Following the final event of the Derby Runner Cross Country League at Foremark Reservoir – held in the most glorious sunshine – Lichfield Running Club’s Men’s and Mixed Teams were crowned competition winners!

26 runners made the journey up the A38 to take part, along with an enthusiastic support crew, who cheered them on to some fine performances. Matt Orford brought the men’s team home, finishing first overall, with top 10 finishes for Andy Evans (5th), John Doyle (6th), Matt Allan (7th) and Dan Floyd (9th). Judy Hammersley, in her first season for the club, was first female LRC finisher, followed by Carly O’Neill, Oi Hin Lai and Joanna Alsop.

The series award presentation was held directly afterwards. Several runners were awarded age group prizes: Andy Evans (1st M45), Matt Allan (2nd M40), Clare Tanter (3rd F55) and Marian Lowther (3rd F60). Huge well done to them for their consistent performances, and to each and every club member who turned out for the team at the six events, sometimes in very challenging running conditions.

And, of course, thanks to team manager Owen Davies, for his brilliant organisation this season; supporters; cake bakers; drivers and other helpers. We couldn’t take part in this fantastic competition without you all!

We’re delighted to congratulate the runners who ‘graduated’ from our beginners’ course recently after successfully completing their 5K run. Well done all of you – you all worked so hard and absolutely smashed your goals! Some of them are now attending the improvers’ group and we hope they’ll join the club officially very soon!

We’ve received several appreciative messages; here’s just one of them: “Just to say thank you to you and your brilliant team for holding such a fantastic course. Transformative. Really special experience over the last few weeks.”We just love introducing people to the joy of running; huge thanks to all those members who organised and supported this course.

Lichfield Running Club have celebrated achievements over the past year at our annual presentation and social event. Members gathered at Darnford Moors Golf Club and enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, conversation and congratulations!

Here are the winners:

Men’s Grand Prix
1st: Matt Orford
2nd: John Doyle
3rd: Andy Evans

Women’s Grand Prix
1st: Jess Webb
2nd: Gillian Jelley
3rd: Carina Allan

Bob Connor Trophy (awarded for best age graded performance in the Grand Prix)
1st: Andy Evans
2nd: Matt Orford
3rd: Dave Sanders

Time Trial Series
1st: Carina Allan
2nd: John Doyle
3rd: Phil Radnor

Cross Country Series
1st: John Doyle
2nd: Esther Hunt
3rd: Matt Allan

In addition to these, two awards are given annually: The Dave Nason Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to the club and the Mike Green Trophy for Outstanding Running Achievement. These are decided by members’ votes and were awarded to Keith Lowther (for his work as membership secretary/beginners’ course leader/kit co-ordinator) and Matt Orford (for his many achievements this year, including a 100 mile ultra) respectively.

This year, all those who competed in at least 6 of the Grand Prix events received a commemorative t-shirt; these are modelled in the photos below! Huge congratulations to all our winners! We look forward to seeing what you all achieve in 2025!

Fantastic news – the club finished off the Burton and District Summer League in style at the Tamworth 5 Miler, with the men’s team sealing victory in this year’s competition!

Always a popular race, the course, starting and finishing a Tamworth AC’s track, is an undulating one, leading runners around the town’s green spaces. There were some excellent results on the day from the many Lichfield runners, with Matt Orford taking first place, Tom George finishing in 5th, Andy Evans in 7th and Ben Stanaway in 9th. Judy Hammersley and Joanna Alsop were the first two ladies home for the club, in 12th and 13th respectively. Fantastic performances too on the day from: Morgan Bradley (13th), Matt Allan (14th), Phil Radnor (30th), Wayne Asprey (40th), Adrian Jelley (42nd), Nick Parkes (63rd), James Thomas (69th), Stephen Howard (72nd), Phil Hammersley (73rd), Phil Pinney (123rd), Joy Atkin (20th F), Julia Smith (21st F), Janna Heathershaw (26th F), Gillian Jelley (30th F), Carina Allan (45th F), Ann Schwarzenbach (55th F), Libby Hyde-Durrant (58th F), Marian Lowther (59th F), Abbi Storer (65th F), Charlotte Wesley (70th F) and Maria Andritsou (71st F).

So many of our members have contributed to this year’s brilliant result in the league – well done to each and every one of you! We can’t wait for next season!

We had a wonderful weekend welcoming hundreds of runners to our very own Lichfield 10k and Family Fun Run! For the third time, local runners, as well as many others who had travelled considerable distances, took on the route round the country lanes, featuring the famous ‘five hills’, and achieved some fine performances. Congratulations to you all!

