Langtoft 10k

Sub 40 for Sam

The Langtoft 10k Road Race (and 3k fun run) ran once again on the 1st of May after a two year ‘you-know-what’ hiatus, for its 31st incarnation.

A flat, fast course set over picturesque Lincolnshire countryside beckons a small field every year – with numbers capped at 400.

Well-practiced and slick organisation keeps runners coming back year after year, it was a combination of all these factors that made it a GRC GP series inclusion a veritable no-brainer.

The small field is surprisingly competitive, with local elite level and excellent club runners taking to the small village near Bourne.

First home for GRC was Sam Jepson. Finishing tenth overall, he had a lonely race after the opening kilometre. Clocking 35:39 it still represented a 10 second improvement on his previous personal best.

With perhaps the performance of the day, Sam Dodwell stormed home in a fantastic 39:37 to become the latest to break the magical sub-40-minute barrier.

Taking a staggering 2 minute 20 seconds off his PB from Lincoln in October 2021, coupled together with a quite unbelievable 5 weeks of multiple PB’s over multiple distances, this though, probably represents his finest race to date!

Gav Meadows was pleasantly surprised with his result of 40:48.

First lady for GRC, the incomparable Holly Durham shaved 6 seconds of her long standing best from 2018 and secured the Female Vet prize too.

Relative racing novice Daniel Pearce was elated with his 41:37, representing a 55 second PB as was Stef Latter with his own clocking just 9 seconds behind in 41:46 a PB of 49 seconds.

The legendary Rob Howbrook posted a season opening 42:56 and took the V60 age win.

Alan Carley (43:13) was under a minute outside his best, a good return for someone bearing a long-standing niggle.

Nicola Ruston-Lichfield ran solidly to post 46:19.

‘Fresh’ from Boston Marathon, Robert McArdle dug deep into his well of experience to post a very credible 46:23.

A welcome return for Tony Johnson saw him clock 46:36.

Stuart Reader ran a rather neat 47 minutes flat.

Ultra and trail runner Andrew MacAllister was rightly thrilled with his showing of 47:49

Ben Mason will no doubt use his 48:14 as marker for the remainder of the year, he pipped the prolific racer Caroline Davis to the line – again a (UK) Boston Marathoner less than 2 weeks prior – she finished 48:17, staggeringly, her second quickest 10k ever.

Caroline was an unwitting pacer/marker for Michelle Parczuk, who was thrilled at clocking a ‘mojo boosting’ PB, despite coming in a little unprepared. Running 48:49 it took 19 seconds off her previous best at the Stilton Stumble in October of 2019.

Paul Jepson was rightfully, very pleased with his day’s work as he set his fastest time for 6 years, crossing the line in 49:33.

Just behind was Philip Crowcroft, enjoying his run he posted sub 50 in spite of less-than-ideal preparation the previous day. 49:46 the final clocking.

Mark Rice ran his own superb race to shave 4 seconds off his hitherto PB, clocking 51:03 he continues to improve race after race.

Pleased to be back racing again after injury, Martin Carter was chuffed with his efforts and performance. Racing a solid 51:53 it set a line in the sand to springboard back to form again throughout the year.

Next, Fraser Marshall put his own claim in for the performance of the day to rival Sam. His impressive comeback continues to bear fruit as his discipline and new training regime comes to the fore.

Thinking more conservatively than perhaps he should have, his game plan was quickly revised and revised again as he defied his own expectations. A finish time of 52:20 he was clearly elated – it represents a 2 minute and 38 second improvement from Oundle 10k in 2020.

Paul Davis, Wayne Baxter and Tommy Napier were separated by just 20 seconds. All three off their best but happy with racing again and looking to improve over the rest of 2022. They ran; 52:23, 52:37 and 52:43 respectively.

Naomi Rivers was happy to comeback after a long injury layoff and run 52:56 and finish under her target 54 minutes. Yvonne Buckley continues to fly in the face of age slowing her down – her 60:08 was her second fastest 10k to date coming close to her best set in 2015!

Emma Hopkinson, a relative newcomer but with the running bug firmly having taken hold, was happy to finish in 61:19 despite setting off a bit too quick.Racing only for the second time with the Green Army, Holly Wragg 62:36 was ever so delighted to take an impressive 1 minute and 15 seconds off her previous quickest time.

