Wrekin Streakin' - 28/04/2011

Steve Cale leading at the turn; me marshalling and videoing!
Photo courtesy Brian Smith

... but don't get excited, I was only marshalling!

I knew I shouldn't run this close to the Three Peaks - running fast on the Wrekin always gives me sore feet and calves, so I just didn't want to go there. In order to stop myself doing anything stupid, I volunteered to help Dawsy by marshalling the summit (this meant I couldn't be at the bottom when the race started).

I collected the marshall's kit and walked up to Hell Gate with Al Tye and Brian Smith, who were photographing the runners. I had 20 minutes to spare so had a little jog round the summit area just to shake the cobwebs out my legs and make sure there were no remaining twinges from the calf and thigh problems. Al took the opportunity to check the lighting for his race pics - see photos below.

Downhill lighting test!

Uphill lighting - I was comfortable uphill (still keep thinking I should have run!)

I put my tracksuit bottoms and the marshall's vest on and headed up to the summit with the first aid kit to await the runners. They were soon streaming past, led by Steven Cale, and with several Mercians doing very well - Mel Price led the ladies race comfortably with Polly Gibb second and Ruth Stafford fifth. I was impressed by the number of U16 runners turning out (10 boys and 2 girls, plus another couple of younger kids who'd run a short course to Halfway House).  By the time they'd all come past my arms were killing, one from pointing the direction round the trig column, and the other from holding my phone to produce a shaky video (also up later).

Video of all the runners passing the summit

After about ten minutes the last few had filtered through, so I packed the 'sac up and headed down, jogging past Al and Brian and catching the last junior near the top of the Heroes/BMX tracks. I jogged down with this lad, who was clearly struggling but determined to keep running until the end. I hope he felt some sense of achievement mixed in with all the pain!

The Shropshire Winter Series presentations were made after the race presentations, all at the Buckatree.

Main race results (ladies first):

Ladies Winner: Mel Price, Mercia (25th overall)
L45: Polly Gibb, Mercia (45th, and also 2nd lady)
LU16: Sarah Howells, Newport (69th)
L50: Jean Turner, Telford Harriers (72nd)
L40: Joanna Tansey, u/a (99th)

Winner: Steven Cale, Mercia in 17:42 (Tim Davies' record is 16:38)
V40: Paul Jones, Mercia (4th)
V45: Ian Grindley, Woverhampton & Bilston (6th)
U16: Kristian Edwards, Tamworth (a truly impressive 9th)
V50: Chris Penny, Mercia (15th)
V55: Graham Jones, Shrewsbury (26th)
V60: Andrew Davies, Telford Harriers (39th)
V65: Gary Gunner, Croft Ambrey (52nd)