2015 LRRL (Race 2) – Markfield 10k

Chrissy keeps up the pressure!!
In cold, but perfect running conditions, 31 runners from the Club lined up with almost 600 others for the second race in this winter’s Leicestershire Road Running League, the Markfield 10km. Again, it was the Club’s women who set the pace with Christina Cooper confirming her massive improvement with a 39.53 chip time finish for a superb 4^th place in the women’s race. Jenny Laing-Brierley, back in action after injury, was next to finish in 45.26 & 32^nd place just ahead of the battling Kelly Knight in 35^th in a chip time of 45.34. Tracey Glover and Nikki Reeves were also close as times of 46.03 & 46.26 & finishing positions of 42^nd & 47^th respectively confirm. Nikki had the added bonus that her time was also a personal best for the distance. There was then a slight gap to Laura Storer in 97^th place in a time of 50.21 and a quartet of runners, including Club race debutant, Katherine Smith in 59.45 and the more experienced Linda Mason, Linda Tempest & Inge Moore in 60.38, 63.23 & 68.24 respectively.
For the men it was Chris Pearson, who again took valuable points in the 2015 Club Championship, when he stopped the clock in 36.45 for a superb 31^st place finish. As in the first race Andy Hawtin gave his all for his 37.33 & 44^th place with Chappers Senior also running well to score valuable team points in 88^th place in a chip time of 39.16. There was then a really close inter-Club battle between Andy Orme & Stuart Halsey with Andy just edging it, with his best racing performance for sometime, 40.40 to Halsey’s 40.47. Steve Leafe continued his recent good form to stop the clock in an excellent 41.00 ahead of the hard working Simon Reynold’s 42.40. The returning Gavin Horton ran solidly for his 43.31 before Nigel Atkins & Dan Towns were virtually inseparable in 259^th & 260^th place and times of 45.21 & 45.32 respectively. Malcolm Moore was next to cross the line in 48.49 but for the second race in succession Peter Barsby, despite finishing behind Malcolm, had the better chip time of 48.46. Mark Coombes, Mark Nixon & Steve Tempest performed well for times of 50.33, 51.04 & 51.03 respectively. Also gaining really valuable racing experience in very competitive races are Tim Argent (52.12), Dave Renshaw (53.49) & Richard Ward (56.06) who on this occasion finished ahead of Dave Eyre, who after picking up an injury hobbled across the line in 56.57 before Club stalwart, Dave York’s 57.48 completed the finishers for the Club in the men’s race.