Week Ending - 2024/03/10

DOUBLE DELIGHT AS MILESTONES MADE

Two Badgers reached significant parkrun milestones at the weekend with dozens of teammates turning out at the free 5K events across the country. At Bedworth, Anne-Marie Matthews marked her 250th parkrun appearance, a fabulous achievement and one only bettered by Rachael Browne of the current Badgers ladies. Not only has Anne-Maz clocked up more runs than almost all Badgers, (she is tenth on the overall list) but even more impressively she has stepped forward to fill volunteer roles on a whopping 145 occasions, from Run Director through to Car Park Marshal. People like her are the rocks on which movements such as parkrun are founded and massive congratulations should go to her. While she was running 42:00 at the Miners Welfare Park, fellow Badgers, led by the pacy Peter Mann were there in attendance offering supportive bum-pats and cheers. Fiona Reidy, Ross Kilburn, Kate Rathbone, Juliette Trollope, Vicki Brunsdon, Steph White, Melissa Stagg and Holly & Andy Smith made for a special celebration complete with cake.

Over at Kingsbury Water Park, Dave Jenkinson notched up run number 100 accompanied by Danny Warren (in first place), Bill Gutheridge (10th male), Jill Miller and Liz Peel (9th and 10th ladies) as well as Neil Thorne, Nick Miles, Mick Bailey, Sara Hawkins, Rick Reilly, Carl Ford, Alice Belcher, Chris Upton and Cameron Barnes. Paul Grubb, Eamon Thawley and an injury-hit Nicki Bowman also supported. 

Suzy Farrell was top of the shop at Perry Hall becoming only the third female Badger to have won there after Rachael Browne and Laura Starkey’s epic wins. Her time of 23:25 was too fast for her training partner Colin Lees. Dave Hill was another winner as he took first place in a brisk 16:59 at Warwick Racecourse, the men’s captain galloping around, back in the saddle after a week’s skiing. 

Clare Whetton led a gaggle of Badgers home at Colwick Park, the speedy hair stylist the only runner to break thirty minutes of the group including Merv Jones, Leesa Dennis, Janet Crumpton, Eileen McElhone and Karen Draper. Jo Hardy and Joanne Crow were 9th and 11th to finish at Babbs Mill and at Brunswick Parkrun, Matt Green took 10th place in 22:00 with Jane Barrett and Laura Starkey both making the top ten ladies. Rachael Browne took 7th at Rosliston parkrun and the quintet of Badgers at Leicester Victoria enjoyed great success with Ryan Preece turning on the style in 17:53 as he continues his comeback from injury in fourth place, one spot ahead of Glyn Broadhurst who continues to amaze with a high-class effort in 18:23. A resurgent Dave Jackson powered his way into the top ten too with his punchy run of 19:30. Megan Griffiths finished sixth female in 22:14. 

Away from the parkrun action, Eleanor Fowler was in action for Warwickshire in the inter-county cross-country tournament at Wollaton Park, rubbing shoulders with some of the best athletes in the country, finishing a creditable 211th overall. At the Nottingham Holme half marathon, London-bound Beth Woodward cashed in on her good training by grafting her way to a personal best time of 1:43:49 on the hill-free watersports centre-based course, this was some three minutes quicker than her previous best. Last but not least was another London marathon-bound runner, Wayne Repton, who clocked 2:43:16 at the Oundle 20-mile race, a new distance best for the veteran Tamworth-based runner.