Saturday saw Lee Rickards and Stuart Hatton take on the epic challenge of Marathon Eryri, formerly known as the Snowdonia marathon. With almost 850 metres of elevation and some classic Welsh wet and windy weather, it was no easy feat. The spectacular route circles Yr Wyddfa; starting and finishing in Llanberis, and includes climbs through Pen y Pass, Beddgelert, Waunfawr, and Bwlch y Groes. Glutton for punishment, Lee completed his seventh outing at the event, with a course pb of 3:22:40, shaving 4 minutes off his previous best. Meanwhile Stuart ticked this one off his bucket list by completing the event in 5:24:26.
Hosted by KP Events, the Tamworth 10k kicks off and finishes in the stunning grounds of our hometown gem, Tamworth Castle. The race features two scenic 5k loops that take runners through the castle grounds, the town centre, and the canal paths in Fazeley. With its flat, fast course and friendly atmosphere, it’s ideal for both serious runners chasing a PB and those just out to enjoy the views and soak up the vibe. As you’d expect from a local favourite, plenty of Peelers were out in force, either racing or cheering on from the sidelines. Ian Orton crossed the line first in 44:29. Georgie Mead stormed the last 200m completing in 47:56 and pipping Garth Cox to the line who crossed seconds later in 47:58. Next home was Chris Bennett 49:33 followed by Tracy Ford (52:41), George Hope (54:20), Tracy Lattimore (56:09), Sarah Boffey (57:53), Lisa Barnes (58:05), Lizzie Young (58:29), Lydia Trenfield (58:43), Emma Whorwood (1:01:37) and Alison Upton (1:05:22).
Up in the stunning Peak District, runners took on the Monsal Trail at a weekend event hosted by Nice Work, with both half marathon and 10k options available on Saturday and Sunday. Starting at the old Bakewell station, the route follows a former Midland Railway line, taking runners through four tunnels and across the breathtaking Monsal Viaduct, surrounded by some of the best scenery the Peaks have to offer.
A strong Peel turnout saw Roger Lloyd lead the team home in 1:57:48, followed by Emma Petriccia in 2:17:28. Seasoned runner Dave Fern took the opportunity to run alongside his daughter Amy Davis in her half marathon debut; the pair crossed the line together in 2:24:17. Wendy Roe also added a half marathon to her list of accomplishments, securing a time of 2:35:32, whilst husband and wife duo Claire and Lee Guffick finished in 2:28:44 and 2:35:33 respectively, with Lee smashing a massive 16-minute PB. Great running all round from the Peel crew!
There were spooky goings on in the Worksop Halloween half marathon where runners were encouraged to embrace the party atmosphere and don fancy dress. The popular event was first held in 1982 and attracts around 3000 runners each year. The leafy course winds through the autumnal beauty of Clumber Park and although known for being undulating, it still offers PB potential. Emma Pick added the event to her ever- growing list of triumphs achieving a 1:17:25 PB, taking the trophy for first female and an impressive 10th overall.
A few members went international this week. At the 39th Venice Marathon, Ben Dorkins joined over 20,000 runners to take on his first marathon. With warm sunshine and a splash of ‘acqua alta’ (high water), the event had a distinctly Venetian twist. Ben crossed the line in a strong 4:16. Also flying the Peel flag were Ash Baldwin, who stormed to a rapid 2:40:37 finish, and Rachel Naylor, who completed the course in an impressive 4:14:26.
Meanwhile over in Dublin jet setters Steph Attenborough and Joanne Sharman conquered ‘Heartbreak Hill’ at the Dublin marathon, finishing together in 5:50:23 and 5:50:24.
Despite the busy race calendar, plenty of Peelers still made time for parkrun, with some using it as a warm-up for their main event.
On the Parkrun tourism trail were Simon Gordon – Huddersfield (26:38), Emma Pick – Sandwell Valley (1st lady, 19:47), Ian Orton – Marine Parade (21:53), Michael Hughes – Thonock Lane Farm (23:46), Jonathan Allen – Troon, Scotland (25:20), Darren Truman – Colby, Wales (28:13), Jackie Tierney – Old Railway Trail, Llangollen (30:47) and at Father Collins, Ireland – Jo Sharman (44:26) and Steph Attenborough (44:37).
Closer to home Kingsbury hosted Ash Goodman (23:16), Anne Whitby-Smith (24:38), Tracy Ford (24:51), Lisa Stretton (25:01) Katie Stretton (25:47), Darren O’Leary (27:40), Sarah Boffey (28:20), Wendy Bowyer (36:31), Lee Guffick (36:31), Roger Eastaff (36:32), Sarah French (57:46), Alison Dolphin (57:47), Nicola Bannister (57:48) and Stephen Andrews (57:50). Babbs Mill was the choice for Garth Cox 26:06, Mike Shelton ran Beacon Park in 20:17 whilst Danny Beardmore (20:14), Allen King (23:51), Chris Bennett (24:05), Mark Boffey (24:12), Billy King (24:55), Sophie Galloway (25:08), Tim Mudd (28:16) all selected Tamworth.
The canicross Peel contingent were at Alcester for the 2nd instalment of the canicross midlands series. Rob Mace ran in the master male short course with Murphy, on his first competitive outing. The duo achieved 2nd place overall. In the long course Neal Dempsey ran Lillian and Elvis achieving 3rd place and came 2nd in the short course with Banana, Pine and Paddington. Helen Dempsey placed 4th in the female vet long course with Sydney and Hugo and 6th in the female vet short course with Patch.
Lydia Trenfield had a busy end of the week starting with Hyrox Birmingham, her first competitive event which she nailed in 1 hour 18 minutes. With just 24 hours notice Lydia then took on her first full marathon distance, completing the New York virtual marathon, secure a place in next year’s event. In true Peel spirit, members joined her at various stages, including the Tamworth 10k, to support her journey. Lydia’s grit and determination saw her complete the distance in 5:27. A brilliant example of club camaraderie and resilience!