| 22nd May |
I've just learnt that Dave and Sarah Wilson both ran in the Clayton 10k last Wednesday. Dave was 40th in 40:10 while Sarah recorded 43.14 to place 4th lady. Sarah was delighted with her prize and run, knocking 69 seconds off last year's time on a tough undulating 2 lap course. |
| 21st May |
Near perfect conditions saw 21 Whippets contest the first of this year's Handicap races. Fastest time of the day was recorded by Dean Richards who completed the challenging 3 mile circuit in 17:42.
This race is one of the qualifying races for the Club Championship and the results see John Dillon topping the Men's Championship havinmg completed at least one race over all 3 distances. The Ladies Championship is still led by Emily Dove but no lady has yet to complete all the required distances. Sue Taylor has sneaked into 3rd place with her handicap run but needs to run at Lake Vyrnwy to complete the set!
|
| 18th May |
Three Whippets took part in the popular and fast Christleton 5K last night. First home for us was Graham Jones in 17.22. Gareth Dodd continued his return to form with a fine 17.51 while Dean Richards knocked nearly 45 seconds off his PB! Well done Whippets.
For those that like these things - the race was won in a very fast 13:59! |
| 15th May |
Gail Graham also ran the Chester Half Marathon, running a PB and coming home 3rd F60. Gail's time of 1:54:40 is also a new Club Age Record. Her age percentage also puts her well up as a contender for the Club Championship - just a 10k (Ellesmere?) and Handicap race needed! Well done, Gail! I'm too modest to say I helped her with a useful final training session last week! |
| 12th May |
There were two key Club Championship races today. Some 36 Whippets ran in the Market Drayton 10k, while another half dozen took part in the Chester Half Marathon.
The cool weather and new course at Market Drayton seems to have resulted in a large number of Personal and Seasonal Bests as well as Club Age Group Records for Rob Sharam, Daren Peacock and Ken Robbins. There really were too many great performances for me to comment on individually but I was particularly struck by the runs of Ken Robbins and Rachael Foster.
It was also good to see a nummber of new and returning faces! Our first man home was Gareth Dodd, while Vicky Leese led home the ladies.
The star at Chester was Emily Dove who came home in 171st place - 5th lady! Emily Ran 1:28.04. Emily was joined by James Walker, Stephen Cope, Jackie Eccleston, Keith Cotton and James Marsh.It looks like there might have been PBs for Jackie Eccleston and James Marsh.
After those two races the top 3 in the Men's Championship are John Dillon, Richard Stewart and Rob Sharam while the leading ladies are Emily Dove, Jo Medowcroft and Sarah Owen. The next race in the series - the first 5k - is the Club Handicap on Tuesday 21st May.
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| 11th May |
Graham Jones warmed up for the forthcoming christleton 5k with 2nd place in the Delamere Park Run. Graham ran 18:04 |
| 6th May |
Only a few results to report so far from the Bank Holiday weekend. Dean Richards and James Walker took the opportunity to run in Park Runs at Delamere and Harrogate on Saturday. While on Sunday, Neil and Jenny Spencer backed up Gareth Dodd in the Keith Ivison Memorial 5k |
| 29th April |
Highlight of the weekend was the Manchester Marathon which saw Jo Meadowcroft run a superb PB and set a new Age Record. Paul Dobson was the only other Whippet to complete the course - as far as I can see - Paul ran 4:26:13.
Elsewhere, Heather Stewart continued her rich vein of form setting a new PB in the Plymouth Half Marathon while Jon Morgan was 15th in the Telford Park Run on Saturday.
This morning Mel Oulton got in touch to say that she also completed the London Marathon - running for a charity which is why we missed her performance! Mel ran 4:22:35.
|
| 21st April |
Near perfect conditions saw 6 Whippets battle their way round the London Marathon. Rob Sharam was first back, sneaking inside the 3 hour barrier with just one second to spare - I bet that was a frantic last 50m sprint!
Rob's time was an Age Record as was Fiona Challinor's new PB of 4:24:07. Dave Wilson also set a new Personal best by running 3:01:03. A post moprtem over a few beers will be needed to find out what happened to Dean, Richard and Keith. Well done to all the Whippets! |
| 15th April |
Great to see the sun again - and not freeze! Sadly a fairly quiet racing weekend. I only know about two races featuring Whippets. Rachel Prince debuted over 10k with Fiona Dillon in the Whitley 10k, while Daren Peacock forced his body round the Newcastle(Staffs) 10k. |
| 8th April |
Three Whippets tackled the new Wrexham Roadrunner 10k yesterday. The trio were led home by Gareth Dodd who finished 11th in 38:06. Gail Graham had an excellent race setting a new Age Record while Daren Peacock's consistency showed his current good form.
