Stevie does not wonder!!!!
The Uttoxeter Half Marathon is widely recognised as one of the toughest road races in the region, but this did not deter twenty-two runners from the Club toeing the start line for this latest leg of the 2022 Burton and District Summer Road Racing League. Steve Bullock, last year’s winner of the Club’s most improved runner award, showed he has no intention of resting on his laurels as he was first back for the Club in a superb distance personal best of 01.23:07 for 12th place overall. Danial Bower also continued his excellent early season form for 14th place in an excellent 01.24:01. Steve Green took advantage of the aerobic fitness he has gained in training for the recent Brighton Marathon with a chip time of 01.29:15 while John Morgan and Mark Harriott, who are both experts in maintaining and developing aerobic fitness, recorded excellent chip times of 01.29:07 and 01.30:47, respectively. Matt Clemson, Chris Hanman and Micheal Walters all ran well for good times of 01.31:23, 01.33:24 and 01.35:22, while David Green, someone who has tackled ultra-distance recently, should be well pleased with 01.35:27. Andy Orme, after a difficult start to the race, came home strongly in a very respectable time of 01.38:40 before Katie Dennis, showing no ill effects from the recent Manchester Marathon, led the Club’s women home in an excellent 01.39:40 and a well deserved second place in her age category. Steve Leafe was also second in his age category in recording 01.39:55 before a slight gap to Ross Ballinger, who conquered the course in 01.50:46. David Walters and Jay Darnley were close on chip times recording 01.55:09 and 01.55:49, respectively. Katarina Compton was very close behind in 01.55:57 with little separating Sarah Walters and Karen Wilks as they stopped the clock in 02.06:29 and 02.06:43. In a day of great age category performances the redoubtable Tony Phillips was third MV70 in 02.18:40 before John Pegg, Pauline Cooper and Julianne Walters gave great accounts of themselves over an ultra-difficult course with chip times of 02.25:40, 02.36:34 and 02.40:50. For Pauline it was also another well deserved third place finish in her age category.
There was also a large Club contingent who ventured into deepest Leicestershire countryside to take part in the Wymeswold Waddle 5. Leading the group home was the strong running Rom Chambard in a superb 31:21 with the resurgent Colin Mee rolling back the years recording a chip time of 34:49. There was then a small gap to a group comprising Lisa Wright, Paul Glover, Mark Nugent, Emily Atkins and Tracey Glover who finished within thirty seconds of each other in chip times of 37:26, 37:31, 37:43, 37:49 and 37:54 respectively. For Paul and Tracey Glover, it was an opportunity to get the previous weekend’s Stratford Marathon out of their legs. Ian Archer and Andy Meadows finished closely in 38:06 and 38:25 with Becky Moult also putting in a robust performance to record 39:39. Recent well-deserved recipient of the Conkers Parkrun Community Award, Kev Clarke showed there is still energy in his legs in stopping the clock in 40:05. Emma Sharp, a popular recipient of the sort after Club place in this year’s London Marathon, made a solid start to the build up with 44:38 with Linda Dakin not far behind in 45:24. Becky Atkins, Cath Johnston and Teresa Swift enjoyed their morning out in the countryside as they worked hard for times of 49:21, 64:05 and 64:06 respectively.
On a busy running day the Club’s runners were also in action on the streets of Birmingham joining 13,000 others in the Great Birmingham Run. Mike Nash, Mark Farrar, Andrea Beaty and Robert Read tackled the half marathon option while Jamie Green and Chris Mason settled for the 10k offering. In good running conditions after recovering from the rigours of the Paris Marathon Mike Nash ran a superb PB of 01.23:22. Mark Farrar, on his debut at the distance, recorded an excellent chip time of 01.28:35 while Andrea Beaty, on her competitive debut for the Club, showed what a superbly consistent runner she is in recording 01.38:14. Robert Read continues to improve as his creditable time of 02.14:52 shows. Jamie Green, a week after a storming run at the Stratford Half Marathon, and despite being one of a number of runners at the front of the race mis-directed near the finish, stopped the clock in the 10k in 39:48 while Chris Mason finished second in his age category in 44:50
