2014 Race Reports
Dirt Half Marathon - November 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Stevenson)
Wootton Road Runners took a team of 21 athletes to the tough Dirt Half Marathon in Leighton Buzzard last week.
The mainly off-road race, which follows the canal tow-path to Stoke Hammond before winding through Stockgrove Country Park offer runners stunning views but challenging climbs over its 13 mile course.
Chris Fulthorpe was the first Wootton runner home on the day, navigating the mud soaked lanes in an excellent time of 1.36. Next up was John Ferris in 1.43 ahead of club coach Graham Tee in 1.48.09.
The ever improving Richard Moore followed in 1.52.52 with Chris Berry, 155.16 and GB Duathlon qualifier Bob Pardoe, 1.58.28 also dipping under the two hour mark.
Wootton’s first lady home was Caroline Parkins, whose sprint finish with club mate John Beatty propelled her to a fast 1.46.50 finish. She was followed by Louise Birkett-Swan in 1.52.50 and Deana Loveridge, whose excellent form continued, also with a time of 1.52.50.
Andrea Collingwood, 1.55.39, Sarah Woolley, 158.26 and Tricia Harrison, 2.02.36 all enjoyed good run outs on the challenging course.
Ian Rogers finished the race in 2.02.09 slightly ahead of wife Diane in 2.10.29 while other Wootton runners taking part included Tracey Ferris, 2.05.41, Paul Flecknoe, 2.09.03, Lorayne Keet-Marsh in 2.10.32 and Gillian Jakeman in 2.11.30.
Wootton’s Tri coach Andy Birkett completed his first off road half marathon with a creditable 2.12.03 as he starts his London Marathon preparations for next year while Hannah Groves will be pleased with her 2.25.13 finish just three months after having a baby.
Anna Morgan, coming home in a time of 2.31.27 said: “It was a tough race with some amazing scenery but I was pleased to finally get my soggy, muddy feet across the finish line”.
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Wootton Cross Country - November 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Stevenson)
Wootton Road Runners played host to the second round of the Three Counties Cross Country series at Hunsbury Hill Country Park last Sunday.
With an impressive 58 runners turning out to support their home race, the club were able to capitalise on their strong showing at Wellingborough to take third place overall in the men’s competition, behind an Ampthill & Flitwick Team who continue to set the pace.
It was Mike Aldridge who led the way for Wootton once more on the muddy course, as he took 2nd place overall, ahead of Matt Almond in 4th. James Armstrong’s recent return to form continued as he climbed five places from Wellingborough to finish in 28th position just in front of Richard Lack in 32nd and Simon Tootell 33rd.
Bill Davidson again impressed to come home in 48th place while Tim Thurlow’s 53rd place finish completed the scoring for the men’s team. Their third place here puts them second overall in the series going into race three at Wing next week.
Returning club runner Jon Wilkinson enjoyed a good run out to finish 79th, while Ian Randall, 92nd, Lewis Todd, 95th and Graham Hollowell also did well to finish within the top 100.
It was down to Julie Dixon to again anchor the ladies team home in an excellent 4th place, while recent ironman Vicky Ayliff, 22nd and Nicki Wood, 25th completed the scoring, putting the ladies in 5th spot for the team competition.
Lee Clayson, 34th, Polly Randall, 40th and Deana Loveridge, 48th all provided good support for the ladies team just ahead of Susannah Hsu, in 49th and Antoinette Kiely in 50th place.
Victoria Hughes, 66th and Emma Bartram, 67th can be pleased with their first cross country appearances of the season while Alison McMutrie finished in a creditable 80th place in her maiden Wootton cross country event.
The third round of the series will take place on Sunday 23rd November at Cottesloe School, Wing.
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Wootton Tri 2014 season - November 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Stevenson)
Wootton Tri club enjoyed a successful end to the triathlon season with five of their athletes representing Great Britain at the Middle Distance European Championships in Mallorca.
With temperatures reaching a stifling 36 degrees, Mike Kendall anchored the Wootton team home recording a time of 5.49.51 putting him in an excellent 9th place overall in the M55-59 age group.
The unseasonably warm weather, which saw four members of the British Team treated in hospital for dehydration, made conditions extremely difficult for the athletes as the undulating bike and run courses took their toll.
