Chris Mason

Liam leads the way!!!!

Burton AC hosted the latest leg of this year’s Summer League and the Club’s runners were out in force with 40 amongst the races 259 finishers. In good running conditions Liam Bradbury again led the contingent home in a superb 6^th place in 58:19. The 2 lap, 10 mile course, with plenty of sharp turns, particularly around the Washlands, is not notoriously fast but Andy Hawtin’s 16^th place in 62:46 was probably his best distance performance for some time. There then followed a group of young runners, many of whom have benefitted from marathon training, who are pushing each other with their race performances. This group comprised James Farmer in 18^th place, Ross Clarke in 19^th, Sam Bassett in 20^th and Ben Holmes in 24^th. Their chip times of 62:56, 63:16, 63:51 and 65:22 respectively confirmed how important this group is to team performances. Rich Miller and Christian Glover finished closely in 65:47 and 65:58 with Nathan Holmes stopping the clock in 67:51. Mikey Walters and Men’s Club Captain, Andy Orme were separated by a second as they recorded 70:24 and 70:25 with their times just edging both into the top 50 finishers. It also took a distance PB and a sprint finish from Mikey to clinch the narrow victory. Chris Mason was next across the line in 71:21 with Rom Chambard, Steve Leafe and the improving Paul Glover giving everything to finish in 72:53, 74:11 and 74:31 respectively. Paul’s improvement was highlighted by this being a distance PB. The race also acted as the Midland Masters 10 mile championship and Matt Long clinched the silver medal in the MV45 category with 75:25. Nigel Atkins, and the Club’s first woman finisher, Christina Hawtin finished closely in 75:30 and 75:33. Ian Archer, Barry Saunders and Chris Elsegood raced home in 76:10, 76:59 and 78:29 before the determined Katie Dennis in 78:46 got the chip time verdict over Ross Ballinger in 78:50.  Tracey Glover ran well for 79:24, edging out the returning Adrian Leigh in 79:44. Nikki Reeves, another who has had a very busy marathon running spring, finished in 80:33 with James Cobb close behind in 80:40. The strong running Dave Walters in 81:31 led a group home including Mark Murkin, John Pegg, Diane Finch and Ellie Dickson who recorded 84:42, 90:27, 91:10 and 91:59 respectively. Joe Baldwin, Tony Richards and super vet Graham Blackshaw gave everything for chip times of 92:33, 93:01 and 94:25 before Rebecca Lenaghan in 97:30 led a group home including Sarah Walters in 105:42, Emma Sharp in 110:10, Anna Casey in 113:15 and debutant Shannon Hurdman in 118:56, who gave maximum effort to complete the Club’s finishers in this well organised, long standing race.

Jenny Laing meanwhile was enjoying the more refined air of the Lake District as she tackled the Windermere Marathon and, has become almost routine, pulled out a 03:19 performance, which clinched the runners up prize in the women’s race. Jenny also had the added thrill of this being presented by fell running legend Josh Naylor.

Busy, busy, busy!!

It was one of the busiest Sunday’s of the season for the Club with racing action on three fronts and those not running helping to stage the first race in this year’s Burton and District Summer Road Racing League at Conkers. In almost perfect running conditions it was an excellent start to the season for the Club with both men’s and women’s teams finishing on top of the pile. It was a particularly solid performance from the Club’s women with Jenny Laing, after leading for most of the deceptively challenging 5 miles, finishing 2^nd in 31:29, Louise Insley, stopping the clock in an excellent 34:17 for 3^rd and Christina Hawtin running well for 4^th in 35:02. While it was frustrating for Jenny to lose out close to the finish she had the satisfaction of knowing it took a distance PB from Peel’s Emma Pick to take the spoils. Great team support was also provided by triathlete Lisa Wright in 37:59, the improving Hazel O’Brien in 39:12 and a promising debut from Katarina Compton, who stopped the clock in 40:47. Becky Lenaghan, Mary Sharp, Anna Casey and Pauline Cooper also figured prominently as they recorded 45:41, 51:14, 53:06 and 54:26 respectively.   

