Lichfield Running Club certainly finished this year’s cross country season on a high! After a tightly-fought final race at Sinai Park, the combined team were crowned winners of the Derby Runner Cross Country League for 2023/24, with both the combined and men’s teams finishing first on the day too!

The preceding week’s weather had turned the already tough course into a quagmire, which made the hills even more challenging than usual, but our runners gave their all, recording some fantastic times and placings.

No fewer than seven men finished in the top twenty positions (out of a field of 106 finishers). It was another first place for Matt Orford, who flew round the course in 37:19, followed by Andy Evans (3rd – 39:18), John Doyle (6th – 40:56) and Matt Allan (9th- 41:57). Esther Hunt was first woman home for the club, crossing the line in 4th place (47:47); furthermore she finished 3rd in the competition overall and 1st in her age category. What a great achievement! Congratulations also go to Adrian Jelley, who picked up 1st place in his age category after a consistent first season for the club. After a nail biting wait, the results were in and LRC were announced as competition winners – a brilliant end to a great season!

Full results on the day as follows:

Men: 1st: Matt Orford; 3rd: Andy Evans; 6th: John Doyle; 9th: Matt Allan; 13th: Tom Bissett; 17th: Wayne Asprey; 18th: Owen Davis; 25th: Dave Sanders; 30th: Adrian Jelley; 51st: Nick Parkes; 60th: David Gould; 86th: James Taylor.

Women: 4th: Esther Hunt; 32nd: Ruth Kennedy-Green; 38th: Gillian Peck; 43rd: Jess Webb; 55th: Abbi Storer; 59th: Georgina Orford; 60th; Carina Allan; 68th: Marian Lowther; 69th: Charlotte Wesley.

We’d like to send a huge ‘thank you’ to our captain, Owen, for his dedication in getting a team together for each and every event and to all our runners and supporters who turned out, whatever the weather, baked cakes, collected entry fees, carried the kit…….we could go on. Cross country really is a team effort, and what a great team you are! Here’s to continued success next season!

On February 3rd, the club held its annual awards presentation evening at Darnford Moors Golf Club. There was a brilliant turnout to celebrate the many successes of Lichfield Running Club and our members over the past year. Congratulations to the winners of the various awards: John Doyle (Men’s Grand Prix and Dave Nason Trophy for Contribution to the Club), Sonia Short (Women’s Grand Prix), Claire Wheat (Bob Connor Trophy), James Coombes (Time Trial Series), Hannah Stokes (Cross Country) and Marian Lowther (Mike Green Running Achievement Trophy). And, of course, a massive well done to each and every one of our members, all of whom have achieved so much over the past year. Here’s to another fantastic year!

Our 8 week beginners’ course has reached a successful conclusion, with participants completing their 5k run, supported by our team of club run leaders and volunteers.  

A massive ‘well done’ to each and every one of them!

Some are now continuing with ‘improver’ sessions, with the aim of becoming club members in January; we look forward to welcoming them soon!  

The club has enjoyed great success in the Burton and District Summer League competition this year. After all eight events, our men’s and women’s teams both finished in 4th place overall.

We are also delighted to share that, following consistently high event attendances, LRC received the Roland Gibbard Team Trophy, awarded to the club with the greatest increase in participation compared with the previous year. Furthermore, club member Sonia Short was one of the recipients of the special ‘All Eight’ award, in recognition of competing in the seven qualifying races – Run in the Forest, Washlands Relays, Uttoxeter Half Marathon, Gate Gallop 10k, Worthington Six Mile, Burton 10k, Tamworth Five Mile – as well as marshalling at our own event, Lichfield 10k.

Club representatives John, Ed, Owen and Sonia attended the league presentation eventing on Friday, October 13th to celebrate the season’s success and to receive the team trophy. Thanks to everyone who helped us win the trophy by representing LRC at this year’s events. And a special ‘well done’ to Sonia, keep up the good work!

You can see them celebrating below. We’re looking forward to the next season already!

On Saturday 23^rd September, LRC entered two teams into the Midland Counties Road Relays, held at Sutton Park. Our six men, each running a lap of 5.38k, were Jimmy Pickering, Ryan Simms, Konrad Wainaina, Owen Davies, Richard Bravington and Steve Rivers. The event was of a high standard and the team finished in a very respectable 65th place in a total time of 2:10:20.

Our four women, each running a lap of 4.33k, were Hermione Knowles, Joanna Alsop, Esther Hunt and Sarah Hayman. Against a competitive field the team finished in 30th place in a total time of 1:21:47.

Well done to all our runners; it was great to have the club represented at such a prestigious event.

Fantastic atmosphere and turnout for the Lichfield 10k and Family Fun Run 2023!

The rain tried to make an appearance to cool down the heat but conditions were tough and humid. Despite this, we had some great finishing times and some participants celebrating PBs.

Well done to everyone that took part.

We had a total of 870 participants in the 10k and 177 in the family fun run.

