Month: November 2023

Although not a race, parkrun is a useful guide for runners to assess their performance and to see the improvements that a consistent training programme can bring. This was very evident for Peel Road Runner Luke Collins who, since joining the club, has made great progress and benefitted from both the club’s social runs and the structured training sessions. On Saturday, at the Tamworth Castle parkrun he ran 5k in a time of 19:07 achieving an age grading score of 73.58% and second in age group. 

Also running at Tamworth, Rob Mace crossed the line in 21:46 followed by Tim Clark (23:35); Simon Gordon (25:00); Judith Matthews (26:38); Natalie Walker (26:38); Stuart Hatton (27:43); Michael Hughes (33:32) and Emma Whorwood (33:54). 

Parkrun tourists this week included: Emma Pick (24:24) at Rosliston; Garth Cox (27:24); Ben Dorkins (29:41); Roger Eastaff (32:43); Wendy Bowyer (43:30) and Joy Sykes (53:10) at Kingsbury; Ian Orton (24:14) at Daventry; Tim Mudd (25:27) at Melton Mowbray; Sarah Boffey (29:37) at Clifton, Nottingham; Jackie Tierney (30:14) at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Southam and Allen King (23:10); Chris Bennett (25:20) and Darren Truman (26:25) at Belvoir Castle.

Ticking off more races, Steph Attenborough had a busy week running the Running Miles Rickmansworth half marathon in 2:54:00, the Maravan marathon at Cleethorpes in 6:33:12 and the GP Oulton half marathon in 2:35:50.

The Clowne half marathon near Chesterfield is a perennial favourite with the Peel Road Runners, tempted by an undulating and quite scenic course and the lure of a quality sweatshirt and cake as a reward for crossing the finish line! Wayne King continued to build on his impressive season of results by finishing in 11^th place in a time of 1:22:46 and second in M45 age category. Emma Pick went one place better to finish her race in a time of 1:33:42 and 1^st in the FSEN age category! Allen King was next over the line for the club in a personal best time of 1:40:26, followed by Phil Neale (1:45:13); Simon Gordon (1:51:51 – personal best time); Lorna Carlin (1:52:49); Mark Boffey (1:52:57); Sarah Boffey (1:52:57); Billy King (1:56:27 – personal best time); Tim Mudd (1:56:29); Chris Bennett (1:57:23 course personal best time); Gemma Pritchard (2:04:09); Helen Chyla (2:09:34) and Darren Truman (2:26:12).

Representing the Peelers at the fast and flat Derby 10 mile road race, Val Lawson ran a steady and well paced race to finish in 1:43:03.

Meanwhile running in the Trail Betws Canicross 10k at Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, Helen and Neal Dempsey (aka Team Dempsey) took their hounds around the very muddy and hilly trail course to finish in a creditable 90 minutes. Also making his mark on the canicross scene, Rob Mace ran the very muddy Canicross Midlands event at Alcester running 2k on Saturday and Sunday in the two dog category (with Miss and Drama) finishing in first place.

At the weekend’s parkruns, Peelers were out and about representing their club at events all over the Midlands. At Tamworth Castle parkrun, Mark Boffey finished first for the club in 25:28 followed by Wendy Roe (32:43); Laura Bowyer (32:44 – personal best); Dave Fern (32:45) and Sophie Galloway (55:00). Meanwhile at Cannock Chase, Caroline Evans crossed the line in 29:11 and at Kettering, Ian Orton finished in 24:19 followed by Michael Hughes in 38:17. At Kingsbury Water parkrun, Tim Clark was first home for the club in a time of 25:13 followed by Chris Bennett (26:51); Tim Mudd (27:00); Roger Eastaff (31:49); Claire Guffick (31:50); Lee Guffick (39:02) and Alison Dolphin (43:09). Representing the club on the south coast, Mick Stevenson ran at Hove to finish in 35:45, whilst at the Wammy, Newcastle-under-Lyme parkrun Martin Hollamby finished in 18:59. At Chasewater, Garth Cox stopped the clock on 26:35 with Jackie Tierney running at Aston Hall in a time of 29:48.

A bright and sunny Sunday saw the second race in the Derby/Staffs Cross Country League for Peel Road Runners. Taking on a revised course of 10k of undulating and (in places) waterlogged parkland at Allestree in Derby, the course was both testing and challenging. First home for the club was second claim runner Rob Dyjak in 6^th place overall (but not eligible for team points), followed by Martin Hollamby as first counter for Peel making light work of the course and crossing the finish line in 11^th place overall. Wayne King was close on his heels in 13^th place, followed by Lee Rickards (20^th); Luke Collins (31^st); James Stretton (53^rd); Scott Chapman (65^th); Michael Shelton (90^th); Allen King (94^th); Ben Dorkins (101^st); Darren O’Leary (138^th); Billy King (140^th); Tim Mudd (145^th); Simon Gordon (146^th); Mark Boffey (150^th); Ian Orton (153^rd); Michael Hughes (172^nd) with Lee Guffick bringing the team home.

In the ladies race, Lisa Stretton was first home for the club in 26^th place, followed by Sophie Galloway (61^st); Claire Guffick (68^th), Jackie Tierney (76^th) and Sarah Boffey (77^th).

Earning her third major marathon medal, Steph Attenborough held her own at the undulating TCS New York City marathon on Sunday crossing the finish line in 5:51:23.

With Saturday’s Tamworth parkrun cancelled due to the preparations for the Fireworks in the Castle Grounds, Peel parkrunners had to travel far and wide to get their weekly 5k fix this week. Running at Braunstone, Leicester Tim Mudd crossed the line in 27:08, whilst at Kingsbury James Stretton was first home in a time of 20:13, followed by Tim Clark (24:37); Lisa Stretton (25:10); Phil Neale (25:46); Darren O’Leary (26:00); Clara Walton (27:43); Claire Guffick (30:12) and Lee Guffick (40:08). At Sutton Park Garth Cox (tailrunner) finished in 55:47, whilst at Delaware and Raritan Canal, New Jersey parkrun, Steph Attenborough stopped the clock on 30:52 and at Alvaston, Allen King clocked 22:43; Chris Bennett (24:05) and Darren Truman (25:41). Travelling a little further to Irchester at Wellingborough, Ian Orton finished in 24:51, Jackie Tierney (30:47) and Michael Hughes (37:17). Mike Shelton stayed closer to home finishing in 24:14 at Beacon, Lichfield whilst Ben Dorkins braved the weather to run at Great Yarmouth North Beach in a time of 27:24. Finally, Mark Boffey (28:57) and Sarah Boffey (28:58) ran at Aston Hall, Birmingham.