Spring marathon warm ups!
It was a busy Sunday for 22 Club members with most testing out their levels of fitness prior to spring marathons. The runners were involved across the country at three events with the majority competing at the very popular Aldi Ashby 20. In excellent running conditions first back at Ashby was Andy Hawtin, whose chip time of 2.18.03, was good enough to give him an excellent 84th place out of the 1051 who finished the race. Paul Chapman ran well for 2.21.52 as did Christina Cooper, whose 2.24.53 gave her a superb 9th place in the women’s race. Perhaps though the Club performance of the race came from Christian Glover whose 2.25.13 showed that he is looking in good shape for the upcoming Manchester Marathon. Andy Orme, who seems to relish the longer distances, ran superbly to stop the clock at 2.25.54 before Mark Coombes showed no ill effects from a recent ultra-distance race, by finishing in a chip time of 2.35.16, just ahead of the experienced Rob Lower in 2.35.42 & Matt Clemson in a well-run 2.36.25. There then followed some tight inter-club battles with Tracey Glover & Ray Mortlock finishing in 2.41.03 & 2.41.18 respectively & Nikki Reeves & Gary Price in 2.45.05 & 2.46.21. For Ray there was the well-deserved satisfaction of finishing 3rd in the MV60 category & for Gary the satisfaction of a PB & a significant improvement on his time in last year’s race. Rob Belcher was next in 2.54.48 before another tight finish involving Jenny Tattersall & Sam Skidmore as times of 3.09.38 & 3.10.57 respectively indicate. Chris Morton ran solidly for his 3.30.55 before Mark Skidmore & Carolyn Ife were inseparable in identical chip times of 3.55.13.
Jack Leafe, Jenny Laing & Steve Leafe joined over 13,000 others on the start line for the Vitality Reading Half Marathon & all three were rewarded with terrific performances. For Jack Leafe it was a superb PB of a chip time of 1.26.36, for Jenny Laing her 1.28.48 showed that she is well on track for this year’s London Marathon & Steve Leafe re-affirmed his consistent early season form by finishing in 1.32.00.
Richard Ward was the Club’s sole representative in the Stafford Half Marathon & he competed with distinction by finishing in 2.05.18.
The week was also marked by the racing return of Louise Insley in the Derby Mid-Week 5km after a long injury lay off & it was a terrific return as a time of 18.39 and a close 2nd place in the women’s race indicate.
Ashby 20, Reading & Stafford Half Marathons & the Derby Mid-Week 5km.
Spring marathon warm ups! It was a busy Sunday for 22 Club members with most testing out their levels of fitness prior to spring marathons. The runners were involved across the country at three events with the majority competing at the very popular Aldi Ashby 20. In excellent running conditions first back at Ashby wasContinue reading →