Swim specialist Tania Mulvey finished a strong season with a time of 6.08.24 on her GB debut ahead of Caroline Parkins in 6.24.10 and Louise Birkett-Swan in 6.26.33. Bob Pardoe, overcame both a first lap puncture and the onset of cramp, to come home in a time of 6.48.39.
Parkins, who qualified for the event as a result of her strong showing at the Ironman Austria event last year said: “It was the hardest thing I have ever done and I will not be doing it again anytime soon! The helpers and supporters were all amazing but a 10 degree drop in temperature would have been very welcome”.
The GB race capped a fine year for Wootton’s Tri club as a number of its athletes completed Ironman events for the first time.
Over the bank holiday weekend in August, Louise Birkett-Swan produced a superb performance to finish Ironman Copenhagen in a time of 12.35 while Victoria Wan’s capitalised on a sterling swim effort to finish in an overall time of 13.57 in the same race.
After a training schedule beset by injury, club coach Vicky Greenshields will also have been delighted to complete her maiden ironman in a time of 14.33 in the Danish capital.
Earlier in the year, Vicky Ayliff took on Challenge Roth, finishing in 11.35 after recording an incredible marathon time while John Beatty completed his debut Ironman in Austria in a time of 11.52.
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Wellingborough Cross Country - October 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Stevenson)
Wootton Road Runners enjoyed several high placed finishes at Croyland Park on Sunday as the new cross-country season got underway in Wellingborough.
Mike Aldridge again showed his dominance over this distance, clocking up a comfortable win, ahead of Matt Almond in third. Richard Lack’s season began well with a 21st placed finish and there was a welcome return to form for James Armstrong in 33rd position.
Bill Davidson further underlined his progress over the past year as his impressive 44th place saw him score for the team for the first time. Tim Thurlow, 46th and Graham Hollowell, 51st were also on the score-sheet as Wootton’s men secured second place overall behind a high-flying Ampthill and Flitwick Team.
With 38 runners braving the water jumps and muddy conditions of arguably the season’s toughest course, Wootton’s Mike Carrea started the season as he finished the last with an excellent 74th place.
New runner Adam Pilsbury, who only joined the club in the summer, demonstrated his promise in 77th place while David Chandler in 94th also came home within the top 100.
John Ferris, 109, Roux Oldfield, 113 and Graham Tee in 117 will also be pleased with their performances in the first race of the campaign.
For the ladies, the ever-consistent Julie Dixon anchored the team home in 6th place followed by Niamh Morrin in 9th. Jenni Kirby completed the scoring in 15th on her return to the club, putting the women’s team third overall.
Deana Loveridge, in imperious form after her recent step up to group 3, finished in an excellent 40th place ahead of Joanne James in 43rd and Julia Wetherill in 52nd place.
A number of runners were making their cross-country debut for the club with Angela Pye finishing in 95th place and Francisco Ortiz with a 178th place finish.
Wootton will play host in the next round of the series at West Hunsbury Country Park on Sunday 9 November.
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London to Paris Cycle - June 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Norman)
Wootton Tri Club staged its own version of the Tour de France last week as eleven intrepid club members attempted to cycle from London to Paris in less than 24 hours.
Setting off from Marble Arch early on Friday evening, the group planned to cover the 266 miles to the Arc de Triomphe in just one day, including the time spent on the ferry.
Braving a number of punctures, a crash on the French tramlines and an onslaught of torrential rain on route, the cyclists arrived in Paris a little over their target time but with a total riding time of just 18 hours and 18 minutes.
Bob Pardoe, a four-time GB age-group duathlon qualifier, who came up with the idea said: “We were in good spirits at the finish, happy with our achievement but very cold, wet and tired”.
“We were delayed by the awful Paris traffic and the last 20 miles took us over 2.5 hours. Were it not for this we would have done it easily within the time,” he added.
A three-vehicle support team of volunteers from the club accompanied the cyclists on their journey, making sure they were supplied with hot drinks and food along the way.
Crew member Caroline Tait, said: “The cyclists were awesome, showing such power, determination and teamwork. The traffic lights conspired against them in the end but it was a superb achievement nonetheless.”
Spurred on by the success of their endeavour, the group now hope to take on a bigger challenge as next year, Bob will lead a team of cyclists on a 460mile trip from one end of Ireland to the other.