Men’s Club Captain Andy Orme did well in getting a strong men’s team on the start line with Chris Pearson, James Farmer and Rob Eaton packing brilliantly in 5^th, 6^th and 7^th places in times of 28:48, 29:14 and 29:49 respectively. Stuart Halsey was next in a well-run 31:17 for 15^th with relative newcomer Nathan Holmes gaining more valuable racing experience in recording 32:19. Seeing the benefit of an unbroken run of training, Matt Clemson recorded 32:31 with Nathan Fagan crossing the line in 25^th place in 33:20. Chris Elsegood, another who is working hard to improve, finished in 36:53 with James Cobb and Paul Hudson next home in 38:08 and 39:01. Three of the Club’s most experienced athletes Gary Price, David Lunn and the evergreen Tony Phillips, gave their usual maximum effort in completing the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in very respectable times of 41:45, 44:13 and 45:14.

For 12 of the Club’s runners it was the culmination of hard post-Christmas training and for some, their first attempt at tackling the 26.2 miles of the marathon, with the first major British marathon of the spring in Manchester. Dave Clarke and Sam Bassett both managed to duck under the magical 3 hour benchmark with Dave recording 02:56:59 and Sam 02:59:32. However, there was mixed emotions from the duo with Dave slightly disappointed with his time and Sam extremely happy to achieve his goal. Ben Holmes ran well for his chip time of 03:09:45 with Tim Rhodes, on home territory, one of a number to overcome the usual mix of illness and injury, to achieve a distance PB of 03:27:45. Ultra-distance specialist Andy Windle recorded 03:30:51 with Paul Glover and Romain Chambard close on 03:38:20 and 03:39:32 respectively. Tracey Glover and Barry Saunders also finished relatively closely on 03:47:25 and 03:49:25. Marathon debutant Katie Dennis did brilliantly to finish in 03:54:50 as did Andy Meadows and John Pegg as they recorded 04:03:10 and 04:48:58.

There was a much different challenge on offer in the Derby 10k but for a number of the Club’s runners the challenge was accepted with PB performances. This was particularly the case with Ross Clarke and Ross Ballinger who were elated to record distance PBs of 37:53 and 45:08 respectively. Lizi Hunt and Holly Holland ran superbly in recording 46:17 and 47:52 with super vet Graham Blackshaw stopping the clock in 53:54 and Philip Hughes in 63:09 completing the Club’s finishers on a very busy running day

BST starts with a bang!!!!

The weather was set fair and the mud of cross country was firmly forgotten as 20 runners from the Club joined 550 others in tackling the third race in this year’s Leicestershire Road Running League, the Desford 5. In common with most Leicestershire courses ‘undulating’ was the name of the game. Current Men’s Club Champion and Chairperson, Andy Hawtin led the group home with an excellent chip time of 30:10 for 35^th place with London Marathon bound Jenny Laing showing she is in excellent form with 31:22 for a superb 4^th place in the women’s race. Nathan Holmes was next across the line in a well-run 32:52 with Louise Insley close behind in 33:16, which was good enough for 1^st in her age group and 5^th place overall. Andy Orme was his normal ultra-consistent self as he stopped the clock in 33:53 with strong man Romain Chambard and the improving Matt Long recording 34:40 and 35:25 respectively. In one of the performances of the morning Kev Clarke rolled back the years in recording 36:01 with Ross Ballinger and Chris Elsegood showing no ill effects from the recent Ashby 20 with solid 36:52 and 37:42 performances.   Hazel Ferris and John Pegg had the closest inter-club battle as they recorded chip times of 39:24 and 39:28 respectively with Joe Baldwin also in close attendance on 40:02. Gary Price and Mark Murkin gave everything in recording 42:46 and 43:36 with Becky Lenaghan, Emma Sharp, Anna Casey, Helen Clarke and Pauline Cooper all relishing the return to tarmac and sunshine as they recorded excellent times of 47:32, 49:40, 51:10, 52:16 and 54:16 respectively.

