Buxton AC’s 2018 Club Championships are drawing towards the final stages, with just one race remaining after last weekend’s tough Meerbrook 15K.
Renowned as being the third most challenging at the distance in the country, the race is set in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands with beautiful views over the Cheshire Plains. Some 13 Club Members braved the climb up Gun Hill, and weren’t found wanting with a team prize and two age category prizes coming home to Derbyshire. Jake Fearn (8th), Jason Brunnock (10th) and Ben Light (11th) packed terrifically well to claim 1st Senior Male Team, while Rob White earned his 1st Male Vet 40 placing, as did Tania Wilson with her fantastic 1st Female Vet 50 position. A great day out for Buxton AC.
Still on the roads, but on a pancake flat course over in Southport, there were three personal best times out of the contingent of seven Buxton runners at the 10K. Both Adele Thornton and Fran Ross claimed PBs (48.29 and 51.10 respectively), while Paul Wardman knocked 20 seconds from his PB, finishing in a splendid 42.20 and in 75th position, impressive given the 1600 field.
A little closer to home was the undulating Macclesfield Half Marathon, and three athletes headed over the hill to take part, all coming home with personal best times. Alan Talbot’s season is going from strength to strength, and his time of 1.43.19 gave him not only a PB but first Male Vet Over 65 prize too. Sarah Guise dipped under the two hour mark, in 1.59.29, while Tracy Gregory, after a weekend of races, did well to claim a PB of 2.05.38.
On the very fast 5 mile course, with several hundred feet of climbing, the aptly-named Chelmorton Chase fell race saw almost 70 runners take part. First home for Buxton was Richard Bouglas, finishing in a great 4th place in 34.23, while Richard Goff finished in 33rd in 39.12. Heather Fryer-Winder, a welcome returnee to the racing scene after a lengthy injury-break, ran well to finish in 51.20.
The Padfield Plum Fair Scamper sounds like a fun day out, however it’s more of a scramble given the climbs along the route, not that this deterred Jake Fearn who triumphed with 1st place in a time of 37.55 at the 5.5 mile fell race recently. Clubmate Jason Brunnock followed Fearn’s lead and came home in 5th position in 40.01, while Tania Wilson was jubilant with her 1st Female Vet Over 50 placing in 50.52.