The riders who took part were: Bob Pardoe, Alexa Osborne, John Ferris, Tracey Ferris, Simon Tootell, Maree Jessop, Alan Burnett, Liam Cahill, Mike Kendall, Andrey Starcevic and Jamie Plowman.
The support teams were manned by Sara & John Henderson, Roux Oldfield & Caroline Tait and Nes and Darren Revens.
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Weedon 10K - June 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Norman)
Mike Aldridge again took the honours for Wootton Road Runners on a hilly Weedon course as the East Midlands Grand Prix series reached its penultimate event last Tuesday.
Winning his fifth race of the season, Aldridge clocked a time of 33.28, which together with Lazloe Boden in 37.17, Richard Lack, 37.44 and Richard Fowler, 38.11, was enough to secure the Men Vet’s team prize on the night. Boden was again the first M50 runner home, giving him seven age group wins out of seven in the series so far.
Matt Howes’ time of 33.36 and Ian Honeyfield’s 37.31 helped the men’s senior team to second place just ahead of brothers Chris Lazenby 38.10 and Dave Lazenby, 38.10. Club performance director James Armstrong continued his return to form with a 38.15 finish just ahead of Paul Matthews in 40.30.
Wootton’s women also enjoyed team success on the hilly course with Imogen Norton, 39.46, Julie Dixon, 40.42 and Niamh Morin again combining to take the Senior Ladies Team prize. All three run outs were good enough to win age group prizes with Norton coming home first in the F40 category and Dixon and Morrin taking second place in their respective F45 and Senior Female categories.
Barbara Willison’s time of 44.18 also helped the Women’s Vet team to a second place overall finish just ahead of Frances Hooper 46.42, Helen Van Uem, 48.28 and a return to racing for Gabrielle Deere, who also dipped under the 50 minute mark to finish in 49.45.
There were also good run outs from Bill Davison in 42.24, James Slootweg, 42.58 and triathlete Mike Wheeler in 43.32 who finished just ahead of Phil Stansfield in 44.31.
Mark Coupland, 45.24, Chris Fulthorpe, 46.03 and Aaron Higgs, 46.35 were next home while there was a fourth series appearance from Tony Swindells, who finished just under the 50 minute mark in a creditable 49.34.
Kay Duffy continues to improve recording a time of 56.38, much quicker than her earlier season PB set on the flatter Silverstone course.
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Banbury 5 - June 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Norman)
Thirty-two Wootton Road Runners made the long journey to Oxfordshire as the East Midlands Grand Prix Series continued at Banbury this week.
With Mike Aldridge competing in the British Masters, Matt Howes was the first Wootton runner home in a time of 26.57 just ahead of Lazloe Boden in 28.40. Boden, who is enjoying a fine season, was once again the winner of the M50 age category for the fifth race in a row.
Richard Lack, 29.32, Ian Honeyfield, 29.43 and Richard Fowler all dipped under the 30 minute mark while Club Performance Manager James Armstrong continued his rehabilitation with a strong 30.35 finish as both men’s team finished third overall.
New runner David Warren recorded an impressive time of 30.48 in only his second run out for the club while John Ferris’ 34.58 saw him score for the men’s Vet’s Team for the first time, further underlining the excellent progress he has made throughout the season.
James Slootweg enjoyed a good run to come home in 33.33, just ahead of Mervyn Dempsey, 34.37, Phil Wood, 34.40 and Grzegorz Idzi, 35.17. Grand prix regular Mike Dowdy finished in a creditable 37.27 followed by Dave Burk, 39.27, Jude Okoye, 40.22 and Antonio Amato in 41.56.
Imogen Norton again anchored a smaller than usual ladies team home in a time of 31.02 and combined with Niamh Morrin, 33.10 and Frances Hooper, 36.31 helped them to fourth place in the team competition.
An excellent run from Janet Mitchell to record a time of 39.15 saw her score for the Ladies Vets team for the first time as they finished third overall.
Tracey Ferris, 42.36, Carrie Carruthers, 42.09 and Alison McMutrie, 42.41 all competed for the ladies team while Fiona Kinder continued her birthday celebrations with an excellent time of 45.46, reducing her PB by almost eight minutes over the course of the last three races.
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Corby 5 - June 2014 (Courtesy of Laura Norman)