Tracy Webb another pleased with her work as she finished in 66:28 nursing some niggles and fitness setbacks recently. All in all, a pretty great day for GRC. Many concluding that the small but competitive field of 283 is surely set to return to pre-pandemic numbers next year!

The race was won by Ben Herron of Peterborough & Nene Valley AC in 31:43. the leading lady was Philippa Taylor of Helptson Harriers AC in a time of 39:49

Another PB for Fraz

 

 

Wymeswold Waddle 5

The Waddle is part of a very enjoyable village event that includes multiple rubber duck races (with various betting pools), a tough ducker obstacle course event for the youngsters and various fete stalls including trampolines, inflatable slides, tea and cakes from the Scouts etc. Unsurprisingly for a successful village fete, it takes place in front of one of the local pubs, who sponsor the barbeque.

The first event of the day is a 5 mile out and back UKA approved chip timed run along a closed road starting at the edge of the event (within sniffing distance of the Sunday morning bacon sandwiches!). The route is simple and basically rises, with a few undulations, to the turn-around point with a water station, then returns the same way to the finish.

The 2022 event unfortunately didn’t sell out, which is disappointing for a friendly event with relatively low prices and a t-shirt, water bottle and banana at the end, as well as activities for family spectators. However, 228 people finished with the first man home being Aston Perrin of Long Eaton in 25:44 and the first woman being Gemma Steel (yes that one) in 26:54.

Grantham Running Club’s only participant was Peter Bonner who finished in 15^th place with a chip time of 32:29. Peter’s review is that this is a good race, close to Grantham and should be more visible to other Club Runners. The course requires careful management with the first half being mostly uphill, but the advantage of the out and back format is that everything that goes up in the first half allows you to go down in the second half. This fed into Peter’s preferences and he was able to overtake half a dozen runners in the second half to finish strongly.

 

Longhorn 10K

 

The Thoresby estate provided the was the setting for the SBR Longhorn Running Event which ran over a multi terrain course of tracks, tarmac and woodland.  The event offered a range of distances from 5k up to the 60k ultra along with Cainicross.

The backdrop to the start and finish to all races was the majestic Thoresby Hall; formerly a private home built in the 17th century for the 3rd Earl of Manvers but more recently a luxury hotel set in tree studded grounds.

Grantham Running Club had 4 members participating this year with three in the 10k event which went off at 11.00am. First home for GRC was Rachel Deans with a fantastic time of 59:58 which gave her a PB of more than 4 minutes, made all the more impressive with the undulating course, ground conditions and the blustery wind.  Knowing her race was going well and the finish line was in sight, Rachel dug deep running into a head wind to push onto the finish line.Julia Hallam and Yvonne Buckley largely ran the race together enjoying the scenic course and the fantastic weather, finishing in 1:16:32 and 1:16:33 respectively.

The final GRC runner in the 5k event was Brendon Buckley in his first competitive race for over 3 years due to prolonged injury.  He was a little disappointed with his time of 38:36 but was happy to at last be on the long road back to full fitness. 

Everyone agreed that SBR once again put on a terrific day’s racing with each entrant receiving medals as well as category winners. The marshals were friendly and encouraged each and every runner and great event photos were provided for free, making it a favourite event for many GRC members.

Leicester Big 10k

 On a sunny April Sunday, Grantham Running Club members Natalie Hardwick and Emma Weighill ventured along the A46 to the Leicester Big 10k. 

The welcomingly flat route started and finished in the very pictureseque Abbey Park and consisted of a mixture park, closed road and the canal path with a repeated loop.

Natalie, having signed up to the covid-postponed GRC Couch to 5k in 2020, diy'ed her training program during the first lockdown. Progressing by herself to 10k in the 2nd lockdown, she debuted her first race at Lincoln in October in memory of her Dad. She then committed herself to her first half marathon, completing the rather undulating Rutland half at the beginning of April. Today, as a newly found Grantham Running Club member, she completed the Leicester 10k in 01:01:30. Emma tailed her, coming in at 01:02:20.

