Week Ending - 2022/08/07

MAGIC MATT BACK ON SONG

Matt Scarsbrook produced a sensational run to take second place in the penultimate Leicestershire Road Running League race of 2022 as Badgers wheeled out one of the biggest teams in their eleven year history at the popular midweek Joy Cann 5 mile race in Enderby. His time was one of a number of personal bests achieved, despite hot and humid conditions at the sell out event. From the off, the Baddesley man made his intentions clear as he ran shoulder to shoulder with Hinckley speedster Simon Birch, the duo pulling well clear of the rest of the field as they went through mile one in under five minutes. Ultimately, RAF man Birch won out by 13 seconds as Scarsbrook recorded a massive new personal best time of 25:21, the club’s only platinum standard of the day and almost a full minute clear of third place.

In a super stacked field, Dave Hill, a stalwart in the men’s team this term was once again the next Badger through, clocking a personal best of 28:16 to make the top 20. Hill has been superb all season, never failing to weigh in with a top end performance. Another runner never out of the points this term is Chris Horton, finishing four places behind his team mate Hill in 28:40 and Dave McGowan returned to the side to put in a classy effort of 29:08 to make the top 30, just seven seconds ahead of Adrian Payne who recorded an impressive new PB. Danny Warren made his first foray into the points in 2022 with a brisk 29:52 while Glyn Broadhurst showed his quality with one of only two diamond standard runs. The genial Wood End grafter and Manchester United die hard dipped under 30 minutes, one of seven Badgers to do so.

The performances didn’t end there though. With some 64 Badgers in action, it was no surprise to see black and white vests crossing the line but what was perhaps most striking was the number of high placings. Some 15 Badgers made the top 100 showing incredible strength in depth. Veteran Sam Starkey has been recapturing some of his very best form of late, helping himself to a distance PB here in 30:02. Neil Clemons has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and he too ran a PB despite the warm weather in 30:21, one second ahead of Cameron Barnes who also ran a new best.

Mark Repton was next through in a rapid 30:34 with Mark Cox’s dirty diesel engine spluttering home in 30:42, eight seconds ahead of marathon bound Chris Tweed who has been putting some serious miles in of late. Tweed wrapped up a decent night’s work for the vet men side in 30:50 before former 5-mile club record holder Dave Jackson romped home in 31:04 to bring the vet men B side into the mix. Skipper Carl Savage ran a PB in 32:20, making the top 100 in the process.

The bests kept on coming. Ashley Taylor (33:15), Bill Gutheridge (35:38) and Rob Crow (37:36) all set new marks and it is no coincidence either as these runners are consistent hard workers within the Badger fold. Warm weather specialist Justin Haywood made a return to racing action in the UK with a decent effort of 36:31 and Martin Graham followed up his medal success with a respectable time of 37:09.

Laura Starkey has made a terrific impact since signing up mid season as she ran a magnificent race to finish first female Badger back in 37:08, 6^th in her age category and 32^nd overall. She was nearly three minutes clear of the next female Badger to get back, the indefatigable Cheryl Dewis who ran through gritted teeth to make 39:50 alongside local multi-sport raconteur husband Jimmy. Veteran stars David Craig, Colin Lees, David Grant, Wayne Repton and Peter Mann all broke 40 minutes as did Adrian Parkes, Russell Lomas and Mick Bailey.

Ladies vice captain and PFA young player of the year, Nicki Bowman, ran a courageous 40:10 to boost the score of her A team with newcomer Megan Griffiths making an instant impact with a quality 40:34. Adam McElhone secured a stunning new personal best in 41:15, still improving into his 50’s. Pete Coogan, Oliver Birch and Nick Miles went well with Chris Young (42:53) and Merv Jones (43:16) both achieved PB’s.

Pip Weston claimed one of just two female silver standards in the race (the other being Cheryl Dewis) with a terrific run of 43:55. There were more PB’s to come as Paul Cooper, Stephanie Attenborough, Charlotte Oliver and Mandy Stain all succeeded while Sharon Jackson, Suzy Farrell, Lil Souter, Kerry Clover and Ann-Marie Currier gave 100% in the troublesome heat. Hannah Coogan, the returning Yvonne Faulkner, Ross Kilburn, Jo Davies, Maggi Savin-Baden, John Devenney, Warren Clamp and Fiona Reidy all gave their best and London bound Karen Draper led home yet more Badgers including Eileen McElhone, Juliette Trollope, Alicia Gutheridge, Andy Venney, Gemma Spencer and Sara Hawkins.

The result leaves everything to play for in the men’s top division. West End took the team win with OWLS second and Badgers third, meaning that with one race to go, it will be a two way battle between Badgers and OWLS in the final race of the season at Rotherby next month. Matt Scarsbrook faces a straight shoot out against Roadhoggs’ Mohammed Hussein as he aims to become the first Badger ever to win the overall individual standings in the LRRL. The men’s B team are already champions of their division, irrespective of any outcome at Rotherby.

Elsewhere, Mark Cox fine tuned his diesel engine to take a podium spot at the Dovedale Dipper at the weekend. The hard hitting floor fitting phenomenon ran the 16 mile course to finish second male and third overall while team mate Adi Payne managed third place in the 27 mile distance at the same event, getting round a challenging course in equally challenging conditions in 4:05:34.

Carl Savage ran 41:40 at the Tenbury 10K and rock-climbing runner Maggi Savin-Baden took 2:21 for her half marathon at the Enigma race in Milton Keynes where Stephanie Attenborough ran double the distance in 5:52 for another completed marathon.

Finally, there was plenty of action at parkrun where Laura Starkey continued her great form with a first place at Sandwell in 23:44. There were more celebrations over at Babbs Mill where Dave Hill took top spot in 17:55 and Glyn Broadhurst, marking the occasion of his 200^th parkrun, finished second to make it a Badgers 1-2. Last but by no means least was in-form Adam McElhone who recorded his second PB of the week with a rip-snorting time of 24:25, a great effort especially with a vast bank of 122 parkruns already behind him.