Lichfield & Calke Abbey 10ks

Andy leads the way & big it up Jack Leafe !!!Plenty of competitive action for Club members again this weekend with two races the main focus of attention. The largest contingent tackled the deceptively challenging Lichfield 10k and it was one of the Club Championship front runners, Andy Hawtin, who led the way home with a chip time of 38.55 and a superb 21^st place finish in a field of almost a 1000 runners. Christina Cooper did what she has threatened to do all season and set a new PB for the distance of 41.06 for an excellent 53^rd position overall. Christina’s efforts also secured her the 3^rd place prize in the women’s race. Chris Gunstone continued the road back to full fitness with 42.12 for 63rd & 1st place in the MV55 category. Another setting a PB for the distance was Christian Glover whose 42.25 was good enough for 70th place. Chris Hughes gave his usual maximum effort to return a chip time of 45.41 with the consistent Tracey Glover not far behind in 46.45 which gave her a well deserved 2^nd place in her age category. Paul Glover was another who set a PB for the distance with 49.14 before three Club stalwarts, Rob Lower, Dave York & Marie York, all making very welcome competitive appearances, returned 49.11, 54.25 & 55.25 respectively to complete the finishers for the Club. To round off a great morning for the Club, Marie’s efforts also secured her 1^st place in her age category.
If the Lichfield 10k was deceptively challenging the Calke Abbey 10k was obviously challenging and an unlikely PB course. Andy Orme was first back for the Club in this race with his 42.55 chip time good enough for an excellent 25^th place out of 309 finishers. Nigel Atkins was next with a really useful 50^th place finish in a time of 46.14 before Colin Topliss, making a really welcome re-appearance for the Club, stopped the clock on 49.11. David Lunn & Jenny Tattersall then had a fairly close race with David’s 58.57 edging it from Jenny’s 59.34. In a day of welcome appearances it was Felicity Towns, who has been absent from competitive racing for sometime, who completed the finishers for the Club with a satisfying 73.16 finish.
The weekend round up wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the performance of Jack Leafe whose 17.28 in Saturday’s Conker’s Parkrun became the fastest time recorded by a Club member in the events history.