Badgers men reclaim DRCCL cross country league title
BADGERS men hung on to their lead at the top of the Derby Runner Cross Country league in the last race of the season at Market Bosworth to take the title they held consecutively for many years before losing it to Poplar RC last season.
An unauthorised ski trip left the club bereft of a number of regular scorers but thankfully their strength in depth shone through as they held off a spirited challenge from West End Runners who finished runnersup.
Not only did the club have their men’s team picking up some silverware but the strength of the ladies side this season enabled Badgers to take the mixed team title too, the first time they have done so.
It was veteran ace Neil Russell who led the way, putting in a terrific performance to finish in a career high 4th place overall on a swampy Battlefield Centre course, coming in at a touch over five miles.
The Bulkington based athlete is in the form of his life at present and it is no surprise that when he features in the team be it on the road or the mud, Badgers always do better. Not only did Russell win the V45 age category across the series, but his score was the fifth highest of all athletes irrespective of age, a phenomenal achievement.
Danny Warren stumbled out of his sick bed to complete a full house of appearances for the season, all of which were in the top ten thanks to his 10th place here. It’s safe to say a fully fit and firing Warren would likely have been the race winner on Sunday but the club chairperson took great pride in his team taking back the trophy they had held for so long.
Key men Glyn Broadhurst (16th) and Chris Tweed (26th) put in quality shifts for the club with Mark Coggan battling fatigue to score heavily too. With a long list of absentees, it was thanks to the likes of Dave Jackson and Sam Starkey who both made themselves available for the fixture, stepping up to secure the win. Ashley Taylor rounded up the scoring eight with plenty of back up in close proximity in the form of Stefan Martin, Matt Green, Chris Young, Colin Lees and Paul Grubb.
Rob Crow battled hard in atrocious underfoot conditions with Matt Smith and V75 age category series winner Peter Greenfield also doing well. Eamon Thawley continued his streak of cross-country race appearances, taking his total to a club leading 50 not out.
In the second division, the ladies team have made significant strides forward under new captain Megan Griffiths. She led from the front, despite not being a fan of off-road racing and led the side home here in a fine 23rd place. In a league of twenty teams, Badgers finished an excellent third overall, with hopes high for even better next term.
Old stager Stephanie White was next through in a classy 49th place with plucky Jane Barrett two spots behind. Grace Barsby capped a magnificent debut season with a top class 52nd place, a contender for improver of the year without doubt.
Three places behind her was the impressive Kat Wilson, while Judy Parkes, made the top fifty with the veteran quartet of Jo Hardy, Joanne Crow, Kerry Clover and Anne Devenney all following home in quick succession, after bearing the very worst the infamous Bosworth Bog had to offer.
There was just enough time postrace to get cleaned up and changed before race entries opened for the first road league race of 2024, the Kibworth 6 later in the month.
Attention will be on the tarmac, and hills in this case, as Badgers hope to make it five wins on the trot in the men’s competition alongside a rapidly improving ladies outfit.
There was some action away from cross country, Sarah Reynolds and Clare Mellor both ran 2:26:02 in the Carsington Water half marathon while over the same distance, Lee Talbot took some nine minutes off his personal best with a time of 1:42:42 at Newport.
At Parkrun, Jill Miller finished first lady at Kingsbury with Jane Barrett and Alice Belcher also in the top ten. Matt Green took 4th and Neil Thorne 5th in the men’s ranks. Glyn Broadhurst made light work of his injured knee with a win at Melton Mowbray in 18:42, Megan Griffiths taking fourth female in 23:55. Beth Woodward clocked a rapid 23:16 at Tamworth Castle Grounds to take second spot. Suzy Farrell at Leamington and Lee Talbot at Newport also made the top ten in their events. Dave Jackson missed out on a top ten spot by just one place with a punchy run at Walsall Arboretum in a time of 19:26.