Our winning times were:
Female 42:24 Jenny Laing
Male 33:19 Joe Rainsford

Thank you again to our sponsors: Pool House Advisors, Lichfield Central Garage, Running Form, Fuji Film and Aqua Pura. Also thank you for support from: St John Ambulance, Lichfield Hatherton Canal Trust, Lichfield Lions, Deanslade Fitness, Ebrook Osteopathy, Beacon Park Staff, and the Lichfield Running Club’s marshals, pacers and 10k Committee!

Save the date in your diary for next year’s race: 8th September 2024. See you next year!!

Sunday 25th June saw the 4th event in the Burton and District Summer League, the Gate Gallop organised by Peel Road Runners. It’s an off road, traffic free 10k race mainly along paths with stiles, gates and bridges adding to the fun. A team of eight runners from LRC took part in sweltering conditions.

First runner home for the club was Dave Sanders in 42:33 followed by John Doyle in 44:37, both amazing times considering they’d both taken part in the Fractured Marathon event on Friday . First lady home for the club was Sarah Hayman in 48:00, followed by Emily Careless, Sonia Short, Jane Bradbury, Victoria Sedgley and Charlotte Wesley. Well done to all our runners for competing in such warm conditions.

We’re still buzzing about the club’s success last week at the Washlands Relays, with both men’s and women’s teams finishing in first position! As our runners gave their all for the club and their individual teams, we’d like to give them all a shout out this Medal Monday!

Each runner’s time is recorded for the individual competition, as well as being aggregated with those of other team members for the team event.

Here are the individual placings:

Men
1st: Matt Orford, 2nd: Andrew Parkinson,11th: Ryan Simms,12th: Jimmy Pickering, 21st: Dan Turner, 36th: James Coombes, 47th: Dave Sanders, 50th: Konrad Wainaina, 52nd: Ed Foster, 54th: Owen Davies; 66th: Stephen Rivers, 70th: Matt Allen, 80th: Matt Steele, 83rd: Nick Parkes, 93rd: Phill Brindle, 132nd: Stephen Howard, 162nd: Keith Lowther, 179th: Phil Pinney, 180th: Mark Job

Women
2nd: Hermione Knowles, 8th: Esther Hunt, 19th: Hannah Stokes, 42nd: Emily Careless, 53rd: Jessica Webb, 73rd: Sonia Short, 77th: Joanna Alsop, 83rd: Catherine Thompson, 92nd: Vikki Waldron, 95th: Helen King, 97th: Jo Turrell, 101st: Charlotte Walters, 103rd: Abbi Storer, 104th: Ann Bennett, 118th: Mandy Georgiou, 120th: Jane Bradbury, 122nd: Marian Lowther, 125th: Anna Kuciaba, 129th:Ann Schwarzenbach, 134th: Claire Wheat, 137th: Michelle Cooper, 142nd: Charlotte Wesley.

For the team event, out of 56 male/mixed teams, the first 3 LRC male teams were placed 1st, 12th and 14th respectively. Our highest 3 female team finishers came 1st, 17th and 21st out of a field of 37. What a great set of individual and team results!

Thanks to Washlands Women’s Runners for their great organisation and Ian Archer and club members Ed and Mike for the photography!+

One of our favourite local races, Aldridge 10k, took place on 11th June, and LRC was well represented at the start line. Undeterred by the high temperatures, and the unforgiving hill towards the end of the course, our runners recorded some great performances. Following her success at the recent Cathedral to Castle race, it was another podium finish for Hermione Knowles (2nd female: 42:02); Emily Careless was 5th female (and 1st in her category) recording a distance PB in the process! (50:01). Dan Turner finished in 7th place overall (and 1st in his age category) in 37:47. Morgan Bradley was 2nd LRC member home (14th overall: 39:13) and Phil Sutcliffe 4th (31st: 43:51).

Full club results as follows:
Dan Turner (37:47 – 7th)
Morgan Bradley (39:13 – 14th)
Hermione Knowles (42:02 – 24th/2nd F)
Phil Sutcliffe (43:51 – 31st)
Peter Knowles (45:15 – 38th)
Emily Careless (50:01 – 72nd/ 5th F)
Stephen Howard (50:21 – 79th)
Matt Wilson (50:19 – 80th)
Gavin McAndrew (52:23 – 95th)
Alexandria Evans (53:30 – 106th/11th F)
Alan Miles (59:47 – 186th)

Well done to you all!

Lichfield Running Club welcomed Andrew and Sue from the Rotary Club of Lichfield St Chad recently. Their club is one of the organisers of the Cathedral to Castle run, a 10 mile multi terrain event from Lichfield Cathedral to Tamworth Castle. A number of our members took part in the 2023 event and our club won the team prize! Andrew and Sue came to present trophies to the members of the winning team; these had been made by a member of the Rotary Club. Well done to Dan, first runner home, Hermione, first woman home, Tom (who wasn’t at the presentation) and Stephen for your great performances.