Tamworth 5

Champion finale!!!
Sunday’s Tamworth 5 was the latest race in this year’s Club Championship and the last race in the 2017 Burton and District Summer Road Racing League (BDSL). It was also the race where the Club’s men clinched the team prize in this year’s series after the Club’s women had already secured their respective trophy with a race to spare.
The injury returning Gareth Watkins had the honour of leading the way home with a superb 4^th place finish in a chip time of 28:21. Close behind in 6^th place was current Men’s Club Champion, Chris Pearson in a time of 28:52 with the resilient Rob Eaton also securing a top 10 finish in 8^th in 29:13. Alun Thomas showed he is getting back into something like racing form with 29:52 for 11^th place with 17 year old James Farmer, making his road racing debut for the Club, emphasising his potential with 30:39 for 15^th place. Mark Harriott and Ross Clarke, who have both been regular and important scorers in the BDSL, both had the reward of distance PBs as they stopped the clock in 30:50 and 31:44 respectively. Richard Miller ran well for his 31:51 before the quickly improving Tom Eyre stopped the clock in 32:04. Jenny Laing, who tackles the Robin Hood Marathon in a couple of weeks,  showed she is terrific form as she stormed around in a chip time of 32:06 for 2^nd place in the women’s race. Louise Insley, who has been absent for most of the season, made a really welcome return to racing as she recorded an even paced 32:25 for 3^rd place in the women’s race. Club stalwart, Andy Orme and Nigel Atkins, who is having a terrific season, were next across the line in 32:55 and 33:10 respectively. There then followed the closest inter Club racing as Steve Leafe, Phil Daws, Kelly Knight and Chris Mason alternated places throughout the race until the very latter stages as times of 33:43, 33:44, 33:50 and 33:57 confirm. Colin Mee’s 34:46 just edged out Mikey Walter’s 34:50 before Elle-May Evans, made an excellent racing debut, as she recorded 35:55 and she had the added satisfaction, on her debut, of scoring valuable team points in the BDSL. Paul Glover, Nikki Reeves and Adrian Middleton were also virtually inseparable as Paul was pushed to a PB of 35:57 to Nikki and Ady’s 36;02 and 36:09. Kev Clarke, who continues to make steady progress, recorded 36:40 with Tracey Glover and Paul Hudson giving their usual maximum effort recording 36:55 and 37:56. Tony Richards and Becky Atkins finished closely in 38:20 and 38:40 before MV70 Ray Udall, made light of the years, as he finished in 39:02. Malcolm Moore took advantage of an injury free period to record 39:17 before the amazing Lisa Wright, a week after completing an Ironman Triathlon, recorded an excellent 40:01. Dave Walters should be pleased with his 40:45 as should Robin Thorne’s 42:59, which just gave him the edge over Karen Wilks 43:13. Emily Atkins continues to improve as she recorded 45:00 with Mary Sharp, Sarah Walters and Pauline Cooper all running well to record 48:22, 50:55 and 53:42 respectively. Carrie Jackson, making her racing debut, Alison Jackson and Cath Johnson battled well as they completed the Club’s finishers in recording chip times of 56:31, 57:19 and 58:23 respectively.