Stuart Halsey, Emily Atkins and Becky Atkins were in running action much further afield on Saturday in one of the most scenic races in the country, the Coniston 14. Stuart, one of the top MV50 vets locally ran well for a chip time of 1:31:34, with daughter edging out mum in the battle of the Atkins with excellent times of 2:20:04 and 2:30:23 respectively.

Farmer ploughs through the bog!!!

It’s been a long season but Sunday’s Derby Runner Cross Country race at Bosworth Battlefield brought this year’s Leicestershire based campaign to a fitting climax. Next Sunday at Sinai Park, Burton sees the final fixture in this year’s Staffs/Derby’s version of the league. The Club’s man of the moment, James Farmer continued his upward trajectory as he led the Club’s contingent home in the men’s race with an excellent 20^th place finish. Next home was Rob Eaton in a hard run 55^th place after he’d tried to wear Farmer out by running to the venue with him. Shane Chapman, who has had a really consistent series, collected the 69^th place token with endurance triathlete Christian Glover not far behind in 73^rd place. Club Captain, Andy Orme in 121^st managed to hold off the challenge of a resurgent Matt Long in 136^th with Nigel Atkins and Chris Elsegood running well to complete the men’s team finishers in 140^th and 164^th respectively. Tom Eyre and Mark Nixon had the closest inter-club finish as they finished in 218^th and 220^th places with Mark Murkin in 229^th and Robin Thorne in 249^th giving everything as they completed the Club’s finishers in the men’s race.

Christina Hawtin ran superbly to lead the Club’s women home in 24^th with Nikki Reeves in 55^th, Lisa Wright in 69^th and U20 Emily Atkins in 93^rd completing the team finishers in the women’s race with Rebecca Lenaghan giving her usual maximum effort to finish in 126^th. A number of the Club’s women were amongst those forced to stop as they retrieved lost shoes in a section of shin deep mud.

In many ways sections of mud for some of the Club’s runners were a minor test of their endurance because the day before at least four who raced the cross country had tackled the 15 mile version of the 2019 Belvoir Challenge. With 15 mile and 26 mile versions on offer and checkpoints offering refuelling options, including home-made cake and jelly babies, the approach to the challenge varies with some treating it as important training for spring marathons while others used it as a challenging social run. In the 15 mile version Christian Glover emphasised his current peak condition as he finished 9^th overall in an excellent 01:51:22. Andy Lindley finished in 02:33:55 with Chris Hanman, Chris Elsegood and Nikki Reeves close behind in 02:34:22, 02:37:39 and 02:42:07 respectively. There then came a group comprising Lisa Wright (02:44:51), Sam Skidmore (02:44:53), Romain Chambard (02:44:55) and Becky Moult (02:44:57) who crossed the line together.

London Marathon bound Jenny Laing warmed up for her main spring training focus with a 3^rd place finish in the women’s race of the 26 mile option in a superb 03:52:35. Tracey and Paul Glover also enhanced their endurance with excellent times of 04:50:19 and 04:50:25 respectively. Gary Price, who relishes this type of event, recorded 05:35:01 with Alison Shearer and Carolyn Ife sharing the cake and the pain as they crossed the line together in 07:21:46 and 07:21:49 respectively.

Kat Smith was back on home soil as she tackled the Cambridge Half Marathon and should be well pleased with her chip time of 02:09:12.

Last but not least South Derbyshire’s ‘man for all seasons’ Mark Harriott, was on the other side of the world tackling one of world’s marathon majors, the Tokyo Marathon. Needless to say this most consistent of runners recorded an excellent time of 03:05:25.

Farmer milks the applause !!

