LRRL 2016 – Barrow 6

Louise sets the Pace!!
Conditions were almost spring like for the first race in this year’s Leicestershire Road Running Winter League & the first race in the 2016 Club Championship, the Barrow 6. 

Undulating or typically Leicestershire is the best way to describe the course as 30 members from the Club lined on the start line with almost 700 others. Louise Insley’s chip time of 38.04 for a superb 3^rd place finish in the women’s race confirmed her status as one of the best endurance runners in her age category nationally & one of the best runners across all categories locally. Giving tremendous team support, in the unfortunate absence of the injured Club Captain, Christina Hawtin, was the improving Kelly Knight in 14^th place in 42.22 & the ever reliable Tracey Glover in 38^th place in 44.57. Laura Harper continued her upward trajectory as she finished in 46.48 & 54^th place before Sam Skidmore made a really welcome return to racing action as she recorded a very respectable chip time of 54.15. Not far behind was Alison Shearer in 55.22 before the two WV60s Linda Mason & Linda Tempest battled well for finishing times of 62.40 & 62.51 respectively. Kat Smith & Pauline Cooper gave everything as they completed the finishers for the Club in the women’s race in 64.12 & 69.12.
The men’s team were somewhat hampered by the unfortunate absence of a number of usual high place finishers but Men’s Club Captain Andy Hawtin showed his considerable prowess as he led the way home in the men’s race in 36.50 in 55^th place. Stuart Halsey emphasised that he is well and truly over his injury problems as he stormed round in 38.38 for 87^th place before Andy Windle & Andy Orme showed their class as they stopped the clock in 39.36 & 39.53 respectively. The closest inter-club battle was between Chris Mason & Steve Leafe with Chris, running his first Club race for 15 months, just edging it on the line but with both being given identical chip times of 40.13. Colin Mee ran well for 40.56, as did Glenn Smith & Tom Eyre, as they finished in 41.32 & 42.39. Stewart Laing continued his good form from the cross country season as he finished in 43.32, seven places ahead of Nigel Atkins in 43.43. James Cobb battled well for his 44.47 just edging out Paul Glover in 44.57. Barry Saunders, fresh from a superb PB in the previous day’s Parkrun, continued his good form as he finished in 45.52 before Peter Barsby & Tim Argent recorded very respectable times of 47.27 & 48.32. David Lunn, another improving with every race, got an early advantage over those likely to be his championship rivals as he finished in 49.05 ahead of Steve Tempest, Richard Ward & Stuart Reeves as they stopped the clock in 50.29, 52.39 & 54.37 respectively.