Week Ending - 2025/03/02

THE BAB'S DONE BRILL AT BABBS MILL!

The youngest Badger on the current membership, Mia Cox, daughter of ultra running ace Mark, won her very first parkrun at the weekend with a nail-biting victory at Babbs Mill. Proud Dad Mark was already home and hosed in third place overall (18:48) and watching on intently as Mia, in only her fifth parkrun, summoned some real inner belief and determination to power home in the final 400 metres to take a narrow win as first female, in a super PB time of 24:53. It was a fantastic run and she joins a select group of Badger ladies to have ever finished first at a parkrun. Moments earlier, Dave Purvis crossed the line in a course best 22:28.

In Leicester, Matt Scarsbrook dominated a 1000+ strong field in the Run For All 10K through the city centre. The Newham and Essex Beagles star and second claim Badger won by over a minute in a tremendous time of 31:36 to continue his super start to 2025. Millie Moseley ran a PB of 57:49 to go along with her parkrun PB set at Coventry the day prior in 28:03. Peter Mann, Fiona Reidy and Samantha Alsop were also in action in 74:57.

Susie Stringer found the going tough at the Oundle 20 mile race but used every ounce of her grit and determination to get finished in a gutsy 3:17 as her London marathon preparations continue along the right lines.

Heading back to parkrun, Chris Horton made it a perfect ten with his tenth win in as many weeks, all spread across ten different courses from Keswick to Kingsbury, emulating a similar feat achieved by Danny Warren in 2017. At Woodgate Valley near Halesowen, the V50 star won by nearly two minutes in 17:31 to continue his unbeaten streak into the third month of the year. 

There were top ten finishes for Glyn Broadhurst (19:07) and Sam Starkey (19:14) at Kettering, the duo taking 4th and 6th places. Jim Cottom and Anne Whitby-Smith featured in the top ten at a muddy Kingsbury while Jack Burton-Peet led the Badger charge at Tamworth in 20:01 for a top five place, Mark Repton (20:59) and the returning Beth Woodward (24:21) also earning top ten spots with good runs. 

Erica Bassford ran a personal best at Chasewater, the new recruit clocking an excellent 24:12, and there was joy in the air at Thawley Towers, Grendon, as the noble Eamon Thawley stormed to a season’s best 26:28 at Conkers. 

This weekend sees the final race of the Derby Runner Cross Country league, in which Rachel Crump has already won the V50 age category over the season, a terrific achievement for a long-serving Badger, currently deep into training for the upcoming Manchester marathon on April 27th.