With the Club competing in both divisions of the Derby Runner Cross Country League it has been a long, drawn out campaign for cross country regulars. Sunday’s race, over a challenging, technical course at Grace Dieu, was in the more competitive Leicestershire Division and again it was the in-form James Farmer who led the Club’s contingent home with a superb 12^th place finish. Next back was Rob Eaton, who despite a great deal of heavy mileage training in his legs, ran well for 22^nd place with Tom Bradley, making his racing debut as a second claim runner for the Club, next to cross the line in 23^rd.   In what was arguably the performance of the day Mark Harriott battled round, after a fall, to finish in an excellent 43^rd place.  Shane Chapman showed his class by finishing in 59^th before Christian Glover and Nathan Fagan had their own inter-club battle as they finished in 67^th and 69^th places respectively. Andy Orme and Matt Long gave their usual maximum effort to complete the men’s team finishers in 116^th and 127^th places while Tom Eyre showed a great deal of determination to battle round in 212^th with Robin Thorne in 252^nd completing the Club’s finishers in the men’s race.

The Club’s women’s team resources were significantly stretched with the four finishers making up the scoring team. Nikki Reeves led the way home in 42^nd with Emily Atkins and Rebecca Lenaghan close together in 120^th and 122^nd. Becky Atkins showed a great deal of grit and determination as she, despite injury, completed the finishing team in 139^th.

Eight of the Club’s runners took to the roads as they tackled the challenging Rugeley 10 miler. Showing good form and clearly benefitting from his marathon training Paul Glover led the contingent home in 78:19 with Lisa Wright also performing superbly to stop the clock in 79:52. Tracey Glover in 81:00 was next on chip time just edging out Chris Elsegood in 81:04. Becky Moult was not far behind in 82:15 with Karen Wilks, Ellie Dickson and Carolyn Ife giving everything to finish in 92:31, 96:35 and 114:49 respectively.

Rich Miller and Steve Leafe were in action in the Leicestershire Half Marathon on a flat course at the popular racing venue of Prestwold Hall. Both performed excellently with Rich recording a chip time of 84:15 and Steve 94:31.  

Debut boys do the business!!

A return visit to Anslow was the venue for the latest leg of the Derbyshire/Staffordshire section of the Derby Runner Cross Country League with 19 runners of the Club’s runners lining up on the start line in wet conditions. When the racing started it was again the determined 18 year old James Farmer who led the way home with a superb 3^rd place finish. The Club will certainly miss James when, if everything goes to plan, he decamps to university in September. Reigning Club Champion, Andy Hawtin was next in 4^th place with cross country debutant’s Tom Ward in 10^th, Dave Hobbs in 18^th and Ben Holmes in 23^rd all contributing superbly to a terrific team performance. Sandwiched between them was top MV50, Stuart Halsey in 14^th with Sam Bassett and team captain Andy Orme bringing the team home in 28^th and 33^rd places respectively. The improving Matt Long was next in 39^th place before great packing from Nigel Atkins in 50^th, strongman Rom Chambard in 52^nd and Adie Middleton in 55^th. Paul Glover, one of numerous runners from the Club training for a spring marathon or beyond, defied his tired legs to finish in 73^rd before Tony Richards and Mark Nixon completed the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in 84^th and 93^rd places.

In the women’s race Tracey Glover in 13^th, Emily Atkins in 29^th, Rebecca Lenaghan in 41^st and Emma Sharp in 50^th gave everything to the team cause to make up superbly for the unavoidable absence of some of the more usual team scorers.

Kat Smith was in 10k action at a cold and wet Draycote Water Park and should be pleased with a chip time of 57:04 and finishing position of 56^th in the women’s race. Four others of the Club’s intrepid runners found themselves in more rugged countryside in the Cannock Chase 10 miler. For Chris Pearson, in a brilliant 2^nd place in a chip time of 65:16, and Shane Chapman, in 8^th place in 70:52, this type of countryside is very familiar and their preferred environment be it mountain biking or running. Andy Allsop ran well for 17^th place in 73:33 with second claimer Mitch Timms finishing in 149^th in 98:32 sealing an unexpected but well deserved team prize for the quartet.

