Tamworth 10K

Tony Johnson of Grantham Running Club ran the Tamworth 10K on Sunday 6 October. The race started in the beautiful grounds surrounding Tamworth Castle, winding its way through the grounds and out into the town following a canal section in Fazeley, before returning to the castle grounds for the finish. The race was voted fourth best 10k in the UK by Runner’s World in 2013. Conditions on the day were almost perfect, with the sun shining for the duration of the race and only a moderate breeze.

Finishing thirtieth overall in a time of 40:40, Tony commented, “Despite heavy rain in the lead-up to the race that had threatened its cancellation due to flooding on the course, only one short section remained under three inches of water.  Running through this meant I got my trainers cleaned after the mud at the finish of last week’s Robin Hood Half Marathon!”

The race was won by Phil Wolfe of Cannock and Stafford in 36:00 with Olivia Harris of Royal Sutton Coldfield Athletics Club winner of the women’s race in 39:49. 561 runners completed the race, who all received a medal for their efforts.

Chester Marathon

Andy with his medal at the racecourse after the finish

Grantham Running Club had two athletes complete this year's multi-award winning  marathon from the historic City of Chester. Now in its tenth year it is widely regarded as the "runners" marathon of choice has been selected as a qualifying race for the 2021 Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships! Although not the fastest of courses it gives a fair challenge to those who don't mind a few hills.

Andy looking good early on

 
Going into the race in good form Andy Atter was determined to have a crack at not only setting a PB but in going sub 3:10 to earn a coveted UK ranking to match the ones he has already obtained for 10k and the half marathon. Andy started strongly with a first 10k split of 45:31 which included the sharp rise for the racecourse up and round the old city before accelerating through the second 10k in 44:46, he was inside target at half way. With gritted teeth he stayed with the pace in the third 10k despite a mile long hill in mile 18 but then found the next section a bit too testing and dropped almost five minutes between 30 and 40k. In the final 2k the last thing he needed on tired legs was a wet and slippy cobbled stone path beside the river but unfortunately recent flooding meant the usual racecourse finish has been substituted for a tougher and must twistier park and riverbank section. Andy finished in 3:17:07 within five minutes of his PB.

Also taking part was veteran Robert McArdle running this race for the second year in a row, despite feeling unwell in the build-up he decided to start the race regardless no doubt spurred on by the thought of one of the best goody bags in British Marathons but by 2k he knew it wasn’t going to be his day, going through 10k he was already two minutes adrift of his target time which had slipped to 6 minutes by half way. Reduce to walk run by 16 miles he was able to enjoy the final ten miles joking with other runners and enjoying a nice day out in the English and Welsh countryside. By the end he was just pleased to finish in 3:51:42 around half an hour slower than his best but still good enough to secure at top 250 UK Ranking in his Age Group.

Rutland Water parkrun #194

Round fifteen of the 2019 Grantham Running Club Grand Prix Series took place at Rutland Water parkrun on Saturday 5^th October. By happy coincidence the free-to-enter timed 5k run was celebrating fifteen years since the first Bushy Park Time Trial took place on Saturday 2^nd October 2004: a low-key enterprise that has grown to become parkrun - one of the most popular sporting activities in the country and rapidly establishing a foothold in countries all over the world.

The Grantham tourists were warmly welcomed by the organisers of Rutland Water parkrun at the HQ by Normanton Church.  Participants were blessed with still, cool conditions on a flat out and back course that is regularly blighted by winds blowing across the exposed man-made reservoir. The only hindrance was arguably the abundance of sheep droppings on parts of the course which were a little slippery if accidentally trodden in!

First of the thirty six GRC members to finish was Matthew Kingston-Lee who, on his Rutland Water parkrun debut, finished first overall in a GRC parkrun club record 16:22. Bettering his previous parkrun PB, set at Ferry Meadows in 2015, by fourteen seconds, the time rewarded him an age grade of 85.95% which closed the gap to under four points on current Men’s GP Series leader Rob Howbrook. Rob himself scored an impressive 84.87% with his 19:04 clocking.  

Aside from Rob, all the GRC runners who broke 20 minutes, save for Jason Blair (19:56), set new parkrun personal bests. They were: Joaquim Jeronimo (17:56); Peter Bonner (18:43); Andrew Pask (19:17) and Sam Jepson-Rivers (19:34).

Penny Hodges was the first GRC woman to finish, coming home in 22:01 at her first outing of 2019.  The run netted an age grade of 69.90%, slightly higher than Hannah San Jose, who finished immediately behind Penny in a new parkrun PB 22:07. Michelle Parczuk ran well to finish in 23:10 which earned her an age grade of 70.67%. Naomi Jepson-Rivers was the other GRC woman to break 24 minutes, her 23:43 parkrun PB impressively exactly one minute quicker than her previous best set at Rutland Water a week earlier! Sarah High, who was the next GRC woman to finish in 25:04, claimed the highest age grade by a GRC female with 73.21%.

On a very successful day the other GRC runners to claim parkrun personal bests were: Jack Dodwell (20:21); Sam Dodwell (20:51); Matt Fryer (20:54); Craig Drury (21:32); Dale Towning (25:39); Vicki Hardy (25:53); Vicki Ball (26:16); Tracy Webb (28:00); Angela Carr (28:19); Amanda Hetherington (28:49); Yvette Taylor (29:37); and Clare Arthur (35:18). Additionally, Paul Jepson (24:01) and Kate Marshall (28:28) set Rutland Water parkrun Personal Bests.

A total of 391 runners took part in Rutland Water parkrun #194.

GRC Times:

Name	Time
Matthew Kingston-Lee	16:22
Joaquim Jeronimo	17:56
Peter Bonner	18:43
Matthew Williamson	19:01
Robert Howbrook	19:04
Andrew Pask	19:17
Samuel Jepson-Rivers	19:34
Jason Blair	19:56
Jack Dodwell	20:21
Sam Dodwell	20:51
Matt Fryer	20:54
Craig Drury	21:32
Penny Hodges	22:01
Hannah San Jose	22:07
Michelle Parczuk	23:10
Stuart Baty	23:38
Naomi Jepson-Rivers	23:43
Paul Jepson	24:01
Sarah High	25:04
Wayne Baxter	25:15
Dale Towning	25:39
Vicki Hardy	25:53
Vicki Ball	26:16
Tracy Webb	28:00
Angela Carr	28:19
Sue Swann	28:33
Kate Marshall	28:43
Amanda Hetherington	28:49
Suzanne Hardy	29:31
Yvette Taylor	29:37
Simon Hartley	31:09
Edina Burns	31:11
Melissa Hetherington	31:34
Robyn Wilding	32:11
Samantha French	34:04
Clare Arthur	35:18