Featured events this month:
- Ilmington 10k
- Broadmeadow Marathon
- Keyworth Turkey Trot Half-Marathon
- Sneyd 10 mile Christmas Pudding Run
- Bedford Half-Marathon
- Birmingham & District Invitation Cross-Country League Ladies' Race 2
- Birmingham & District Invitation Cross-Country League Men's Race 2
Ilmington 10k - 27 December
| 46 | Dave Fawkner | 49:29 |
Invited by a couple of Sphinx runners, I agreed to run a 10k around a hilly course in Ilmington. This is the distance I really struggle with, and after the excesses of Christmas this run was to be no different. Everything seemed ok for the first 1k, but then the hill began and my legs were complaining. I think I may have been the first to start walking before the mile mark, and I began to wonder how I could finish the race without turning and heading back to where I had started. The hill was relentless and I kept walking and wondering how I've completed other much longer races. I managed to keep going and eventually the hill came to an end shortly before 4k. I waddled around the rest of the course only stopping 2 or 3 more times to walk the hills. The finish line was more than welcome, but I have come to terms that I'm terrible at 10k! I had better start training! :-)
Broadmeadow Marathon - 11 December
| Tony Bowe | 5:14:49 |
Gloriously scenic albeit informal marathon around Stratford upon Avon and local villages, much of it cross country and canal towpaths. Only about 30 to 40 competitors, so no mass start, in fact no start full stop, You just set out when you arrived and were ready. The checkpoints, situated in people's front gardens and garages, were abundantly stocked with nuts, raisins and cakes of all sorts as well as liquid refreshments. Navigation and orienteering skills were a must. Mine were not so good and I managed to turn this marathon into an ultra. Highly recommended
Keyworth Turkey Trot Half-Marathon - 11 December
| 54 | Mark Baker | 1:27:45 | |
| 83 | Richard French | 1:30:14 | |
| 600 | Claudie Combelas | 1:56:59 |
Sneyd 10 mile Christmas Pudding Run - 11 December
| 50 | Pete Fellows | 1:05:30 | |
| 89 | Robert Simpson | 1:09:42 | |
| 99 | Andrew Ralph | 1:10:39 | |
| 271 | Helen Morris | 1:25:17 | |
| 336 | Roy Pye | 1:32:27 | |
| 350 | Tony French | 1:33:50 | |
| 358 | John Ralph | 1:34:56 |
Bedford Half-Marathon - 11 December
| 125 | Amanda Deavy | 1:27:36 | PB | |
| 193 | Richard Hands | 1:31:16 | ||
| 200 | Steve Bottomley | 1:30:55 | ||
| 266 | Dave Fawkner | 1:34:54 | ||
| 368 | Antony Forde | 1:38:16 | ||
| 388 | Tony Hughes | 1:38:25 | ||
| 433 | Chris Jones | 1:40:00 | PB | |
| 591 | Craig McNaney | 1:44:18 | ||
| 620 | Kevin Coughlan | 1:44:49 | PB | |
| 656 | Sarah McNaney | 1:46:05 | ||
| 659 | Cath Fenn | 1:46:15 | ||
| 711 | Steve Handy | 1:47:18 | ||
| 868 | Robert Pool | 1:51:50 | ||
| 927 | Corinna O'Connor | 1:53:54 | ||
| 937 | Anne Hughes | 1:54:10 | ||
| 952 | Gemma Nash | 1:54:43 | PB | |
| 1284 | Sean O'Connor | 2:07:22 | ||
| 1285 | Linda Richards | 2:07:22 | ||
| 1338 | Joanne Moyse | 2:09:09 | ||
| 1344 | Abbe Humphries | 2:09:29 | ||
| 1455 | Lee Hill | 2:22:33 | PB | |
| 1462 | Jack Langman | 2:24:11 |
Birmingham Cross Country League Ladies' Race 2 at Abington Park - 3 December
| 46 | Rebecca Smith | 29:23 | |
| 47 | Alix Critchley | 29:28 | |
| 103 | Cath Fenn | 32:46 | |
| 129 | Clare Rowntree | 34:54 | |
| 154 | Corinna O'Connnor | 37:52 | |
| 176 | Linda Richards | 40:35 | |
| 188 | Lee Hill | 43:43 |
Northbrook Ladies
14th position on the day (from 13 teams)
Northbrook Masters
11th position on the day (from 24 teams)
Birmingham Cross-Country League Men's Race 2 at Burbage Common - 3 December
| 18 | Mick O'Shea | 38:21 | |
| 31 | Richard Hodge | 40:10 | |
| 39 | John Wilson | 40:44 | |
| 47 | Mark Baker | 41:15 | |
| 48 | Mike Wheeler | 41:18 | |
| 52 | Paul Stead | 41:24 | |
| 57 | James Joyce | 41:44 | |
| 64 | Pete Fellows | 42:08 | |
| 70 | Richard French | 42:29 | |
| 90 | Pete Austin | 43:52 | |
| 104 | Steve Mason | 44:46 | |
| 111 | Andrew Ralph | 45:06 | |
| 115 | Paul McGurk | 45:47 | |
| 117 | Clive Horton | 46:06 | |
| 124 | Tony Hughes | 46:33 | |
| 135 | Chris Jones | 47:27 | |
| 146 | Tony Bowe | 49:08 | |
| 147 | Craig McNaney | 49:12 | |
| 150 | Allan Walsh | 50:05 | |
| 155 | Steve O'Shea | 51:05 | |
| 169 | Fraser Barrett | 59:35 | |
| 172 | Tony French | 67:06 |
Men's 'A' Team
6th position on the day, 4th position overall after
Race 2
Men's 'B' Team
2nd position on the day, 2nd position overall after Race
2
Another cracking turnout for the Northbrook boys, my chest filled with pride as I saw car after car turn up with Northbrookers wanting to run. It’s a real credit to the type of club we are that we can put out a time like this.
A pretty flat 10.5km course, with a boggy section meant that it was pretty fast. Reasonably good weather also meant for some good times. The expected reduced field didn’t occur and if anything the field was stronger than the first race. The men’s A team came in 6th on the day with an improved points tally than the first race and held onto 4th overall. Unfortunately we are now over 200 points from 3rd and looking unlikely for promotion. But never say never, anything can happen and if CLC striders, Trentham or Knowle & Dorridge slip up then we will be right on their tails, CLC are already getting worse so could be our target for race 3. Even if the ‘A’ team can’t do the business on the day the ‘B’ team certainly did with a points total 260 points better than race 1, an incredible improvement. Well done to all.
Lets continue our improvement on the 14th January - John Wilson