The counties of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire were the challenging “playgrounds” for Buxton AC athletes this past week.

Ten Buxton AC athletes trekked over to Staffordshire to race in the sixth of the Staffordshire Moorlands Summer Series events at Oakamoor, and with flying feet, Elliot Meylan sped round the rugged five mile course in an amazing 28 minutes and 56 seconds, fourth overall from a field of almost 200. Chris Rushworth was rewarded with an 11^th placing, in 31.08, while Fran Ross, in her first race of the series, shone in 1^st place home for the Buxton ladies in 98^th place (38.33). Another tussle for Adele Thornton and Sheila Bradley ended up with Thornton snatching 2 seconds lead, finishing in 39.58 (106^th) to Bradley’s 40.00 (108^th, 1^st FV60). Equally noteworthy was Charlie Narejko’s huge 5 minutes improvement from last year.

On the same evening, a couple of hardy fell running fiends competed in the local Winster fell race, a 4 miler with a few tough ascents to test the legs. Tania Wilson was first FV50 in 44^th place in a time of 32.23, while Pete Bailey finished just behind his team-mate in 45^th, in a time of 32.29. 128 runners took part.

Ashbourne Half Marathon is a test by any measure, and a route description of ‘undulating’ is no exaggeration. This didn’t deter Rob White or Alan Talbot, both finishing with merit – White as 5^th finisher in an awesome 1.19.12, 5^th overall from a field of 362, while Talbot claimed 1.50.16, 156^th.

Two other Buxton AC runners took to the roads last Sunday, this time at the Alderley Bypass 10K race in Cheshire. Fran Ross smashed her personal best time at the distance by over 5 minutes, finishing in 46.08, while Sol Clark steamed home in 36.29, 27^th overall from a field of 320 runners.

Results from the 4 mile Chrome Hill start with Nick Jones finishing in a superb 40.34, followed by Richard Bouglas in 42.42. Tania Wilson was on fire, almost literally given the blazing hot weather, finishing 50^th in 46.43, with Sam Willis racing home in 48.39. Heather Wilshaw was 1^st Junior home in 54.57, 87^th overall. There were 120 runners.

Eleven Buxtonians valiantly faced the mammoth climbs of Sugar Loaf Hill and Wetton Hill at the Warslow Fell Race. Some 6.2 miles in length and almost 2,000 feet of climbing, the route gives very little chance of respite, with climb after climb. Jacob Winfield, talent and hard work paying off, lead the Buxton field home. Sam Willis, demonstrating her increasing skill on the fells, was 5^th female home and 1^st FV40, while Jo Bednall was a brilliant second female home and 1^st FV50. Heather Fryer-Winder was first local female to finish.

At the English Fell Championships, the fourth race to count is BlackFell out of Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales. Taking in the climb up the notorious Great Whernside not once, but twice, this is not for the nervous of disposition. Jason Brunnock pushed himself to the limits and was rewarded with a 58^th finishing place from a field of 273, in 1.28.41 for the 15K race which has over 2,500 feet of ascent. Tania Wilson finished in 2.03.07, and currently lies 5^th in her age category.

Bakewell Pudding Race saw three Buxton AC runners represent their Club – Jason Brunnock was 7^th finisher from a field of over 180, and in a time of 41.42 , while Jason Bennett came home in 44.22 in 19^th position. Teresa MacMillan finished in 78.34.