On Saturday, James Walker and Pippa Mahen ran in the Harrogate Park Run.
|
| 31st March |
It may not have been warm, but conditions were good for fast times in the Air Products 10k. Bob Wilson was first male Whippet home in 41st place recording a time of 38:51. First lady home was Heather Stewart who knocked more than three minutes off her 10k best! Simon Phillips is playing a more cagey game - slicing just 2 seconds off his age record! There were also PB's for Daren Peacock, Claire Stewart and Sue Taylor.
This day also saw the running of the postponed Ironbridge Half Marathon, although it doesn't look like any Whippets ran. Please correct me if you know otherwise.
The next races in the Club Championship are the Chester Half and Market Drayton 10k - both on the 12th May. |
| 27th March |
Yesterday saw the club's AGM. The only key business was the appointment of the committee for the new year. I'm afraid that you're stuck with me as Chairman for another two years! But there have been other changes.
With Rob Sharam off to France on a sabbatical this summer Dean Richards has taken up the
post of Treasurer. Rob has been an excellent Treasurer and is a great stalwart of the club and he will certainly be missed during his absence. Rob will however be running as a Whippet in France - I look forward to reporting his foreign race results. Dean has a hard act to follow!
Also standing down were Kate Waterhouse (Social Sec) and Ken Robbins. I'd like to record my thanks for their services on the committee over the past years - we certainly enjoyed the social events organised by Kate! Willing replacements have been found in the form of Adam Richards and John Dillon.
And I didn't even have to twist any arms! Adam Richards has volunteered to take on the role of Social Secretary and is open to suggestions.
Your new committee comprises:
Simon Parsons (Chairman)
Alison Birch (Secretary)
Jon Morgan (Club Captain and President)
Dean Richards (Treasurer)
Jenny Spencer (Membership Secretary)
Simon Phillips (Handicapper and XC Captain)
Adele Minshall (Welfare Officer)
Adam Richards (Social Secretary)
Sara Rogers (Press and Kit)
John Rowlands
Keith Cotton
John Dillon
|
| 17th March |
Two Half Marathons to report this weekend. Linda Callaghan ran in the Liverpool Half while Fiona Challinor and Dave Wilson completed the Stafford Half. Fiona was delighted to break 2 hours for the first time. While Dave writes:
Another busy weekend starting with a trip to Congleton Parkrun to help a friend from the South Cheshire Harriers return back to fitness following a double broken leg.
Today I raced at the fantastic Stafford Half coming home in 95th position from 2071 runners in a time of 1:26:19
|
| 16th March |
Judging by the snow falls we're still somewhere in Winter, although there was clearly a spring in Rob Sharam's step as he recorded 2:15:59 for the Rhayader Round the Lake 20!
|
| 12th March |
It's been bought to my atttention that the Helena Tipping results from December have been adjusted since I posted them - thanks Fiona! Times have been adjusted for the better for James Walker and later finishers. I've corrected our results accordingly. |
| 11th March |
The Stafford 20 results are now out and show that 4 Whippets ran yesterday. Dave Wilson was first back and writes:
Sarah and I raced at NSRRA Race number 2, Stafford 20 today. It was Sarah’s first race at the 20 mile distance and the weather couldn’t have been much worse, driving snow,
freezing cold and blowing a gale. It didn’t put her off and she did very well, coming home in 2:42. I managed to knock 7 minutes of my 2012 PB coming home in 2:18:20.
We also saw Keith Cotton and Richard Stewart there and I think they came home in around 3:05 and 2:38 respectively.
|
| 10th March |
The spring racing season has started in earnest with Whippets in action at Ellesmere, Fradley, Trafford and Stafford.
The Ellesmere Half Marathon is one of the club's Championship nominated races, and although poorly attended by Whippets this year, did see Mel Oulton and James Marsh post Championship scores. Emily Dove was first Whippet home in 13th place - given her hard race yesterday it's perhaps not surprising that she didn't record a faster time than she ran at The Village Bakery Half!
Daren Peacock ventured over to Fradley for a fast flat 10k, while Dean Richards joined John and Fiona Dillon in the Trafford 10k. Dean was very pleased to set a new 10k PB - knocking 51 seconds off his old time to head this year's 10k rankings.
