After last weekend when performances were focused on two venues at Betley Farm and Warley Woods athletes from Wolverhampton & Bilston AC were scattered far and wide looking for competition.
Sabrina Thomas was the first out of the blocks but rather than pulling on the familiar W&B vest she donned the royal blue with a yellow hoop of Shropshire to compete in the Meerbrook 15k which also included a county competition. Running over a particularly tough out and back course, where the first mile or so is so steep they use it as a king of the mountains category climb in cyclings Tour Of Britain, the bonus being that you have to come down it to finish. Thomas was part of a successful Shropshire team finishing in 59th overall, 18th female and 4th in her age group in 1.08.13.
Later that afternoon and very select group headed to Nottingham for the Midlands 7 Cross Country Championships. If last weekends Birmingham League fixture was like playing at Old Trafford, this week’s race was like playing in the preliminary round of the FA Cup. Numbers were low but competition was still intense. Jonny Harris was at the fore throughout coming home in 5th place in 39.46, Dave Norman was 47th in 48.51 and Rob Edwards finished in 53.15 to take 60th place. Unfortunately with 6 required there were only half a team so were unable to figure behind the winners Notts AC, and Cannock & Stafford who claimed silver and Bromsgrove & Redditch who took bronze.
Twenty four hours later a trio competed in the scenic Conwy Half Marathon, starting in the shadow of the castle, running round The Great Orme and finishing by Conway harbour. Rob Carrington was first home for the club despite a fall in 418th place in 1.47.21, Jon Robins finished in 519th place in 1.51.34 and Lee Groucutt was 794th in 2.05.34.
There were a couple of difficult off road events closer to home, the former Suicide 6, renamed the Tuff Un, run over almost 6 miles of Baggeridge Country Park. Stephen Green enjoyed the usual clay road, water crossing and 100 plus steps of Jacob’s Ladder to finish in 38th place in 46.41, Robert Edwards was 53rd in 48.54 and Danni Braine was 144th in 62.00. And there was another group enjoying the autumn morning in the Beckbury Trail 10k, Dave Newport was first back for the club in 12th place in 45.04, Rich Amor-Wilkes continued his come back from injury in 17th place in 45.48, Sarah Thurley enjoyed a day meeting up with members of her former club finishing in 50.12 to take 50th place, Ceri Card was 51st in 50.20, Andy Jarvis was 74th in 53.35, Mark Perry was 86th in 54.53, Nick Beach was 98th in 55.48, Steven Hopkins 132nd in 59.58 and Julia Cooper places 235th in 79.28.
