Worthington 5

Mercifully, while hot, it was a few degrees cooler for the Worthington 5 than for other recent races. This latest leg of the Burton and District Summer League over a flat ‘out and back’ course along the Cloud Trail was significant in the Club’s continued domination of both the individual and team prizes. Existing Club Champions, Alun Thomas (27:38) and Jenny Laing (32:55) won the men’s and women’s individual races as well as, with Andy Hawtin (29:33), James Farmer (29:57), Louise Insley (33:26) and Christina Hawtin (35:36), the team race prizes. James, after running with distinction in Sunday’s gruelling Ashbourne Half Marathon, also had the satisfaction of winning the Men’s U20 age group prize while Louise, after feeling she struggled in Sunday’s Lutterworth 5 ran well here for 2^nd place in the women’s race. In addition to the prize winners there were others who put in significant shifts including ultra-distance runner Andy Windle, who warmed up for an assault on the individual prize in next weekend’s 24 hour Thunder Run, with 31:04 and the ultra-consistent John Morgan and Mark Harriott who recorded 31:07 and 31:33 respectively. Tom Eyre exceeded his own pre-race predictions in recording 33:04 before Men’s Club Captain Andy Orme (33:37) who, with Nikki Reeves (38:23), should take a great deal of credit for mobilising participation in races.  Enjoying a purple patch, Romain Chambard stopped the clock here in 34.21 edging out Andy Lindley, Barry Ross and Chris Mason in 34:23, 34:29 and 34:41 respectively. It was also close between Steve Leafe (35:29) and Christina Hawtin (35:36) before Paul Glover, another enjoying great form at present, raced home in 36:39. Another very tight inter-club battle followed between the quickly improving Katie Dennis (37:05), Elizabeth Hunt (37:06) and Barry Saunders (37:11) with Tracey Glover, Nigel Atkins and Club debutant Tim Rhodes almost latching on to this group in times of 37:30, 37:33 and 37:43. Ross Ballinger recorded 38:00 with Tony Richards and Chris Elsegood pushing one another to times of 38:46 and 38:50 for places just outside the top 100 of the 197 finishers. Laura Harper ran a steady, even paced race to finish in 39:26 getting the better, on this occasion, of Lisa Wright (40.02) and James Cobb (40:24). In a night of close inter-club rivalry Diane Rider (43:17) led home another group of yellow vests that included John Pegg (43:22), Karen Wilks (43:45) and Kat Smith (44:06). Ellie Dickson performed strongly to record 46:04 with Club stalwart Alison Shearer battling well for 46:30 and Melanie Barker, making a really welcome return to racing, recording a creditable 46:44. David Lunn battled injury to record 48:13 with Mary Sharp, running excellently, stopping the clock in 48:38. Three of the Club’s most determined runners Pauline Cooper (55:04), Cath Johnston (61:49) and Helen Clarke (63:28) gave everything as they completed the Club’s finishers in a well organised race.