Month: January 2023

Peel Road Runners turned out in force at the Derby/Staffs League cross country race at Boothorpe near Swadlincote on Sunday. Running two laps of an undulating course over a reasonably dry course, second claim runner Rob Dyjak was first back for the club in 4^th place overall, with James Stretton snapping at his heels in 9^th position overall. Wayne King ran a strong race to finish in 10^th position, followed by Luke Collins, Scott Chapman, Ben Dorkins, Allen King, Mark Boffey, Tim Clarke, Simon Gordon, Tim Mudd, Mike Hughes and Lee Guffick.

With the ladies’ team hoping to build on their successes this season, Emma Pick was first across the finish line in 14^th place followed by Lisa Stretton, Catherine Tieley, Lorna D’Silva, Sarah Boffey, Claire Guffick, Steph Attenborough, Sandra Ingram and Jackie Tierney. 

The next race in the League will be held at Shipley Park in Derby in two weeks time.

In Northumberland, Joy Sykes and her dog Charlie, ran the Traildog Kielder 10k race crossing the finish line in 1:10:01.

At the weekend’s parkruns, Kingsbury drew a good turnout of Peelers with Allen King first to finish in 22:22. He was followed by Ben Dorkins (23:12); Michael Hughes (26:16); Jackie Tierney (29:09); Emma Whorwood (25:23); Wendy Bowyer (46:14) and tail walkers Claire Guffick (1:01:47) and Lee Guffick (1:01:51). Stephen Andrews, Wendy Bowyer and Mike Shelton also volunteered at this event.

Parkrun tourists included Ian Cooper (29:27) at Brueton; Steph Attenborough (33:03) at Telford; Garth Cox (23:57) at Babbs Mill; Mark Boffey (26:32) and Sarah Boffey (27:25) at Cusworth Hall, Doncaster.Sarah celebrated her 100^th parkrun at Cusworth’s Hall 100^th event … very good planning!

In the week ending Saturday 14^th January, Peel Road Runners distance specialist Steph Attenborough took on the Zig Zag Running Mid Month Mayhem half marathon consisting of laps of Hichingbrooke Country Park in Cambridgeshire. Due to flooding the course had to be changed at the last minute, but Steph completed 7.5 laps in a time of 2:40:11. She also ran the Phoenix Running Doughnut Dash 10k out and back trail run at Walton on Thames in a time of 1:36:00.

At the weekend’s National Running Show at the NEC, Birmingham Peeler Mark Boffey was lucky enough to meet the incredible distance runner Damian Hall, the winner of this year’s Montane Winter Spine race. (Hall had only finished the race several days earlier … the ‘race’ being a non-stop running of the Pennine Way, 268 miles from Edale to Kirk Yetholm!).

Closer to home, Clara Walton took part in the Midlands Canicross event at Solihull at the weekend, running with Nanook in the novice class (2.1 km) on both days and with a combined time of 20:47.

At the weekend’s parkruns, Tim Clark was first to finish in a time of 23:39 followed by Ben Dorkins (24:10); Darren O’Leary (26:41); Michael Hughes (27:53); Stella Taylor (27:57); Jackie Tierney (28:24); Claire Guffick (30:03); Joy Sykes (31:42); Roger Eastaff (34:39); Ann Hill (34:53); Lee Guffick (38:55); Wendy Bowyer (42:20); Sarah French (50:40) and tail walkers Allen King (61:55) and Chris Bennett (61:56).

Parkrun tourists this week included: Stuart Hatton (27:14) and Marcus Fairburn (28:34) at Conkers; Tim Mudd (25:59) and Ian Cooper (33:50) at Babb’s Mill, Solihull; Mick Stevenson (33:10) at Warwick Racecourse and Steph Attenborough (33:25) at Queen’s, Glasgow.

Following on from last week’s Derby Runner Derby & Staffs XC race at Allestree Park, Peel Road Runners men’s team are now standing in 8^th place out of 18 teams (and 8^th out of the 11 teams to class as counting teams), whilst the Peel ladies’ team are now 4^th out of 16 teams (all counting) … an amazing performance from the Peel ladies! The next race in the League will be at Boothorpe, Moira on Sunday 29^th January.

Another wet weekend failed to deter a good turnout of Peelers at parkruns far and wide. Kingsbury again proved the most popular with James Stretton first home for the club in a time of 20:33. He was followed by Mike Shelton (22:06); Tim Clark (22:55); Lisa Stretton (27:12); Claire Guffick (30:49); Lee Guffick (39:08); Alison Dolphin (55:55); Sarah French (56:07) and Wendy Bowyer (56:34). At Kingsbury, Sarah French and Wendy Bowyer both celebrated volunteering 25 times at the parkrun!

Further afield, Peel parkrun tourists included: Steph Attenborough at Bushy Park, Teddington (33:36); Tim Mudd at Daventry (27:12); Allen King (22:32), Chris Bennett (25:05) and Darren Truman (25:42) at Bedworth; Garth Cox at Sutton Park (25:57); Ian Orton (24:58) and Michael Hughes (36:59) at Babb’s Mill; Sophie Galloway (25:56) at Beacon Park, Lichfield; Jackie Tierney at Woodgate Park, Birmingham (31:26) and Mark Boffey (26:52) and Sarah Boffey (27:49) at University Parks, Oxford.

After a quiet period for the Peel Road Runners over the Christmas period, this Sunday saw the return of cross country racing at Derby. The Peelers put out a strong team to take on the two-lap course at Allestree Park in Derby, the third race in the Derby Runner Staffs & Derby Cross Country League. Running for the men’s team second claim athlete, Rob Dyjak, was first home for the club followed by James Stretton, Scott Chapman, Ben Dorkins, Mike Shelton, Darren Truman, Chris Bennett, Mark Boffey, Simon Gordon, Mike Hughes, Billy King (first cross country race!) and Lee Guffick. For the women, Emma Pick was first back for the club and 5^th lady overall, followed by Lisa Stretton, Lorna Carlin, Catherine Tieley, Donna Lancaster, Sarah Boffey, Jackie Tierney, Sandra Ingram and Stella Taylor. Overall results were not available at the time of going to press.

At Saturday’s parkruns, poor weather saw a lower turnout than usual for the club at Kingsbury Water Park, but Tim Clark was the first home in a time of 23:42, followed by Darren O’Leary in 27:03; Helen Dempsey (36:25); Neal Dempsey (36:25) and Lee Guffick (41:43). At Conkers parkrun, Tim Mudd finished in 25:50 and Marcus Fairburn in 29:31. At Babb’s Mill, Ian Orton finished in 25:09, whilst at Warwick Racecourse Michael Stevenson trotted over the line in 34:17. At Beacon Park, Allen King stopped the clock at 22:23 with Chris Bennett (23:53) and Darren Truman (25:16) following. At the 50^thrunning of the Belvoir Castle parkrun, Mark Boffey finished in 24:37 followed by Jackie Tierney (30:33) and Michael Hughes (43:17).

Peel Road Runners welcome new members of all abilities.