Chris Mason

Rain and more rain!!!

Sunday saw the first race, in what has seemed like years, in the Derby Runner Cross Country League. Even Sunday’s race at Anslow faced uncertainty after being postponed from last Sunday when the organisers were unfortunate victims of Covid. The postponement also hit the numbers of participants from South Derbyshire Road Runners and other clubs because of commitments to other events including, on Sunday, the Worksop Half Marathon. Nevertheless, the turnout at the cross country was marked by quality rather than quantity with the runners counting their blessings because by race time the morning’s deluge had given way to bright sunshine. The Club’s women were fortunate enough to field a full team with Jenny Laing, making a welcome return to racing leading the team home in 9^th place. Fiona Betts was only one place behind in 10^th with Club Captain Lisa Wright a few weeks after her London Marathon debut, setting a notable example in 20^th place. Nikki Reeves, another returning to racing after a break, completed the team’s finishers in a hard working 36^th place. The men’s representatives Seb Van Dyke, Mark Slade and Mark Harriott all performed with distinction as they finished in 10^th, 14^th and 27^th places, respectively.

The Club’s runners at the ever-popular Worksop Halloween Half Marathon were less fortunate with the weather but the twenty runners from the Club who completed the race enjoyed the journey around picturesque Clumber Park. The speedy Danial Bower led the way home with a superb chip time of 01:26.48 for 33^rd place with Sam Bassett, one of nine of the Club’s finishers here to have completed a marathon in October, also securing a well-earned top fifty finish with 01:28.05. Little separated Rom Chambard and Micheal Walters as they finished in 01:32.04 and 01:33.37, respectively. David Green and Men’s Club Captain, Andy Orme were equally as close as they stopped the clock in 01:35.22 and 01:37.07. There were also races within the main race involving Colin Mee {01:40.04}, Katie Dennis {01:40.07} and Steve Leafe {01:40.35} and further down the field Paul Glover, Tracey Glover, Chris Elsegood, Ross Ballinger and Jerome Jones as they finished in 01:48.23, 01:49.23, 01:50.45, 01:50.45 and 01:51.34, respectively. Father and daughter Dave and Sarah Walters crossed the line together in 01:57.41 as did Nigel and Emily Atkins in 02:02.45 with Ian Archer sandwiched in between in 02:00.09   

No holding Mike!

The races are coming thick and fast at present with race organisers trying to fit postponed races into what is now a congested calendar. We therefore had the typical spring races the London and Manchester Marathons taking place in recent weeks and, on Sunday, one of the local area’s biggest races, the Derby 10k. This was marked with some terrific performances from the Club’s contingent of 13 who lined up on the start line in damp, overcast conditions. Leading the way was relative newcomer, Mike Nash, who finished in a superb chip time of 36:30 and 23^rd place out of 1621 finishers. Only three places behind was training partner Dan Bower in an excellent 36:44 with Mark Slade, running his usual determined race, recording 37:40. Chris Hanman showed his terrific potential with 41:22 with Andy Orme, defying a niggling injury, battling round in 42:18. The evergreen Colin Mee, who has been one of the Club’s most active racers since restrictions were eased, recorded 43:02 to finish 3^rd in his very competitive age group. On chip times Matt Collins, Ross Ballinger and Tony Richards finished closely as they stopped the clock in 48:32, 49:42 and 50:19, respectively. Emily Atkins ran superbly to record 52:14 with Graham Blackshaw and Roger Cobb rolling back the years in recording 61:28 and 64:56, respectively.

Romain Chambard, Mikey Walters, and Dave Walters were in action in the Asda Yorkshire Marathon with all three recording excellent times of 03:21:55, 03:43:04 and 04:19.11, respectively. For marathon father and son debutants Dave and Mikey Walters it completed an unusual family quadruple with sister Sarah completing the Manchester Marathon last weekend and mum Julianne the London Marathon the Sunday before. Some tired legs in the Walter’s household.

Dan leads the way home!!