Run for Wildlife Spring 10k

 

On the 24^th of April, 2 members of Grantham Running Club made the journey up the A1 to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park for the inaugural Run for Wildlife Spring 10k. Starting in the car park the route took the runners into the wildlife park with runners getting glimpse of the animals enclosed in the park from Sea Lions, Tigers, Zebras and even Polar Bears.  The Baboons were particularly amused/bemused by the runners in streaming by, some in rather eye-catching animal outfits.  Plus Tarzan.

 First home for GRC was Sam Dodwell making use of his current form clocking 41:19 which was a 38 second PB from Lincoln last year.  This was in the same week that he set a blistering PB at Boston Half Marathon and only 3 weeks since his PB at Manchester Marathon. Following a while later was Sylv Hull who only the day before participated in the Tough Mudder event, and was happy to clock a time of 1:01:07 on battered legs

The runners were awarded with a Tapir themed medal and a cupcake plus all participants got a free day pass to the wildlife park so had a great day out seeing all the animals out and about (some must have known it was a Sunday as they were having a lie in).  Highlights included seeing a Polar Bear having the time of his life bathing with a canoe.

 

1^st Place Male – Stuart Spencer 33:17

 

2^nd Place Male – Lee Varley 34:59

 

3^rd Place Male – David Robinson 35:10

 

1^st Place Female – Sarah Imbush 42:08

 

2^nd Place Female – Georgia Hird 42:23

 

3^rd Place Female – Louise Gossage 44:20

Boston Half and Full Marathon

On bank holiday Monday 18th April, 22 members of GRC took the trip along the A52 to Boston where twenty took on the Half Marathon and two ran the full Marathon.

Both races started in the Market Place with the race taking runners east through Freiston and then to Butterwick where the route splits with the Half marathoners heading back home going through Fishtoft and finishing at Boston College. The marathoners headed up to Old Leake before heading back towards Boston and re-joining the Half Marathon route back at Butterwick.  

First back for GRC was Sam Dodwell clocking 1:31:07 which was a 4:33 PB. Following closely behind was Robin Atter in 1:32:58 which was a 34 seconds PB. First lady home for GRC was Willow Stacey 1:43:47 which knocked a massive 17:33 of her previous PB. Following Willow was Kirsty Dickens 1:44:09 clocking an impressive 3:15 PB.

GRC had three members of 2021’s Beginners program, with two taking the next step and running their first Half Marathon. Under the tutelage of coach Chris Limmer who had given them all training plans to help them prepare for the race and spent his race supporting them all throughout the race. The three members were: Marj Spendlow 1:57:40, Chloe Amos 2:27:43 (23:45 PB) & Holly Wragg 2:28:19.

Other mentionable PBs:

Fraser Marshall 1:58:05 (3:56 PB)

Louise Kennedy 2:22:21 (10:19 PB)

For the Full Marathon, 2 members took on the 26.2mile race with Robert McArdle clocking 3:44:08 and Caroline Davis following behind with a time of 3:54:13.

Full GRC results:

Sam Dodwell – 1:31:07

Robin Atter – 1:32:58

Darren Coats – 1:38:08

Gav Meadows – 1:38:18

Willow Stacey – 1:43:57

Kirsty Dickens – 1:44:09

Martin Rodell – 1:51:08

Anthony Boyle – 1:51:28

Chris Limmer – 1:57:37

Marj Spendlow – 1:57:40

Fraser Marshall – 1:59:05

Mark Rice – 2:04:22

Mark Edwards – 2:08:02

Sylv Hull – 2:13:40

Andrew Bawden – 2:13:45

Kate Marshall – 2:15:36

Emma Hopkinson – 2:20:26

Louise Kennedy – 2:22:21

Chloe Amos – 2:27:43

Holly Wragg – 2:28:19

Tracy Webb – 2:35:34

 Marathon:

Robert McArdle – 3:44:08

Caroline Davis – 3:54:13

Everyone was extremely impressed with the excellent organisation of the race with friendly marshalls and fantastic local support and a rather unique race t-shirt for finishers.

The Half Marathon was won by Simon Birch of Hinckle Running Club (1:09:03) and first female Lindsay Skinner of Off That Couch Fitness (1:19:35)

The Marathon was won by William Strangeway of Lincoln Wellington AC (2:25:11) and first female Natasha White (2:59:07)