Taddington Lanes 4 mile race has long been a fixture in Buxton AC’s events calendar, and this year was no exception. Buxton runners totalled almost a third of the entire field of 92 last Tuesday evening, with 30 athletes taking part. An initial short sharp climb through the village sorts out the field, takes the runners along a ridge of rough lanes before a snappy descent back down and, the sting in the tail, a swift foray along the back lanes. A final sprint back to the village hall completes this tough little local race.
Second home overall was Jake Fearn in a steaming time of 23 minutes and 47 seconds. Junior Dan Soles was third in 24.10 and claimed the prestigious 1st Male Under 19 home. First Female Under 19 and, impressively, first female overall, was the talented Lucy Bednall, 14th placing, in 26.51. Jon Sewell was 10th and 1st Male Vet 40 in 26.03, while Jo Bednall was 26th in 29.46, 1st Female Vet 50. Just two seconds behind Bednall was the ever-improving Katie Rolfe, 29.48 and 1st Female Vet 40.
A couple of fell race reports as the season continues apace.
Firstly the classic Crowden Horseshoe 8 miler, with a route best described as up, up and more up, followed by pathless peat bogs before heading back down again. With almost 1700 feet of ascent, this toughie attracts the cream of the local fell runners. Buxton’s Jason Brunnock added another fine result to his crop of successes with an 8th placing in 71.49, from a field of 139. Pete Bailey was 86th home in 98.23, while Bev Golden finished in 130.13, 136th.
At the lovely village of Pilsley last Thursday evening, 10 Buxton runners took on the challenge of the hilly & testing 6 mile fell race. Brunnock was once again first Buxton runner home, a fantastic third place overall in 41.15, while Amy Wadsworth was first Buxton female home in 54th place in a superb 48.46.
Rob White travelled over to Wales recently to take part in the Parc Cwm Darren 5 mile road race and was rewarded with a fine second placing from a field of 75, in an excellent time of 28.33, and claimed 1st Male Vet. Still on the roads, Alan Talbot was 2nd Male Vet 70 at the Fleetwood Half Marathon, 115th from 430 runners, in a time of 1.48.03, slashing an amazing 10 minutes from the Club Record for the distance.
A Parkrun round-up starts with Bakewell where five Buxton runners from the nine who took part ran personal best times for the course – David Newton (18th in 19.41), Andrew Bromley (110th in 23.23), Tim Rolfe (137th in 24.24), Junior Matthew Rolfe (145th in 24.53) and Mandy Bromley (212th in 27.53). At Glossop, Tracy Gregory finished in 63rd place in 27.51, from a field of 147, and at Macclesfield Michael Abrahams came home in 136th, in 30.12. Pete Bailey took in the Heslington Parkrun at York University while on his travels, and stormed home in 21.31, 71st from a huge field of 523.