NWITP 5K - Road Race Champs Report

North East Derbyshire running club welcomed a large DRC contingent to Queens Park for race 4 of the DRC RRC, the only 5k of the series to battle it out around 4 and a half loops of the park. Perfect weather conditions and a flat course meant we were expectant of some fast times and we weren’t disappointed.

From the off Tom Shaw and Liam Turner set the early pace with a fast pack following on from league 1. Rob (not Adam) Bishop mixed it with the NEDRC boys, closely followed by David Marley, Mike Robinson and Hannah Walker, and that is how it stayed with well-paced runs by all. Bishop picking up another PB as he continues his good run of form. However, after 4 races it is Mike Robinson who tops the league. With 6 races to go and races in hand, it might be a short-lived table-topping spell. Both male and female winners go to the DRC yet again thanks to Tom Shaw and Hannah Walker’s runs.

In league 2, seven runners set out for glory, and it was Carl Padley who stepped up and smashed the 20 min barrier with an impressive race time to grab 20 points, second place was a much tighter event with 3 runners in the mix, Ashley Briggs, John Daly, and Oli Constable all breaking the 20 minute mark to score well. Collette Gains close behind to continue her high-scoring run, claim 2nd female and also top the league for the fourth race ‘running’.

3 is the league to watch as Paul Robbins continues to impress with a race 4 victory and further closes the gap on leader Simon Wood to 2 points. Chris Hodson the sandbagger, and Nicola Ross both running and scoring well.

Performance of the day in 3 goes to Sarah Sanderson for not just a great time but also the fastest V50 female record smashed. Helen Colley and Andy Britton finished up things in 3 all with impressive runs.

4 was a little lonely with only Kirsty Denton involved, but she wasn’t to be deterred and ran an impressive PB chasing 24.30, which would have troubled many runners in the league above.

Notable mentions go to, Tom Shaw for the Male 5k record, Sarah Sanderson’s Female V50, and Nicola Ross for Female V40.

Well done everyone, a day that saw 10pbs, 3 club records smashed, and another impressive DRC outing.

Next up is Barlow 10k, Friday 8th July for the next 10k of the Championship and some proper hills.