Debut boys do the business!!
A return visit to Anslow was the venue for the latest leg of the Derbyshire/Staffordshire section of the Derby Runner Cross Country League with 19 runners of the Club’s runners lining up on the start line in wet conditions. When the racing started it was again the determined 18 year old James Farmer who led the way home with a superb 3rd place finish. The Club will certainly miss James when, if everything goes to plan, he decamps to university in September. Reigning Club Champion, Andy Hawtin was next in 4th place with cross country debutant’s Tom Ward in 10th, Dave Hobbs in 18th and Ben Holmes in 23rd all contributing superbly to a terrific team performance. Sandwiched between them was top MV50, Stuart Halsey in 14th with Sam Bassett and team captain Andy Orme bringing the team home in 28th and 33rd places respectively. The improving Matt Long was next in 39th place before great packing from Nigel Atkins in 50th, strongman Rom Chambard in 52nd and Adie Middleton in 55th. Paul Glover, one of numerous runners from the Club training for a spring marathon or beyond, defied his tired legs to finish in 73rd before Tony Richards and Mark Nixon completed the Club’s finishers in the men’s race in 84th and 93rd places.
In the women’s race Tracey Glover in 13th, Emily Atkins in 29th, Rebecca Lenaghan in 41st and Emma Sharp in 50th gave everything to the team cause to make up superbly for the unavoidable absence of some of the more usual team scorers.
Kat Smith was in 10k action at a cold and wet Draycote Water Park and should be pleased with a chip time of 57:04 and finishing position of 56th in the women’s race. Four others of the Club’s intrepid runners found themselves in more rugged countryside in the Cannock Chase 10 miler. For Chris Pearson, in a brilliant 2nd place in a chip time of 65:16, and Shane Chapman, in 8th place in 70:52, this type of countryside is very familiar and their preferred environment be it mountain biking or running. Andy Allsop ran well for 17th place in 73:33 with second claimer Mitch Timms finishing in 149th in 98:32 sealing an unexpected but well deserved team prize for the quartet.
