The 2023 Burton & District Summer League culminated in the Presentation Evening on Friday and several Peel Road Runners were able to celebrate their successes. Emma Pick finished a superb season of racing winning the SL category, having run every race in the series with distances from 2 mile relays through to half marathon! Wayne King finished first in the highly competitive M40 category, a prize he has had in his sights for several years. James Stretton came second in U25 category, with Billy King third in the same age group, showing the strength of talent among the younger Peelers.
At Sunday’s Carsington Water trail half marathon, Peeler Billy King ran a strong and well paced race to finish his first half marathon in 1:56:47, just behind Allen King who finished in 1:55:17.
Over the weekend, Steph Attenborough ran the Enigma Death Star half marathon (2:44:48) and the Southend Pier marathon (consisting of 11 out and backs along the world’s longest pier) in 5:56:29, which completed her 100 marathons in 100 weeks challenge!
Taking on a different challenge, Luke Collins ran the North Arden Heritage Trail in a time of 4:21:15, which if verified, will give him the fastest known time for this run taking 00:04:43 off the previous record! (The North Arden Heritage Trail covers canal towpaths and public footpaths and trails around Atherstone, Mancetter, Arley, Fillongley, Shustoke, Nether Whitacre, Hurley, Baddesley and Merevale).
After years of planning, Tamworth Castle parkrun held its inaugural run on Saturday. As is normal with inaugural parkruns, the event was not advertised but still managed to entice over 200 runners to try out the new course (possibly aided by Kingsbury’s parkrun being cancelled due to flooding). Representing the Peelers, Emma Pick was first across the line in 19:55 followed by Ben Dorkins (22:17); Garth Cox (23:59); Chris Bennett (24:39); Darren Truman (25:55); Allen King (26:01); Sarah Boffey (28:01) and Jackie Tierney (28:58).
At the weekend, Neal and Helen Dempsey took part in the Thoresby Leafkick 10k canicross race running with dogs Banana, Elvis, Minstrel and Sydney. They crossed the line together in 1:13:01.
Parkrun tourists included Ian Orton (23:09) and Michael Hughes (34:34) at Northampton; Sarah French (51:56) and Ann Hill (51:56) at Conkers; Steph Attenborough (parkwalker – 51:13) at Rushborough; Mike Shelton (22:53) at Sutton Park; Tim Mudd (25:37) at Babb’s Mill; Michael Stevenson (34:22) at Warwick Racecourse and Sophie Galloway (27:12); Dave Fern (30:29) and Joy Sykes (31:49) at Beacon Park, Lichfield.
