A skittering of snow in Buxton and surrounding areas didn’t quite bring life to a total halt late last week, perhaps briefly, but Buxtonians don’t let such minor matters deter them. Several Buxton AC runners took part in the nationally popular parkruns in the area on Saturday morning, returning with first rate results.
At Bakewell, Jason Brunnock’s first outing at the 5K parkrun along the Monsal Trail from Hassop simply sparkled, giving him a fantastic first place in 17 minutes and 39 seconds from a field of 110 runners. Paul Light, meanwhile, was first Male Vet Over 60 at the Macclesfield event, finishing in 33rd position from a sizeable field of over 250, in 23.50. At the hilly Lyme Park, on a course more like a run on the local fells, Matt Hawtin finished in a fine 13th in 22.57, while fellow team mate Mark Thorogood was 50th in 26.33.
Further afield, Ross Martland completed the Darlington Parkrun in a very respectable 21 minutes, with a 26th placing out of a huge field of 375.
Tracey Gregory’s liking for racing was in evidence over the past couple of weekends, and whatever the weather, there’s no deterring her. At the Langsett Loop trail marathon, which includes 5 laps of the reservoir with steep & stony climbs and descents, she faced gale force winds and driving rain. Despite the conditions, her finishing time of 5.13.34 was very respectable. Last weekend, at the novel Three Halls of Stockport 10 mile race, where entrants must check in at Bramhall Hall, Abney Hall and Bruntwood Hall on a self-navigated course, Tracey was 5th female finisher, 55th overall, from a field of over 150 runners.
The first half marathon of the 2019 season is not for the faint-hearted, the undulating Four Villages Half Marathon from Helsby in Cheshire. Two Buxton AC runners, well used to the challenge of a hilly course, took part last weekend, with Emma Wentworth finishing in 1.45.17 and Simon Moorhouse in 2.01.33.