It was all about the three “C’s” for Buxton AC athletes last weekend – Chicago, Chester and Congleton, and an assortment of personal bests, first marathons and age category wins added the icing on the cake.
Paul Wardman knocked a huge 21 minutes from his marathon time in the “Windy City”, Chicago, with a stunning time of 3 hours 35 minutes and 3 seconds, while partner Kathryn Dobson, competing in her first ever marathon, ran a very respectable 4.49.13. Over 41,000 took part in the mostly flat race, but wet and windy conditions ensured that the event lived up to the city’s reputation!
Meanwhile, Chester Marathon attracted almost three thousand runners, making Dan Latham’s debut marathon finishing position of 395th in 3.13.03 an outstanding result. Equally impressive was Chris Rushworth’s debut time of 3.34.02. A regular on the race scene, Alan Talbot smashed his personal best time to finish in 3.47.06, another record to add to his growing list of race records. Also bobbing under the elusive four hours were Stefan Ledin (3.40.26), Emma Wentworth (3.55.06) and Kate Ledin (3.55.19).
Congleton’s Half Marathon is notorious for its “sting in the tail” finish, and the undulating course takes no prisoners. Not fazed by the threat of a few hills were Kevin Mottram, Sheila Bradley and Sam Willis. Dipping under the hour and a half for the first ever time, Mottram came home in 1.29.16 (51st), Sheila Bradley was 1st FV60 in a season’s best time of 1.45.28, (168th), and Sam Willis completed the trio in 1.49.41 in 202nd place, from a field of over 400.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, yet another PB was won by Andy Lidstone over in the Rochdale 10K, just slipping under 40 minutes by one second, with a 24th position from almost 500 runners, a fine result. At the same venue, but over the half marathon distance was Tracy Gregory who finished in 2.06.11.
It would be easy to say that the Club’s “Dream-On” Mile Club Championship race is an easier option compared with the marathon and half marathon distances, but the pain is equal to, if not more fierce because of the all-out sprint pace. Around a two-lap course in the beautiful Pavilion Gardens, Junior Lucy Bednall not only claimed first female home in 5 minutes and 40 seconds, but was first overall Junior, demolishing her own Club U17 record by a huge 15 seconds Second home for the ladies was returning-to-form Amy Clark in 5.49, closely followed by Elle Wilson, another Junior of amazing talent, in 5.50. First male home was Jake Fearn in a terrific 4.57, second was Ben Light in 5.16 and just a couple of seconds later was Rob White in 5.18, taking first Over 40. Jonty Brown, at the tender age of just 9, was first Junior Male home in a remarkable 6.20. Sheila Bradley broke the Female Over 60 Club record, finishing in 7.26.