A busy weekend for the Peel Road Runners with a club Presentation Evening and a 10k race, a fun run and a children’s race to organise!
On Friday evening, the Peel Road Runners were able to celebrate the achievements of club members at their first Presentation Evening at Bolehall Manor for three years due to Covid restrictions. Club Chairman, Lee Rickards and President, Ray Rogers presented the Standards Awards first (these are presented to runners who have achieved a specific distance/time result relating to their age and gender). The following Peelers achieved standards of: Malcolm Bembridge – silver 10K, gold 20 mile, bronze marathon; Chris Bennett – bronze 5K; Mark Boffey – silver 5K, bronze 5 mile; Carolyne Browne – Silver 5K, silver 10 mile, silver half marathon; Lorna Carlin – bronze 5 mile, bronze 10 mile; Luke Collins – bronze 5K, bronze 10 mile; Garth Cox – bronze 5 mile; Bob Donovan – bronze 10K; Ben Dorkins – bronze 5K; Martin Hollamby – gold marathon; Allen King – bronze 5K; Wayne King – gold 5K, gold 10K, silver 5mile, gold 10 mile, gold half marathon, DIAMOND 20 mile; Rob Mace – silver 5K, bronze 5 mile, silver 10 mile; Stella Martin – bronze 5K, bronze 10K; Judith Matthews – bronze 5 mile, bronze 10 mile, silver half marathon; Donna Reid – bronze 10 mile, bronze half marathon; Lee Rickards – gold 20 mile; Rachael Rickards – silver 5K, silver 5 mile, silver 10 mile, silver half marathon; Richard Satchwell – bronze 5K, bronze 10 mile, bronze half marathon; Mike Shelton – bronze 20 mile; Lisa Stretton – silver 5K, silver 5 mile, silver 10 mile; Darren Truman – bronze 10K, bronze 10 mile and Natalie Walker – bronze 10 mile.
In the main awards, the following Peelers achievements’ were recognised: Most Promising Female Runner – Lorna Carlin; Most Promising Male Runner – Allen King; Most Improved Female Runner – Claire Guffick; Most Improved Male Runner – Mark Boffey; Female Veteran 35-45 – Rachael Rickards; Male Veteran 40-50 – Wayne King; Female Veteran Over 45 – Lisa Stretton; Male Veteran Over 50 – Malcolm Bembridge; Cross-Country Full Series – Sophie Galloway; Best Female Runner – Emma Pick; Best Male Runner – Martin Hollamby; Marathon Award – George Hope; Club Person of the Year (female) – Christine Norris; Club Person of the Year (male) – Mike Shelton; President’s Award – Sandra Ingram.
Most Promising Female Runner – Lorna Carlin 
Most Promising Male Runner – Allen King 
Most Improved Female Runner – Claire Guffick 
Most Improved Male Runner – Mark Boffey 
Female Veteran 35-45 – Rachael Rickards 
Male Veteran 40-50 – Wayne King 
Female Veteran Over 45 – Lisa Stretton 
Best Female Runner – Emma Pick 
Best Male Runner – Martin Hollamby 
Marathon Award – George Hope 
Club Person of the Year (female) – Christine Norris 
Club Person of the Year (male) – Mike Shelton 
President’s Award – Sandra Ingram
With thanks to Andy at Bolehall Manor for providing a great venue and the The Livin’ Tones for an amazing live performance. The evening was best summed up by Club President, Ray Rogers who said, “I felt the biggest winner was the family Peel. We’ve not only got through a very difficult period of time that has affected the whole world, but have come out as strong, if not stronger than before!”.
Following on from the successes of Friday night, the Peel Road Runners then put on their annual running event in support of St Giles Hospice on Sunday. Starting at the Anker Valley Sports Complex, the day started with the children’s races with over 50 speedy sprinters running two laps of the sports fields and enthusiastically showing the adults how it should be done! This race was followed by the 4.5k Fun Run before the finale of the 10k Gate Gallop race. Both the Fun Run and the Gate Gallop followed a scenic off-road route around the fields and trails from the Anker Valley, with approximately 250 runners of all abilities taking part in the two events.
In the Fun Run, Adam Lightfoot (of Stafford Harriers) crossed the finish line first in an impressive time of 19:46, followed less than a minute later by M16 Thomas Quinn in 20:34 and George Haddock (M16) of Tamworth AC in third place in 21:28. First lady home was Lily Quinn in a time of 21:45, just beating her mum in second place in 21:52. Third lady was Rachel Robins in 22:39.
In the Gate Gallop 10k race, the competition at the front of the field was very hard fought with the first five runners finishing within 18 seconds of each other! Daniel Maskew of Wolverhampton & Bilston AC was first to finish in 36:23, closely followed by Liam Harrold of Aldridge RC in 36:25 with Tom Potter (Ivanhoe Runners – 36:30), Mark Parker (Ivanhoe Runners – 36:37) and Finlay Cross (unattached – 36:41) close on his heels. First lady across the line was Amy Lowe of Washlands Women Runners in an impressive time of 42:23, nearly two minutes ahead of the second lady, Eleanor Fowler (Badgers RC – 44:21) and third lady, Emma Pick (Peel Road Runners – 44:36). The men’s team prize went to Tamworth AC (Gordy Smith, Ash Baldwin and Robert Dyjak) with the ladies’ team prize going to South Derbyshire Road Runners (Sara Insley, Katie Dennis and Tracey Glover). In total, 217 runners completed the race, with Christine Norris (F70+) receiving a special reception from her club (Peel RR) as they cheered her over the line at the end of her ‘last’ Gate Gallop race.
In other events, new club member Ian Horton ran the rather warm and undulating two lap Torbay half marathon in a time of 1:57:48. The scenic course started in Paignton before following a ‘closed to traffic’ route to Torquay and back taking in Torre Abbey along the way, a route which is then repeated!
Meanwhile at the Race to the Tower event along the Cotswold Way, ultra runner Neal Dempsey completed the testing 52 mile route (which included 5948 ft of climb!) in a time of 15:35:40.
