The summer holidays means different strokes for different folks. Some like to enjoy the beach in hot climes, some exhaust themselves entertaining the kids, some like to run big miles up big hills. Some, it seems, like to go out, race hard and hopefully smash PBs at any race they can enter – preferably at one or more of the three Grand Prix Series races that took place in August. This has, once again made the August 2019 Grantham Running Club Member of the Month a hotly contested affair with many superb efforts.
Away from the regular road race scene, Martin Carter was nominated for his eleventh overall and fourth place solo in the Sublime 12 Hour Race, where he completed 6 laps (64km). Ultra running expert Nick Payne was nominated for completing the challenging North Downs Way 100 Mile Race, an effort that saw him finish equal runner-up for MotM. On the roads, Chris Limmer was nominated for another strong month that saw him clock a 17 second five Mile PB with 28:52 at the Bassingham Bash, finish fifth overall at the Sleaford 10K and win his first road race at the Market Bosworth 10K. Equally prolific was Ian Williams, who was second overall at the Sleaford 10K, ninth at the Thorney 5 Mile with a subsequent 27:52 PB at Bassingham. He also broke the fledgling mile club record with 4:56 at Lincoln.
Holly Durham was nominated for finishing third overall and first in her age category at the Sleaford 10K. Joaquim Jeronimo clocked a new 10K PB 37:43 at Sleaford then broke the 30 minute barrier with a big 5 mile PB (29:54). Julie Gibert was also nominated for a 10K PB at Sleaford – 55:12 a 39 second improvement on her previous best. Kate Marshall improved her five Mile PB at Thorney by 93 seconds.
Louise Kennedy was nominated for an impressive 4:24 improvement on her five Mile PB at Thorney, then improved that by a further 85 seconds with a 51:21 clocking at Bassingham. A recent joiner to GRC, Michelle Parczuk was nominated for her excellent 37:37 at the Thorney 5 Mile race, a performance that saw her become one of a select number of GRC ladies that have attained a Silver Age Grade Standard. Rob Howbrook, one of the kings of age group and age-graded performances, had another strong month with a nine second PB at Thorney, his 31:53 seeing him win his age category. He was then first in his age group on the night at the final round of the Lincoln Wellington 5K Series and took the overall series prize for his age category.
Back at Bassingham, Russell Maksymiw was nominated for his 39 second five mile PB breaking 35:46. Willow Stacey broke her 5 mile PB at the same race by a scarcely believable 11+ minutes, partly thanks to her old best time being significantly slower than her 10K PB! The fact she broke the 40 minute barrier for the first time with 39:24 was the main reason for her nomination.
Equal joint runners up with the aforementioned Nick Payne were Alison Clark and Ros Sadler. Alison broke the one hour barrier for 10K with an 84 second improvement on her previous best when she clocked 59:50 at the Sleaford 10K. At the same race Ros ran 53:51 to break her previous best by 93 seconds.
The clear winner of August Member of the Month had one of those exquisite months where wherever they raced they set personal bests. Sam Jepson-Rivers first ran a 24 second PB with his 42:07 at Sleaford. Then at Thorney he established his PB over five miles with 33:03 going on to better that by five seconds when he clocked 32:58 at the close of the month at Bassingham. In the interim he ran probably his best race of the month and arguably his running career to date with 19:38 at the LWAC 5K. This smashed his old 5K PB, set just a month earlier by 42 seconds and saw him join the still relatively exclusive club of GRC members who have broken 20 minutes for 5K.
Many congratulations to Sam Jepson on being August Grantham Running Club Member of the Month!