It’s been a busy old week for Buxton Athletic Club runners, with a dozen or so races to choose from, and terrain to suit all tastes right across the board – fell, cross country and road.
A sizeable number elected to take part in the Club’s Cross Country Championship race at Grin Low last Thursday, with an amazing 64 Seniors and Juniors running. From the first 10 finishers, five were Seniors and five Juniors, a clear demonstration of the up & coming talent in the Club’s Junior Section. Jake Fearn was first home over the two lap course in 20 minutes and 18 seconds, with Ben Light close behind in 20.42. Sam Soles was first Junior home, and third overall in 21.02, while Will Longden was hot on his heels in 21.05, 4th overall. Samantha Willis ran strongly to claim first female position in 26.11 (23rd overall) with Tania Wilson next home in 26.58 (26th overall). In the Junior one-lap race, Ellie Wilson was a clear winner in 11.24, followed by Amy Whelan in 12.24. First boy home was Ben Hawtin in 12.27.
Still on the local front, at the monthly Gardens 5K last Saturday and despite the damp conditions, 62 hardy runners turned out to take part in this popular local event. Buxton’s Rob White led the field from the outset, maintaining his lead for the entire three laps, storming home in a commendable 17.51, while Gareth Briggs of Wolverhampton & Bilston followed in 18.10. Briggs’ daughter Louise Hackett was not only first female home, but first Junior home too in a speedy time of 20.01. Second female was Buxton’s Emma Wentworth in 22.39, and taking the first F40 place too. Buxton runner Jon Sewell claimed first V40 placing in 20.53, and teammate Alan Talbot was first V65 in 22.19. Buxton’s Ben Hawtin was first Junior male in 22.30.
Alan Talbot’s regular spells of warm weather training are paying dividends, and after a summer of personal bests, his latest coup is Vet Over 65 Club Record for the 20 mile distance in a cracking time of 2 hours 48 minutes and 16 minutes over at the South Cheshire 20. Clubmate Paul Wardman was 59th from the field of 190 in 2.36.01. Not wanting to rest on his laurels, Talbot was first over 65 male at the Vale of York Half Marathon last weekend in a very respectable time of 1.39.04.
A day trip to Wales for a couple of the Club’s female runners resulted in a smashed PB time for the distance for Sam Willis by a huge 5 minutes in 1.43.57, while Sheila Bradley was 2nd over 60 female in 1.47.13 at the scenic Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon.
Kevin Mottram was the sole Buxton representative at the distinctly wet Ipstones 5 mile road race, but gave a good account of himself in coming 32nd from a field of 146, and in a course PB of 33.48.
As the fell season draws towards its latter stages, with a flurry of races packed into the calendar, Buxton athletes strive to take part in as many as possible.
At the John Hewitt Shelf Moor fell race, with a 1500 feet of climbing over 5.7 miles, Ben Light demonstrated his season’s form with a fantastic second overall placing in 40.24, while teammate Jake Fearn was 5th in 48.55. Richard Goff finished in 65.05, and Pete Bailey 66.09.
From a sizeable field of over 230 runners, Richard Bouglas was the sole Buxton representative at the testing Barrel Inn fell race, which starts and finishes at the picturesque and plague-free village of Eyam. Bouglas finished the 6.5 mile race in 50.56 in 46th position.
The Great Longstone fell race covers almost 5 miles with just short of a thousand feet of climbing and traverses Longstone Edge. Buxton fielded six Senior runners and first back from the 204 field was Nigel Jeff in 36.26 in 56th place. First female home was on-form Janet Taylor in 111th place in a time of 41.33.
Ilam fell race is a challenging Category A event in stunning White Peak countryside, with a route that takes in three unbelievably steep climbs in a relatively short distance of 4.7 miles, firstly taking in Bunster Hill and the summit of Flagpole Hill before ascending the distinctive Thorpe Cloud. Buxton athletes aren’t known to be faint-hearted and seven members rose to the challenge. First home was Jason Brunnock from a field of 111 in 9th place in a time of 41.51, while Debbie Hope claimed the FV40 prize with a time of 53.26, 53rd overall.