TR24

Grantham Running Club had over forty athletes taking park in this year’s 24h Conti Thunder Run at its regular venue Catton Park, Walton on Trent. The Conti Thunder Run is an off-road 10km relay race against the clock. It’s tough and mentally challenging to all competitors whether they’re running solo, in pairs, team of five or large teams of up to eight as they continuously run around the most technically demanding cross country route
from noon to noon. The final glory lap is the reward for any runner if they can begin before the clock strikes twelve.
Top placed finisher for GRC was one of the club’s founder members, Paul Davidson, known more these days as a guide runner for visually impaired athletes he turned back the clock to power to fifth place in the mixed pairs with nine laps including setting his fastest lap some 23 hours into the race to beat the 12:00 cut and earn an extra lap.
In the solo category the stand out performance was from Caroline Davis whose 11 laps placed her 10^th in the female solo category. There were three of the club’s members in the male solo category, with Adam Wasiolka logging an impressive 10 laps over the 24 hours, Chris Limmer completed six in just under eight hours before retiring and Stuart Baty completed three laps on the Saturday and followed it up with another lap the following morning.
The mixed team of five was led out by Matt Williamson and finished in 10^th position. They managed to record 26 laps. Matt clocked the fastest GRC lap of the weekend going sub 43 minutes in his first lap. It’s is a measure of how tough this course was even in the dry that this time was around five minutes astray of where he would be on the road. His sixth lap was going to be his toughest through fighting against fatigue and the noon guillotine to hand over to GRC’s fastest female runner, Catherine Payne for her sixth lap to move the team into the top ten for the first time in the race with over 24 hours elapsed.
GRC’s fastest mixed team of eight was led by Andrew Pask and recorded 28 laps (17^th position) with Sam Clark recording their fastest lap and Jack Dowell finishing the race with a brutal double lap in the heat.
Gordon Geach was captain of the second team of eight who managed 24 laps (37^th position) between them narrowly missing out on the final lap as Grant Davies with his blistered feet, Gaffa taped back together and despite a lung bursting 45:18 last lap missed the handover cut-off by 6 seconds.
Dean Riggall’s team completed 21 laps with Dean who despite being ill all weekend managed the team’s only sub 60-minute lap as they finished in 110^th place thanks to speedy 20^th lap by Sylv Hull to hand over to Tracy Webb for the final lap to move them up four places.
The final team was captained by Sara Pask and completed 15 laps in just over 22½ hours to finish 176^th in their category, their fastest runner was Edina Burns on lap two just as the very heavy rain started.