2022 saw the post-Covid return of a popular local race series, the “Sexarathon”, a six-race series that takes place on Wednesday evenings between April and September. Hosted by Telford AC, the series comprises race distances between 5k and 5 miles, with the 5-miler at Lilleshall opening the series every year.
The race starts at the southern end of the grounds of Lilleshall sports centre, with runners then running north along the main drive before doing an anti-clockwise loop around Pave Lane, then re-entering the sports centre grounds and finishing back where they started. The hill leading up towards the sports centre on the return leg is a major feature of the route.
Newport & District Running Club has always been well represented in this series, and this year is no exception. David Clarke was the first NDRC member across the line, taking 37th place overall in a time of 29 minutes, 33 seconds. Ashley Moore was next, his time of 30:04 taking him to 43rd place, not far ahead of Matthew Walley, who was 48th in 30:19. Richard and Elizabeth Bennett finished close together in 34:44 (125th) and 34:57 (131st) respectively, whilst Andrew Wilmot was 134th in 35:07.
Daniel Miles took 141st in 35:32, Aaron Nicholas ran a time of 36:43 to be 158th, and Simon Yap was 170th in 37:17. Oliver Stokes and Phil Dolding both ran a time of 37:49, with Oliver taking the honours on the line to finish 180th, just one place ahead of Phil. Emily Pope was next, taking 191st place with her time of 38:42, then it was Kirsty Greenhead with her time of 39:35 in 212th place. Phil Link headed a close-finishing group of NDRC runners, taking 216th in 40:05, just 1 place ahead of Peter Johnstone, who ran a time of 40:12. Graham Rogers (222nd, 40:24) was just 1 place ahead of Amy Hughes (40:26), and they were followed home by Nigel Ingram, who ran a time of 41:59 to take 251st spot.
Marc Taylor was next for Newport, taking 259th position in a time of 42:29, just 10 seconds ahead of John Metzge who was 264th. Ralph Humphries took 271st, closely followed by Selwyn Plant (272nd, 42:52) and Carrie Stokes (274th, 42:58). Bernie Holbrook took 293rd place in a time of 44:05, Whilst Louise Patterson broke her 5-mile PB with a time of 48:46 to finish 354th. Ben Roper was next, his time of 48:48 bagging him 356th, Whilst Anne Strowger won her age category with a time of 50:38 to take 374th overall.
Elizabeth and Mark McEvilly were next, finishing together in 51:09 and 51:10 for 379th and 380th. Wendy Tonge was shadowing the pair at the finish, taking 381st place in 51:12, Whilst Liz Holbrook took 386th spot in 52:10. Simon Taylor was next on the road, 387th in 52:35, Followed by Sue Wylie (53:12, 395th) and Sharon Goulson (405th, 53:57). Lisa Yap and John Stokes finished close together, with Lisa taking 412th in 57:14, and John running a time of 57:27 in 413th.
The next race of the series is the “Phoenix Flyer” in Dawley, which takes place on the evening of May 18th
21/4/22: Kibblestone Klamber (Spring Treble Race 2)
The second race in the Stone Master Marathoners’ Spring Treble series was the Kibblestone Klamber, a tough 5-mile race made up of three brutally hilly laps around the scout camp and associated woods at Kibblestone, near Stone. Featuring a long flight of steps, which is tackled 3 times, and nearly 250 metres of climbing, this race is not for the faint-hearted.
This year, 6 NDRC runners took on the challenge, and David Brown was the first to complete the course, coming in 33rd overall, in a field of 117 runners, with a time of 45 minutes, 15 seconds. Oliver Stokes was next, 68th overall with his time of 51:13, followed by Selwyn Plant, who ran a time of 56:34 to take 88th spot. Bernie Holbrook was 93rd overall in 58:01, whilst Ruth Corrigan’s time of 60:03 was enough to secure 96th place. Ralph Humphries was 103rd overall in a time of 63:03.