Results as follows:

Fun Run
1st M: Oskar (RSAC)
1st F: Zara (RSAC)

10K
1st: Joe Rainsford: Heanor Running Club (32.53)
2nd: Jonathan Carter: BRAT (33.51)
3rd: William Bowram: St Albans Striders (33.56)

1st F: Abbey Van Djyk (38.22)
2nd F: Emma Pick: Peel Road Runners (40.20)
3rd F: Emily Merrison: City of Stoke AC (40:31)

Our fantastic pacing team of Richard, Phil, Morgan, Ryan, Jess, Ruth, James and tail runner, Charlotte, provided support along the way, helping many runners set new personal best times. Sincere thanks to you all, and the many other club members who worked so hard to make the day so successful.

Lastly, congratulations to the LRC runners who competed in the race: James Kay: 37.16 (7th), Andy Evans: 37.20 (8th), Ben Stanaway: 38.12 (9th), Matt Allan: 39.04 (15th), Wayne Asprey: 41.57 (35th), Phil Hammersley: 48.16 (123rd), Phil Pinney: 55.19 (293rd), Claire Purkiss: 1.04.06 (497th), Gemma Causer: 1.09.06 (582nd), Aby Jones: 1.14.07 (610th), Rachael Green: 1.29.19 (670th). You did the club proud!

We’ll be back next year – save the date!

You may have spotted the dazzling display of yellow tops at Beacon Parkrun one warm Saturday in August! Ably led by LRC member and run director, Tom, the club had an amazing time supporting the event by providing marshals, timekeepers, barcode scanners, park walkers, tail walkers and, of course, all 11 pacers. We also talked to lots of people about our upcoming 10k and beginners’ course. Thank you for having us, parkrun; see you again soon!

This year’s Staffs Knot was as fantastic as usual; Stafford Harriers always put on a fabulous race! Although the LRC squad was smaller than at the previous event, our 4 men and 8 women put in great performances, with the men’s team (Andy Evans, Tom Hodgson, Wayne Asbury and Owen Davies) finishing in 3rd and the women’s (Esther Hunt, Jess Webb and Ali Evans) in 7th place out of 20 teams. Andy finished in 8th overall (1st in category) in 29:14; Esther was 10th female (3rd in category) in 36.37, course PB! Well done, everyone; it was a tough one in the heat!

We had a Friday night out with a difference, at the Tara Kinder Memorial 10 – a new event for the BDSL, held in Elvaston Country Park! There was another great turnout, with runners from the BDSL clubs, plus others from the Derby area, and competition for the top spots was fierce. The course was a flat and fast three lapper; fortunately the rain held off, resulting in near perfect conditions for the race, and there were some fantastic performances from the team. Ryan Simms was the first of our runners over the line, finishing in 34:15, another distance PB and 6th place overall. Jess Webb continued her excellent season, bringing the women’s team home in a PB time of 46:30.

Full results: Ryan Simms: 6th (34:15 – PB); Andy Parkinson: 9th (34:32); Andy Evans: 11th (35.01); Dan Turner: 16th (35:54 – PB); James Kay: 17th (35:56 – PB); John Doyle: 21st (36:52); Ben Stanaway: 22nd (36:59); Matt Allan: 28th (37:19 – PB); Owen Davis: 48th (39:43); Adrian Jelley: 85th (42:09)Jess Webb: 21st F (46:30 – PB); Gillian Peck: 59th F (53:29); Sonia Short: 77th F (55:56); Ruth Kennedy-Green: 78th F (55:59); Marian Lowther: 151st F (1:04:09); Charlotte Wesley: 166th F (1:08:44); Aby Jones: 185th F (1:13:37 – PB).

A group of our runners have taken part in the rescheduled Rugeley 10 mile race . This forms part of our club Grand Prix competition. Usually held in February, bad weather led to the race being postponed until July. The course is best described as brutal and beautiful, going through some lovely Staffordshire countryside with 270m of elevation gain. Matt Orford was the first to finish for LRC, coming 2nd overall in 56:01. He was followed by Adrian Jelley and then Esther Hunt, who was our first woman home and 6th woman overall in 01:15:18. Next back was Gillian Peck, followed by Ann Schwarzenbach and Charlotte Wesley. Many thanks to Rugeley Runners for putting on a great event and for all their encouragement round the course.

The yellow tops were out in force at June’s Burton and District Summer League race, the Worthington Six Miler. Thanks to Ivanhoe Runners for putting on a great event which is mainly along forest trails. There were some great performances from our 25 runners, with the men taking the top three places. Matt Orford led the field finishing in 32:39; he was followed by Andy Evans (34:12) and Ryan Simms (34:15). First lady home for LRC was Joanna Alsop in 45:32, the 7th lady home overall. The rain held off and a refreshing pint was enjoyed by some at the end of the race.