In warm, but still conditions, nine runners from the Club lined up on Sunday with 765 others in the 2021 Wilne 10k. The two lap, flat course, is generally considered one of the quickest on the local circuit and this was reflected in three of the South Derbyshire contingent ducking under the 10k benchmark of 40 minutes. Danial Bower led the way with a speedy 36:46 for 52^nd place with Darren Holmes just four finishing places behind in a chip time of 37:06. Mark Slade also ran well for 38:25. The consistently reliable Andy Orme crossed the line with Clubmate Kelly Knight and both were content with their times of 41:36 and 41:37. Nathan Fagan has been plagued by injuries in recent months but showed he may be getting back to form with 42:19. Steve Leafe stopped the clock in 45:09 with Karen Wilks, Richard Gee and Pauline Cooper all giving maximum effort in recording creditable times of 56:05, 65:52 and 72:42 respectively.

Millennials battle it out.

It is beginning to feel something like ‘normal’ for the running community with two, socially distanced local races, taking place on consecutive Sundays. Again, the yellow vests were well to the fore with 26 members lining up on the start line of the Fradley 10k. Over the 2 lap, flat course the main challenges were the muggy conditions and the distance. For the South Derbyshire contingent, the main post race talking point was the battle at the front of the race between the Club’s competitive male millennials. On this occasion it was Steve Bullock who led the way home superbly with a chip time of 36.52 just 2 seconds ahead of Danial Bower’s 36.54 and 7 seconds ahead of Ben Holmes in 36.59. Sam Bassett powered round in 38.04 with Ross Clarke, competing well for his 38.25, despite easing back on his running to concentrate on a charity bike ride. Sebastien Van Dijk ducked below the 10k sub-40-minute benchmark with 39.38 with Rom Chambard also running strongly for his 40.40. Club men’s captain Andy Orme, probably more generation X, is in a rich vein of form at present and ran well here for his 41.36 with Robbie Cresswell-Howe, on his Club debut, an agonising second back in 41.37. Kelly Knight was first finisher for the Club in the women’s race for a well run 41.49 with another millennial Andy Allsop close behind in 42.20. Nathan Fagan finished with a smile on his face because he completed the race injury free in a very creditable 43.16. There then followed a group of post war baby boomers with Colin Mee, Chris Mason and Steve Leafe rolling back the years to record 44.11, 45.14 and 46.15, respectively with the much younger Barry Saunders racing well for 46.44. Husband and wife duo Paul and Tracey Glover ran competitively with Paul’s 46.38 edging out Tracey’s 48.01 and Ash Wootton should be pleased with his impressive 48.13. Hazel O’Brien, Robert Read, Emma Sharp, Karen Wilks and Richard Gee gave everything on their return to competitive racing as they recorded 50.14, 52.26, 55.26, 55.47 and 65.18. respectively and Pauline Cooper and Samantha Clare showed little effect from the enforced break as they recorded 70.38 and 72.37 to complete the Club’s finishers.     

Handy Andy leads the way!

There was a great deal of rejoicing as a real, as opposed to virtual race, the Gate Gallop 10km, took place on Sunday. The slight disappointment for the organisers was that only 172 runners lined up for the chipped time main race. This reluctance was not however reflected in the turn out from the Club with 28 runners keen to relieve the enforced isolation. In good running conditions over a rutted, mainly cross-country course runners progress was also slowed by a series of stiles. Andy Hawtin made light work of this as he led the Club’s contingent home in 11^th place in 39.10 with the determined Sam Bassett one place back in 39.35. Dan Bower ran well for 16^th place in 40.03 with, again Mark Slade one finishing position behind in 40.24 and the added reward of 2^nd MV40 finisher.  

On relatively home soil Mark Harriott was his normal consistent self as he finished 3^rd MV50 in 43:24 and 28^th place with training partner Andy Orme and David Green close behind in 43.42 and 43.47, respectively. Nathan Holmes and Micheal Walters were given the same chip times of 43.52 with Colin Mee confirming his status as a top local MV60 by finishing in 45.31 and 2^nd place in his age category. The improving Ross Ballinger was next in 46.24 with Katie Dennis, the Club’s first finisher in the women’s race, breathing down his neck in 46.31 and 5^th finishing position. Hector Arenas ran well for 46.36 with Steve Leafe completing the challenging course in 48.11. Little separated Becky Moult, Lisa Wright, Tracey Glover and Paul Glover as they finished in 49.07, 49.22, 50.00 and 50.00 respectively, with Tracey also clinching 2^nd spot in the WV50 category. Robert Read and Nikki Reeves ran well to finish in the top 100 race finishers before Laura Harper, making a welcome return to club racing action, stopped the clock in 55.26. Sarah Walters, Karen Wilks, and John Pegg all ran with distinction to finish in 56.18, 58.26 and 59.33, respectively.

