Endurance, endurance, endurance

For many runners Spring is marathon season and for those from the Club on the start lines at the Aldi Ashby 20, the Coniston 14, the Wolverhampton 10k, the Wilmslow Half Marathon and the Derby 10k many thoughts were on testing out their endurance for the challenges ahead.

Taking part in the Coniston 14 has long been a tradition at the Club and on Saturday six members tackled, in wet conditions, the scenic and undulating course that goes anti-clockwise around the perimeter of Coniston Water. Stuart Halsey led the contingent home with a superb chip time of 01.40:13 for third place in the MV60 category. Chris Hanman ran well for 01.46:03 with Andy Orme, not far behind, in 01.48.30. Emily Atkins and Jay Darnley continued their upward trajectories in recording 02.00:16 and 02.06:16 respectively with Karen Wilks, giving everything, to complete the Club’s finishers in 02.29:14.

Sunday, saw good running conditions for the Aldi Ashby 20, with a massive contingent of thirty-one runners from the Club lining up to tackle this two-lap, undulating course around the Northwest Leicestershire countryside. First back and just inside the top 50 finishers was Robbie Cresswell-Howe with an excellent chip-time of 02.11:49. Robbie’s Spring target is the Manchester Marathon. Mike Nash, who has been slightly hampered by a niggle recently ran a superb even pace to finish in 02.12:22. Sam Bassett, also Manchester Marathon bound, finished in a distance PB of 02.13:13 with Steve Green, who will tackle the London Marathon in April, showing he’s on great form as he stopped the clock in 02.17:48. Also looking in good form was Jack Leafe, who will travel to the USA in April to take part in the Boston Marathon, finished here in 02:21.36.  Next was a group of runners who are either heading for the Manchester or London Marathons comprising Tim Rhodes, Rom Chambard, first lady back for the Club, the redoubtable Jenny Laing, Mark Harriott and David Green who recorded chip-times of 02.22:01, 02.23:27, 02.24:16, 02.24:57 and 02.28:34 respectively. There were also some excellent performances in the next group to finish with Darren Potter in 02.33:46, Andrea Beaty in 02.35:26, Donna Reid in 02.36:02 and Becky Moult in 02.39:31 all looking in really good form. Andy Allsop and Richard Nash were inseparable as they finished in 02.41:00 and 02.41:37 respectively with Steve Leafe in 02.52:35, JJ Jones in 02.53:08, Neil Swift in 02.53:54 and Rich Miller in 02.56:01 all finished in close order in very respectable times. Ash Wooton ran well to duck under three hours with 02.58:16 with photographer par excellence, Ian Archer enjoying a well-earned rest day to record 03.02:42 with Robert Read breathing down his neck with a good time of 03.03:15. Dave Walters, who is tackling the Chester Marathon in the autumn, set out an early marker of his form, with a consistent 03.11:31. There was then a slight pause before the next group of runners made the sanctuary of the finish line. This shouldn’t though detract from the achievements of Emma Sharp, Linda Dakin, Kev Clarke, Teresa Swift, Sarah Walters, Lucy Cartwright and Danny Scott who all gave maximum effort to achieve and in some cases surpass their pre-race goals as finishing times of 03.35:34, 03.40:20, 03.45:09, 03.45:10, 03.46:17 and 04.39:58 and 04.39:59 testify.

Slightly further afield Steve Bullock continued his comeback with 01.23:31 in a very competitive Wilmslow Half Marathon while Jamie Green continued his upward trajectory with a 10k PB of 37:17 in the Wolverhampton 10k.

Finally, much closer to home on a really busy racing weekend, seven members took part in the popular Derby 10k. Pride of place went to Paul Glover, who in his first race as a MV60 led the group home with a chip time of 46.24. Next was Ross Ballinger in 47:28 edging out Tracey Glover and Tony Richards in times of 49:04 and 50:26 respectively. Amy Dakin ran well for her 51:46 before Matt Collins and Becky Johnson completed the Club’s finishers in 56:11 and 71:25 respectively.