Gate Gallop 10k

Jenny strides on!!
It was another prize winning day for South Derbyshire Road Runners at the Gate Gallop 10k on Sunday with both the men’s and women’s team prizes secured by the Club.
There was also individual success with Jenny Laing, going from strength to strength since this year’s London Marathon, winning the women’s race in a chip time of 41:14. Another who has pushed on from spring marathons is Alun-Lloyd Thomas who followed up a terrific 4^th place in last week’s Trail Marathon of Wales with an excellent 2^nd place over the grass tracks and barriers of the Gate Gallop in 36:51. In the women’s team effort great support was provided by Kelly Knight and Becky Atkins as they completed the course in 43:42 and 48:46 respectively.  Tracey Glover gave her usual maximum effort in battling to 49:15 with Hannah Wintrip, performing well after injury, stopping the clock in 55:54. Alison Shearer and Emily Atkins should also be happy with their performances as times of 59:45 and 61:10 indicate with Emily having the significant satisfaction of finishing second in the WV20 category. The improving Pauline Cooper was next in 73:05 with the biggest cheer of the day reserved for Club stalwart Cath Johnson as she won her age group prize in 80:09.
The ultra-consistent Chris Pearson followed Alun-Lloyd Thomas home in the men’s race in 37:10 for 4^th place with Andy Hawtin also securing a top 10 finish in 38:02. Rob Eaton has been one of the Club’s busiest runners this spring and early summer, following a superb Paris Marathon with a great showing in the gruelling Man v Horse race. Here, he battled well for 12^th place in 38:40. Ross Clarke continues his improvement with a well-judged 41:27 edging out the versatile MV50, Chris Gunstone, in 43:21. Andy Orme and James Gough were inseparable as they were given the same chip times of 43:35 with Andy edging it ‘gun to tape’. Steve Leafe and Adrian Middleton also finished closely in 44:44 and 45:09 respectively with Phil Daws a minute back in 46:04. Kevin Clarke continued his comeback with a strong running 50:42. Paul Glover, Tony Richards and Paul Hudson also had a close inter-Club battle as their finishing times of 51:22, 51:30 and 51:44 indicate. Ray Udall gave everything as he clinched the MV70 prize in 53:00 with Steve Tempest also rolling back the years as he recorded a chip time of 56:25.