Leinthall Starkes 5m – First of the 2011 handicap series

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A really good turnout, with 25 runners completing the course on a cool, sunny evening. Stacey collapsed over the line (unaided by the officials) in a record-breaking 27 mins 40 secs, beating his PB by 21 seconds, and pushing the absent Mike down the listings and moving into 4th place in the all-time records. Not only that, but he immediately rang Mike to give him the ‘good news’! Simon was 2nd round the course (30.02), a few hundred yards ahead of Dave A (30.47) who claimed a new PB by 16 secs. Gavin in 6th beat his PB by 14 seconds (31.27), and Steve also achieved the feat but by a smaller margin (2 secs) (33.46). Sue was the 1st lady home, but a minute down on her best time set last year. Gary, now over 65, stormed round in 35.02, breaking the over 65 record by 45 seconds. I don’t see that record being retaken any time soon!Jo (guest) ran her first handicap race, and finished in a very creditable 39.37, even if she did manage to park her car in the wrong farmyard! Rachel nearly required a photo finish as she just pulled clear of Simon (guest) to record 42.47.

Full results: (1) Stacey 27.40; (2) Simon 30.02; (3) Dave A 30.47; (4) Dave Rouse jnr 31.05; (5) Dave G 31.18; (6) Gavin 31.27; (7) Pat 32.35; (8) Mark 32.46; (9) Steve 33.46; (10) Nigel 34.02; (11) Richard 34.09; (12) Sue 34.19; (13) Martin 34.39; (14) Daren 34.53; (15) Gary 35.02; (16) Alison 35.58; (17) Neil T 36.15; (18) Frank 37.43; (19) Jo 39.37; (20) Dave R snr 39.45; (21) Tom 40.26; (22) Liza 40.47; (23) Rachel 42.47; (24) Simon 42.49; (25) Bryan 45.17.

Congratulations  to  Stacey  on  breaking  my  Leinthall  Starkes  5  P.B.  About  time  too.  He  has  been  chipping  away  for  a  few  years  now  and  I  am  proud  to  drop  down  a  place  in  the  overall  standings  to  accommodate  such  a  talented  runner.  Stacey  called  at  my  house  en  route  to  Leinthall  Starkes  and  I  took  one  look  at  his  lean mean  frame, the  steely  determined  expression  in  his  eyes  and  the  favourable  weather  conditions  and  predicted  to  him  that  “tonight’s  the  night”.  He  did  have  the  effrontery  to  phone  me  from  the  finish  line  to  confirm  my  prediction.  How  much  quicker  could  he  have  run  had  he  not  called  me  at  every  mile  point  to  state  that  he  was  ahead  of  schedule ?  I  was  able  to  congratulate  him  through  gritted  teeth  as  I  pictured  the  big  silly  grin  adorning  his  self-satisfied  mush.
My  compliments  are  genuine – all  the  best  Croft  Ambrey  times  were  set  20+  years  ago  and  it  raises  my  spirits  to  see  the  club  getting  stronger.  I  console  myself  with  the  knowledge  that  I  still  hold  the  course  V.40  record (c’mon  Simon, your  turn !).  I  have  no  recollection  of  setting  that  record (it  was  22  years  ago  and  I  have  difficulty  remembering  my  name  these  days)  as  I  treated  the  events  as  just  another  hard  training  run.  Shift  work, injuries  etc.  meant  that  I  ran  the  course  only  a  handful  of  times  before  injury  forced  me  to  stop  running  in  1991.  I  have  lost  a  lot  of  weight  during  my  present  illness, so  I  am  threatening  a  comeback  as  I  am  back  to  my  fighting  weight  –  watch  out  El  Presidente, I  am  gunning  for  you.
I  hope  that  this  is  the start  of  a  season  of  road  racing  P.B.s  for  Stacey  as  he  finally  fulfills  his  potential.  I  have  a  lot  of  P.B.s  for  him  to  target, but  I  believe  that  he  has  a  fast  marathon  waiting  to  be  released  so  that  is  my  next  prediction.
Thanks  for  all  your  recent  best  wishes  and  I  hope  to  be  back  shouting  at  you  all  soon.
All  the  above  is  subject  to  review  as  I  will  be  launching  an  appeal  re  the  accuracy  of  the  timekeeping – it  would  not  have  happened  had  I  been  holding  the  stopwatch.

Mike.

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