesley ace was one of a number of Badgers in action, split between the 10K race and the 13.1 mile half marathon. As ever, the Birmingham City fan set a good tempo early on to get into a steady rhythm but once established in the race, never let go and ended up beating a host of big names from the Midlands running community. His time of 78:40 was enough to finish a comfortable third overall out of a total of 361 runners, a hugely impressive achievement, despite being short of his personal best over the distance. Seasoned campaigner Andy Smith was next back, rolling back the years in 1:50:58 with teammates Russell Lomas (2:02:38) and Leesa Dennis (2:12) also starring. Veteran ace Janet Crumpton managed a battling 2:14, the same time as Katrina Dawson and the much improved Karen Draper. Three Badgers took on the shorter but quicker 10K discipline with men’s vice-captain Mark Repton leading the side home in a brisk 38:31, enough for 26^th spot. Club kit supremo Ian Orton was next back in 49:34, Jill Miller broke the hour mark in 58:50 while Caroline Smith managed to finish first in the V55 age category with her time of 60:31.

This week sees the final instalment of the Leicester Runners 5K virtual series with the club hoping to preserve their top ten standing. News also emerged this week of a mini-league to take place over the summer, with five races as opposed to the usual eleven or so, being arranged as a step towards a more recognisable programme of league events in 2022.

In grisly weather, Badgers key man Glyn Broadhurst battled to the end in the gruelling 12-hour Catton Park Ultra race last weekend. Contestants had an hour to complete an off-road lap of just over four miles but had to be back in time to begin each next lap which began on the hour. Initially, this was very easy but as time wore on, fatigue set in and the course became a well-used mudbath, runners began to get eliminated. Some 150 athletes began the event but after eleven hours of slogging, just 26 men remained including the mild-mannered Wood End veteran. The final lap was effectively a race that was won in around 33 minutes, plucky Broadhurst beating off many opponents to land 6^th place overall with a 35-minute final lap, meaning he had covered some 50 miles in half a day.

The hardworking 45 year old is the fifth most capped Badger of all time and made the decision to travel over to the event in joggers as opposed to shorts. He is one of a handful of Badgers who has seen a real uptick in performance during the last twelve months, a testament to his appetite for graft and his ability to stay injury-free. Plenty of rest and recuperation was on the cards immediately afterwards as Broadhurst targets his next big endurance event, as part of the 8 strong team looking to defend their Endure 24 title from 2019, this time down at Reading in late July.