Part of the community fabric of the Club husband and wife duo Kevin and Helen Clarke recorded the same time of 74.33 with the determined Teresa Swift one second back in 74.34 and the redoubtable Pauline Cooper completing the Club’s finishers in 77.39.

Rejoice – an actual race!

Apt, that on a beautiful, still, spring morning competitive road racing returned to the area in the form of the Leicestershire Half Marathon. With a lot of the race within the confines of Prestwold Hall, 726 socially distanced runners, including 7 from South Derbyshire were started in waves. The course they tackled was largely flat but over a variety of surfaces, including sections of loose gravel at the start and finish. Abbey Van Dijk showed that she has used lockdown to excellent effect as she stormed around the course to win the women’s race in a superb chip time of 01.21:07 with her nearest competitor some 6 minutes back. Second claimer Rich Miller ran strongly to finish 2^nd MV55 in 01.27:02 with Mark Slade not far behind in a well run 01.27:23. In form Andy Orme was agonisingly close to ducking under 01.30 with 01.30:45 with Chris Mason taking the honours in the early vaccination stakes with 01.35:45 and 1^st MV70 spot, just edging out Colin Mee in 01.35:52 and Steve Leafe in 01.38:12. Special thanks on this special day should also go to the organisers and marshals, including many with South Derbyshire connections, who ensured the event was delivered safely and securely.

Crowning glory!!!

While many runners worry that the spring marathon they’ve trained long and hard for may now be postponed there are still races to be run and prizes to be competed for. The last race in this year’s Derby Runner Cross Country Series (Derby/Staffs) at Sinai Park, Burton on Trent on Sunday saw a clean sweep of the series team trophies by the Club with Abbey Van Dijk, Chris Pearson, Mark Harriott and Andy Orme also securing well deserved individual and age group prizes. Abbey Van Dijk continues to go from strength to strength and 6 days after winning the 1^st women’s prize at the Leicester Half Marathon was representing Derbyshire at Prestwold Hall in the Inter Counties Cross Country Championship. Against the best runners in the country Abbey was first Derbyshire runner home and a very respectable 73^rd overall.

At the far from gentle Sinai Park Gareth Watkins, making a really welcome return to competitive action for the Club, was 2^nd in the men’s race with Rich Miller, Seb Van Dijk, Chris Hanman and Mark Harriott all putting in outstanding performances to finish in 4^th, 8^th, 10^th and 11^th places respectively. Sam Bassett, slowly getting back to his best form, finished in 23^rd with the fast starting Mikey Walters in 30^th and Andy Alsop in 31^st completing the men’s team finishers. Men’s Club Captain, Andy Orme collected the 33^rd place token with Matt Long in 36^th, Hector Arenas in 46^th, Ross Ballinger in 47^th and Dave Green in 53^rd completing the Club’s finishers in the men’s race. 

The Club’s women were led home by an excellent performance from Chrissie Hawtin in 4^th place with Katie Dennis in 6^th, Tracey Glover in 13^th and women’s Club Captain, Lisa Wright in 14^th completing another outstanding team performance. Becky Lenaghan in 27^th, Emma Sharp in 39^th, Sarah Walters in 47^th and Julianne Walters in 63^rd completed the Club’s finishers in the women’s race and rounded off an excellent season in what has probably been one of the wettest, windiest winters on record.

