This week not only bought the sunshine, but also the return on Sunday of the annual Peel Road Runners event, the ‘Gate Gallop’. The event helps raise much needed funds for the local St Giles Hospice and this year was again supported by the fantastic ‘Simon’s Heroes’ charity and all their amazing volunteers. The ‘Gate Gallop’ has been running for over 25 years and over that period has raised an amazing £100,000.
The race starts and finishes at Anker Valley Sports Complex in Tamworth and takes runners onto the fields and footpaths around the beautiful River Anker and the Warwickshire Moor. The route consists of both track, grass fields and concrete paths to give runners a bit of everything. The runners were also welcomed back to Anker Valley to the sound of live music and there were many stalls set up, with the cake stand being a firm favourite.
Ian Orton was the first Peeler home in (50:19) followed by Kirsty Welsh (51:44), Carloyne Browne (1:0017), Lydia Trenfield (1:03:32), Emma Petricca (1:05:31) and Emma Livingstone (1:06:15).
This weekend also saw the return of the Derby Half Marathon, also know as Ramathon which is one of the oldest and biggest event of its kind in Derbyshire. The route starts and finishes at Silk Mill Park close to Derby Cathedral and takes in Pride Park Stadium, Alvaston Park and the stunning scenery of Elvaston Castle Country Park. The course is fast and flat.
Peeler Wayne King finished in a fantastic time of (1:23) followed by Jacob Thorold in (1:43:48), well done both.
A little further afield Peelers Joanne Sharman and Stephanie Attenborough took on the LDWA Coast to Coast Challenge, which is 36 miles across Scotland from Ullapool to Ardgay, which they both finished in a fantastic 11 hours and 51 minutes. As if that wasn’t enough, they followed this by a trip further north to Thurso to volunteer at Millbank Boating Pond Junior Parkrun.
Parkrun events
The Peelers also took full advantage of the lovely weather, attending many of the local Parkrun events too. Many runners attended the local Tamworth Castle Grounds Parkrun. Trevor Thompson was the first Peeler back in an impressive (22:55) followed by Sophie Galloway (25:21), Tim Mudd (26:48) and Christie Rosser (27:12).
There was also a strong attendance at Kingsbury Waterpark Parkrun too. With Mike Shelton the first Peeler to cross the line in a fantastic (21:55); followed by Darren Truman (27:44) and Emma Whorwood (35:41). Many Peelers travelled further afield too with Chris Taylor (33:47) and Stella Taylor (40:21) finishing at Alvaston, and at Beacon Park Lee Rickards came in at (18:34) followed by Jamie Abbiss (19:40) and Garth Cox (23:19). Darren O’Leary ventured to Centennial and finished in (27:11), Charlotte Fielding ventured to Clapham Common and finished in (29:28). Ben Dorkins attended Coronation Park and finished in an (24:42). Mark Boffey finished Crosby in (26:10) followed by Lisa Barnes (31:58), Sarah Boffey (32:47 – Which was also Sarah’s 100th Park Run location, which is known as the Cowell Club) and Jacqueline Tierney (32:50). Ian Orton attended Medina IOW and finished in (23:42) and finally Michael Stevenson attended Warwick Racecourse and came in at (41:50).
