It was a busy week for athletes from Wolverhampton & Bilston AC as the light nights meant a return to evening racing so we weren’t just restricted to the weekend for athletics action.
The ever-popular Sexarathon Series kicked off on Wednesday with the Lilleshall 5, a fast two and a half miles of downhill tarmac followed by a much slower two and a half miles of uphill to the finish. Dan Maskew was first back for the club in 13th place in 27.30, Dan Turner was 15th in 27.59, Paul Dean was 26th in 29.29, Danny Malone was 27th in 29.45, Ben Rawlings placed 36th in 30.34, Rob Cartwright was 45th in 31.43, Dan Brazier a place behind but ahead on the chip timing with 31.40, Carl James was 76th in 33.11, Simon Calrow was 79th in 33.29, Dave Norman was 86th in 33.50, James Hodgkiss placed 97th in 34.33, Rob Edwards 105th in 35.26, Ian Thursfield 113th in 35.44, Sean Rowe 123rd in 36.38, Jo Lane 125thin 36.45, Veronika Foster 141st in 37.22 and 2nd F35, the other Rob Edwards was 155th in 38.30, Paul Tabor 163rd in 38.52, Mark Perry 185th in 40.04 and Danni Braine was 301st in 47.45.
On Friday it was on to the Mid Cheshire 5k over a lightning fast one lap course where the top 31 finisher came home under 15 minutes. Jon Hart ran a lightning quick 15.41 to place 87th, Harry Dyall was 170th in 16.19, Louie Lambeth chased him home in 177th in 16.21, Sam Thursfield ran 16.28 to place 188th, Dylan Illidge was 314th in 17.50 and Tony Cheema clocked 17.59 to take 335th place.
On Saturday it was off to Birmingham University for an afternoon of quality racing under the British Milers Club banner where Isobelle Jones won the womens 3000 A race in a PB of 9.20.62. There was open action on the afternoon where Psalm Roberts-Nash won his 200 race in 22.86, La-Taunya Samuels also won her 200 in 25.89, Freya Hooper was 5th in the same race in 27.25, Seb Palmer won his 800 in 2.28.17 where Lila Pearce placed 3rd in the same race in 2.34.66. Conor Blincoe was 2nd over 800 in 2.11.13, Beth Tabor placed 8th over 3000 in 10.54.80, Garry Palmer was 13th over 3000 in 10.39.04< jack Stockton was 14th over 3000 in a PB of 9.13.62, Oscar Davis 18th in a PB of 9.22.22 and Tyler Hawley 19thin 9.38.29. In the throws Aisha Abdullah was 1st in the U15W shot with 11.03 and 1st in the U15W discus with 23.21.
On Sunday there was more action on the tarmac at the Shifnal 10k where the club boasted 3 of the first 5 home with Dan Turner taking the runners up spot with 35.06, Danny Malone placed 4th with 37.08 and Derrick Milligan was 5th in 37.58. Dave Newport placed 9th in 40.09, Rob Edwards was 36th in 44.49, Sarah Thurley was listed as Wolverhampton & Bilston in the results but has recently returned to Wrekin and placed 40th in 45.03 and Oliver Pugh 46th in 45.31.
In the Newport Marathon Jack Pickett, who still appears to be listed as a Wolverhampton & Bilston athlete, placed 4thin 2.28.37, Lorna Hulme was112th and 4th female and 1st F40 with a time of 2.57.41, Dave Joynson was 806th in 3.45.52 and Gill Mitchell was 1994th in 5.36.41. And Rich Amor-Wilkes was in action in the Three Peaks Fell Race of just over 24 miles tackling Pen Y Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough coming 230th in 4.28.03.
There was some track action as the club hosted the first match of the UK Athletics Youth Development League Upper Age Group (U17 & U20) Midlands North & East division meeting at Aldersley. At the time of writing the club was provisionally in 3rd place out of the 5 clubs that participated. We will have to catch up with this one next week.
And talking of catching up, we have one carried over from a week ago where Paul Marson took part in the Cannock Chase 10k placing in impressive 4th in 40.03.
Dave Norman