I haven't yet been able to find times for the Stafford 20 - I'll post results and a report tomorrow.
|
| 9th March |
Big congratulations must go to Emily Dove on representing Shropshire in the National Inter Counties XC Championship at Birmingham. Emily finished in 185th place in the top class field and was the 3rd Shropshire scorer in a team of 6. Heading Emily for Shropshire were Claire Martin and Alison Lavender - so Emily was in
excellent company! Shropshire were 28th out of 33 teams. |
| 5th Mar |
Saturday saw Dean Richards try out the new Park Run at Delamere forest. Dean was 12th in a time of 19:15 over the 5k course.
Dave and Sarah Wilson, meanwhile, were down in London for the Triathlon show.
Dave writes:
"Sarah and I managed to get a couple of runs in whilst visiting the Triathlon Show at Sandown Park this weekend. First (on Saturday) we joined the masses (904 runners) for the Bushy Park Run which was a fantastic experience. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
We ran together for most of the way, I finished in 21:02 and Sarah just behind in 21:34.
Yesterday(Sunday), we both ran in the Tri Show 10k which is a chipped, technical, undulating two lap course on a variety of surfaces around the racecourse and stables, I finished in 39:40 and Sarah finished in 45:47.
Next race for us both will be Stafford 20 next weekend."
|
| 28th Feb |
To avoid a clash with the Ironbridge 4 on the 3rd July we have taken the decision to move the Dearnford Lake Relay to Thursday 11th July. Same time, same place and same great race!
|
| 26th Feb |
A very quiet weekend - with just one earlier result to report. Graham Jones was 11th in the rearranged Severn Loop 5k in Shrewsbury on the 17th. Just returning from a dodgy non-running injury, Graham ran the 5k in 18:28.Nearly missed it, sorry Graham!
|
| 19th Feb |
Sunday's Village Bakery Half saw a good number of great performances, so it's no surprise that a Club Record was set alongside two Age records.
Emily Dove knocked a staggering three minutes and six seconds off Vicky Leese's old record, while Simon Phillips and Jo Meadowcroft both set new Age records!
|
| 17th Feb |
For once, the weather gods smiled on Wrexham for the Village Bakery Half Marathon. The 2nd race in this year's club championship series saw half a dozen PBs set - with Emily Dove taking a staggering seven minutes off her Half Marathon best! Simon Phillips took two and a half minutes of his best, while there were also Pbs for
Dean Richards, Jo Meadowcroft, Paul Dobson and Sarah Owen.
Rob Sharam was our first man home in 59th place with Emily in 97th position. Emily was the 9th lady. Well run, all!
After 2 races in the Championship, the top 3 men and women are:
Men
1.John Dillon 163.30
2.Rob Sharam 147.43
3.Simon Phillips 140.12
Women
1.Emily Dove 151.62
2.Jo Meadowcroft 149.85
3.Sarah Owen 115.48
The next race in the series is the Air Products 10k on the 31st March
|
| 11th Feb |
Simon Phillips, Rob Sharam and Brian Hickson braved attrocious conditions to take part in the Long Mynd Valleys Race on Sunday.
Simon writes: "I haven't done a race report, as there would be too much swearing"
For the record the results were:
58 Robert Sharam 2:20:43
93 Brian Hickson 2:37:33
99 Simon Phillips 2:40:43
|
| 10th Feb |
The final results for the North Wales XC League have now been published. As expected, our men finished in 4th place - our highest ever position.
The ladies managed to claim 6th place due to some great placings from Emily Dove - and with good support from Kate Smith, Emily Davies and Stephanie Beecham.
Well done folks, our improvement was noticed in the season's write up by the league organiser - it's going to be even harder to improve next season, but we'll have to give it a go! |
| 3rd Feb |
The Alsager 5 saw just four Whippets take part this year. This year it was a chipped race, which must have helped with the timing and results as it has been quite a congested race in the past.
First home for us was Dave Wison, followed by Daren Peacock, Sarah Wilson and Alison Birch. |
| 2nd Feb |
Today saw England trash Scotland at Twickers - sorry, wrong story, I'll start again. Today saw the final fixture in this year's North Wales XC League. A full men's team, but just one lady, travelled to Oswestry for the challenging final match.
Thanks go to James Marsh and John Dillon for completing the team at short notice. It's even rumoured that John enjoyed the mud and hills and can't wait for next season. He goes to see the doctor this week!
All being well the men will have finished in 4th place - our highest ever league position. Thanks are due to Simon Phillips and Kate Smith for their work as Captains.
For the record our finishing positions were:
29 Rob Sharam
43 Dean Richards
65 Simon Phillips
86 Brian Hickson
92 John Dillon
108 James Marsh
Emily Dove finished 8th Lady. |