Folksworth 15

Pasky, Robert, Catherine, Sam, Holly and Gordon after the race

Chris first home

Over four hundred runners, including sixteen members of Grantham Running Club, descended on the Cambridgeshire village of Folksworth on Sunday 20^th January for the annual 15 mile road race. The two lap race contains some energy sapping climbs and provides a real test for runners, many of whom use the event as a training race for a spring marathon.

The Folksworth 15 is a race regularly blessed with freezing temperatures – the snow afflicted race in 2018 was described by winner Aaron Scott as ‘the worst conditions he had ever raced in.’ Although it was a cold morning, conditions were generally favourable for racing – the presence of the winter sun ahead of the 11am start necessitated many to make a few last minute changes of attire.

Tony keeping Andrew honest

The first finishers for GRC were Jonny Palmer (a second claim GRC member – his first claim club Bourne Town Harriers) and Chris Limmer who came home very pleased with their efforts in sixteenth and seventeenth respectively in 1:32:59 and 1:33:21. Having been within a few seconds of each other during the first few miles, a short break where Chris stretched a tight ankle meant Jonny pulled clear. Feeling good, Chris recovered some of the ground over the second lap on Jonny, both of whom enjoyed a quicker final lap to make up significant time on those around them at halfway.

Classic Gav

Joe Clarke was third home for the club, continuing his fine run of form to finish in 1:39:26. Men’s Team Captain Andrew Pask (1:40:59) ran a morale boosting 4 ½ minute course PB at a pace comfortably inside that needed to run a sub three hour spring marathon. Tony Johnson finished not far behind Andrew in 1:41:46, claiming fortieth overall and fifth in a highly competitive MV50 age category. Shortly before jetting off to Gran Canaria for the first of two Spanish marathons, Gav Meadows was pretty happy with his 1:45:29 considering it was run without his usual pre-race taper.

First race in 6 months

Sarah Chynoweth was the first GRC woman to finish. Following Gav throughout the race she very nearly caught him at the end, finishing in an excellent 1:45:41. This placed her a fine eighth in the women’s race and third senior woman to finish leading the female team to runner's up position.  Behind Sarah came Catherine Payne (1:53:31) who arguably put in  the performance of the race by a GRC runner. In her first race since suffering a severe injury competing at the Thunder Run 24 Hour Race in July 2018, Catherine ran superbly to finish thirteenth woman overall and first FV50 runner for the third year in a row. Sandwiched between the two, Dean Riggall finished in 1:48:36, treating the race as a progressive training run.

Justyna longest race

Behind Catherine, Rob McArdle finished ninth in the MV55 category in 1:58:11. He was followed by Penny Hodges who was disappointed with her time of 2:01:38, despite this being four minutes faster than her 2018 time. Caroline Davis was pleased to better her 2018 time by over ten minutes in 2:04:52. In his longest ever race Sam Jepson-Rivers ran an impressive even paced 2:06:05. In his first race since the 2018 Folksworth 15, Gordon Geach was pleased that the weather was better than in 2018 and happy that 2:07:27 represented a 25 minute improvement on his effort twelve months ago. Warren Stark felt the cold and the hills on the second lap but should be content with his 2:13:59, given that his half marathon PB is just two minutes quicker. In her longest race to date Justyna Gill was the final GRC runner home in 2:54:02.

The race was won by David Hudson of BRJ Run and Tri in 1:19:55 with Jordan Foster of Nene Valley Harriers the women’s winner in 1:35:44.