On a beautiful (if slightly warm!) summer’s evening, a large group of Peel Road Runners took part in the Worthington 6 mile road race (a counting race for the Burton & District Summer League). The race was an out and back course along the Cloud trail (previously an old railway line but now a well surfaced bridleway) finishing at the Malt Shovel pub in the village.
First back for the Peelers was Wayne King in a time 37:03, followed by Mike Shelton (41:53), Adrian Jelley (42:38), Allen King (44:15), Ian Orton (personal best time of 44:56), Phil Neale (45:14), Georgie Mead (46:12), Lorna Carlin (46:38), Chris Bennett (course PB 46:45), Samie Futrill (47:09), Ben Dorkins (47:40), Roger Lloyd (48:43), Garth Cox (48:53), Sophie Galloway (49:15), Darren Truman (52:34), George Hope (54:17), Tracy Ford (54:30), Tim Mudd (54:46), Gillian Jelley (55:03), Carolyne Browne (57:23), Lisa Barnes (59:17), Helen Manton (59:39), Jackie Tierney (1:00:19), Dave Fern (1:04:13) and Val Lawson (1:04:40).
Continuing the theme of BDSL evening races run in very hot conditions, Friday saw the Derby Runner Tara Kinder 10k race at Elvaston Castle in Derby. Three laps of a fast and flat course saw runners protected a little from the elements by some tree cover, but conditions were not conducive to fast times. However, Michael Hughes and Ian Orton ran personal bests in times of 48:35 and 50:08 respectively. Close on Hughes’ heals, Phil Neale crossed the line in 48:43, followed by Mark Boffey (52:56), Tracy Ford (54:30), Roger Lloyd (55:57), Darren Truman (60:01), Sarah Boffey (66:47) and Alison Upton (74:50).
In a week of personal bests for the Peelers, Wayne King was not going to let the side down and ran an impressive personal best time of 29:44 at the Wellingborough 5 mile road race on Sunday.
At the weekend’s parkruns the hot weather was still affecting runners, particularly on those courses with limited shade.
At Kingsbury Water parkrun, Ben Dorkins was first home for the club in a time of 25:02, closely followed by Lisa Stretton (26:12), Katie Stretton (26:12), Darren O’Leary (26:47), Emma Whorwood (34:21), Roger Eastaff (37:34), Alison Dolphin (49:25), Stephen Andrews (49:26), Ann Hill (58:51) and Wendy Bowyer (59:01).
Meanwhile, many Peelers were on tour visiting parkrun locations across the country with Mick Stevenson enjoying the scenery in Skipton and finishing in 43:22, whilst Joanne Sharman and Steph Attenborough travelled to Delamere Forest in Cheshire to take on the (hopefully shady!) trails finishing in times of 57:54 and 57:55 respectively. Running at Whinlatter Forest in Cumbria (renowned as one of the hardest parkrun courses), Peel Superstar Emma Pick finished in an impressive time of 22:04, only three minutes behind Ricky Lightfoot (world champion trail runner and a medallist in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge)! Taking on a fast and flat course at the Fire Service College near Moreton in the Marsh, Chris Bennett was first to finish in 25:16, with Garth Cox (completing his 50th parkrun in a different location) close behind in 26:05, Tracy Ford (27:29), Allen King (27:39), Darren Truman (27:58), Mark Boffey (28:03), Sarah Boffey (34:09) and Jackie Tierney (53:50) carrying the Lanterne Rouge, having been knocked off her bicycle earlier in the week and being restricted to walking. At Jubilee Park Bedford Ian Orton crossed the line in 24:22, whilst closer to home at Beacon Park, Lichfield Lee Rickards finished in 18:07, followed by Mike Shelton in 21:38
Finally, flying the Peel flag at Tamworth Castle parkrun, Judith Matthews finished in 25:58, with Simon Gordon (27:14) and Tim Mudd (28:06) not far behind.