Onwards and upwards for James

Cross country fixtures are coming thick and fast at this time of year particularly with South Derbyshire Road Runners involvement in both area versions of the Derby Runner League. On Sunday it was the turn of the Derby/Staffordshire version with 31 members completing a 2 lap course of approximately 6 miles in total at Allestree Park. Again, it was 18 year old James Farmer who led the men’s team home with a superb 2^nd place finish. A day after celebrating completing 250 parkruns, mainly at Rosliston, he had the satisfaction here of edging out his regular training partner and motivator, Chris Pearson who ran brilliantly for 4^th place. Ross Clarke, who is having a terrific series, was next in 8^th place with Stuart Halsey producing another quality run in 12^th. Nathan Fagan and team captain Andy Orme collected the 27^th and 33^rd place finishing tokens with strongman Romain Chambard and a resurgent Matt Long completing the men’s team finishers in 41^st and 47^th places respectively.

Pushing Long all the way were Nigel Atkins in 49^th and Ross Ballinger in 53^rd with a really tight inter-club battle resulting in Andy Lindley in 60^th just edging out Chris Elsegood in 61^st and, the Club’s most improved runner, Paul Glover in 63^rd. Kev Clarke ran solidly for 81^st place before Tony Richards, Gary Price and Dave Walters had their own race within a race as they finished in 95^th, 96^th and 97^th places respectively. Mark Murkin gave everything to complete the men’s finishers in a creditable 113^th place.

With Jenny Laing restored to full fitness after missing last week’s race the Club’s women were assured of a great lead out and she didn’t disappoint here as she collected the 3^rd place finishing token. Christina Hawtin ran superbly for 5^th place with Tracey Glover and the improving Lisa Wright having their own personal battle as they completed the women’s team finishers in 15^th and 16^th places respectively.

Slowly getting back to form women’s team captain Nikki Reeves was next in 26^th place with Sam Skidmore and triathlete Hannah Wintrip both running well to finish in 30^th and 48^th places.  Rebecca Lenaghan in 56^th, Emily Atkins in 59^th and Sarah Walters in 65^th made light of the conditions before Emma Sharpe, Pauline Cooper and Cath Johnstone gave their usual maximum effort to complete the finishers in the women’s race in 76^th, 90^th and 96^th places respectively.    

Sam Bassett and Kelvin Taylor were much further afield with both tackling the half marathon distance. However, the races couldn’t have been more different with Sam tackling the 37^th version of the Essar 4 Villages Half Marathon around the country lanes of Cheshire and Kelvin the forest trails of Coed-y- Brenin in the Buff Winter Trail Half Marathon. What they both had in common though was that they both ran with distinction recording chip times of 01:26:33 and 02:4:37 respectively.

No obstacle for James

Sunday and Bagworth Heath saw the latest leg of this year’s Derby Runner Cross Country League. For the Club’s contingent of 16 it was the morning after the Club’s presentation evening but for James Farmer it was very much business as usual as he lead the group home in a superb 25^th place in the men’s race. On a drizzly morning, and after a relatively dry winter, the course still lived up to its better known name of ‘Bogworth’ Heath. Providing terrific support to James were Ross Clarke in 45^th, the redoubtable Shane Chapman in 51^st, triathlete Christian Glover in 70^th and the Club’s man for all season’s Mark Harriott in 85^th. Andy Orme put in a typical captain’s performance to cross the line in 124^th with Nigel Atkins and Steve Leafe having their own personal battle as they finished in 140^th and 144^th respectively. Steve, like a great many in the Club and club’s everywhere is committed to a spring marathon and at this time of year facing the dilemma of whether to race and represent the Club or whether to pound the miles out.  Romain Chambard, Matt Long and Ross Ballinger all ran with distinction as they completed the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in very respectable 167^th, 199^th and 207^th places respectively.

Tracey Glover led the Club’s women home in an excellent 47^th place finish with the determined Emily Atkins in 107^th, Rebecca Lenaghan in 147^th and Emma Sharpe in 206^th completing the finishers in a top quality women’s race.

Flying teenager!!!
Road Runners were again in action at a number of different venues on Sunday with the majority, 23, tackling the latest leg of the Derby Runner XC League at Bradgate Park. Continue reading →

Jenny out in front!!!
The Club’s runners were in action on a number of fronts on Sunday with the majority tackling the latest leg of the Derby Runner XC League at Holly Hayes Wood. Continue reading →