Week Ending - 2024/10/20

LUCY MARCHES ON TO VICTORY

The industrious Lucy Marchi was in winning form once again at the weekend, with her stunning victory in the AmberAid Ultramarathon, a 32-mile trek around some challenging Derbyshire trails, covering significant elevation. The Nuneaton-based triathlete joined Badgers in a big-money move earlier in the year and has been a consistent points scorer in the club’s 2024 LRRL campaign, with a number of impressive showings. The rest-averse medic completed her latest challenge in a brilliant time of 6:58:44 to win the event by over ten minutes from her closest rival, a tremendous effort. 

Also running lengthy distances in the countryside were nine Badgers who made the trip down to Dorset for the Maverick Jurassic series. Mark Cox enjoyed some success with his superb 5th place run in the long event (55K), finishing in 4:56:36. Dave Jenkinson took 2nd in the V50 category with a pulsating plod of 6:39:16. Cheryl Dewis picked up an age category win in the short event, finishing in a fabulous 68:40. The best turn out was for the popular medium distance event in which new vet Adrian Payne was first vet back, furiously beating off many men on his way to 4th place overall in 1:38:00. When it comes to height and hairline, his close rival Dave Jackson may be conceding ground to the Baddesley bachelor, but more than makes it back in efforst, endeavour and excuses. The former cross-country specialist V45 star finished in a creditable 1:47:42. Jimmy Dewis (2:12) Megan Church (2:45) and Sharon Jackson (2:49) also impressed with their attempts, as did Joe Jenkinson who clocked a gutsy 2:52 in the medium race. 

The Cannock Chase half marathon saw Badgers golden couple Jim Cottom and Rachael Browne both go well, Cottom taking 31st place with his sub 2-hour time of 1:57:15 and Browne coming in a little later in a fine 2:20:51.  

At parkrun, Tamworth celebrated their first anniversary with Mark Repton leading the way in fifth place and the only sub-20 Badger parkrun of the weekend in 19:43. Rachael Browne, Jane Barrett and Jill Miller also made the top ten. At Kingsbury, Mark Coggan finished 8th and Megan Griffiths second lady in a muddy double lapper with Terry Taylor helping himself to a parkrun PB of 28:09, the former sub-16 athlete making serious moves to rediscover his former glories. Rachel Crump was 6th at Beacon in Lichfield with her 22:33 and Gail Gunn completed her parkrun alphabet in Krakow in Poland which also happened to be her 200th parkrun in total, an excellent achievement.