Ross Clarke, training hard for the Manchester Marathon, smashed his 10k PB in the Fradley 10k with 36:35 for 17^th place out of 990 finishers. At the same race Shannon Hurdman continued her improvement with an excellent 56:44 with Richard Gee and Jerome Jones recording 61:19 and 78:34 respectively. Colin Mee continued his return to racing with a hard run 01:40.40 in the Retford Half Marathon while Tim Rhodes, another tackling a spring marathon, continued his build up with 43.35 for an excellent 9^th place finish in the Burghley 7. John Morgan and Pauline Cooper were in action at the very challenging Kibworth 6, with John recording an excellent 40:38 with currently no official finishing times available. Steve Leafe and Robin Thorne tackled the 10 mile version of the Cannock Trail Race, which had previously been postponed, because of bad weather, earlier in winter. Both ran good, solid races recording 82:57 and 103:17 respectively. Sophie Anne Pickett and Amy Brookes tackled the 5 mile version and both ran with distinction recording very respectable times of 47:25 and 57:49.

Last but definitely not least Chris Baxter was in action in Wales where he ran superbly to win the Wrexham 10 in a new Club record of 55:48.

Abbey powers home!!!

Another winter Sunday, another Derby Runner Cross Country League race and another decisive victory for Abbey Van Dijk in the women’s race at Grace Dieu on Sunday. In the more competitive Leicestershire division of the league Abbey’s margin of victory over the next finisher was still a significant one. For the women’s team it was a race where new names contributed to the team performance with Becky Lenaghan in 109^th, Helen Clarke in 168^th and Julianne Walters in 172^nd the other team scorers with the resilient Pauline Cooper completing the Club’s finishers in the women’s race.

Chris Pearson, in possibly his best cross country performance of the season, was first back for the Club in the men’s race with a 15^th place finish edging out Andy Hawtin, who is putting together a great series of cross races, in 22^nd. The ever reliable Mark Harriott was next in an excellent 55^th with Mikey Walters, arguably producing the Club performance of the day, in 85^th getting the better, on this occasion, of fellow senior, Shane Chapman in 89^th. The consistent Andy Orme was next in a solid 129^th with Ross Ballinger and Hector Arenas giving everything over a very technical course, to complete the Club’s men’s team finishers in 144^th and 147^th places respectively. It was great to see two of the Club’s more seasoned runners finish in relatively close order as Steve Leafe and Colin Mee collected the 161^st and 165^th place finishing tokens with Chris Elsegood and Andy Meadows, continuing his cross country education, in 192^nd and 208^th places respectively. Kevin Clarke showed all of his racing experience to finish in 220^th with the determined Dave Walters completing the Club’s finishers in the men’s race.

It’s Abbey again!!!

Abbey Van Dijk seems to be getting stronger with every race. In the latest leg of this season’s Derby Runner Cross Country League (Staffs & Derby) at Allestree, Abbey was again 1^st in the women’s race and also the first of the Club’s 28 competitors to finish.  On a cold, frosty, misty morning over a very muddy course Chris Pearson was next across the line for a superb 7^th place in the men’s race with Seb Van Dijk, who is improving with every race, close behind in 10^th. The ultra-reliable Mark Harriott was next in 15^th with Tim Rhodes, Men’s Captain Andy Orme and Mikey Walters all giving everything to finish in 34^th, 42^nd and 50^th places respectively. The evergreen Matt Long and Steve Leafe both defied the year’s to finish in 54^th and 59^th places respectively and deservedly completed the team scorers in the men’s race. Ross Ballinger collected the 63^rd place finishing token with Andy Meadows in 66^th finishing ahead of a plethora of quality runners including the returning Colin Mee in 73^rd and Joe Baldwin in 79^th. Kevin Clarke, Chris Elsegood and David Green battled through the mud to finish in 85^th, 90^th and 93^rd places with David hampered, as was Mikey Walters before him, by having to go searching for a lost shoe. Tony Richards, Dave Walters and Mitch Timms gave everything to complete the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in 103^rd, 106^th and 109^th places.

Team wise it was another strong performance by the Club’s women with Tracey Glover running strongly for 10^th place, Women’s Club Captain, Lisa Wright in 25^th and Becky Lenaghan in 46^th providing excellent team support behind Abbey Van Dijk. Emma Sharp again performed well to finish in 60^th place just edging out Sarah Walters in 66^th and cross country debutant Ellie Dickson, in another of the performances of the day, in 72^nd. Helen Clarke made light of the conditions to finish in 84^th with Anna Casey and Julianne Walters not too far behind in 89^th and 90^th places.