The 'Run'down - 23 February 2026

This weekend saw a break in the rain, which has felt non-stop for a while now, so our runners enjoyed much more pleasant running conditions than of late.

The penultimate Winter Champs run at Braunstone parkrun was buzzing with 33 Barrow Runners among the crowds on a bright, almost Spring-like Saturday morning. The RD gave us a special welcome in her run briefing, and we got some nice comments from a marshal on their facebook group afterwards. Well done, team! There were some super speedy times, with 6 of the first 10 men and 4 of the first 10 women home being from our fabulous club and Harry Obrien coming in first place. At the slower end of things, the amazing Paul Leaney was feeling chivalrous as he allowed Lorna Goodacre to overtake him in the last 100m, although we know this author does love a sprint finish, it was rather challenging on that mud, especially in road shoes!

It was great to see Rebecca Chandler and Luke Martin volunteering at Braunstone parkrun. Thanks both.

Amazing Tilly and Rufus Bowles both ran the Braunstone parkrun on Saturday AND Watermead Junior parkrun on Sunday, with Rufus achieving a PB at both of them (00:30:46 at Braunstone, and 00:10:40 at Watermead), showing that the future talent coming through the club is top quality. Well done Tilly and Rufus!

Steve Bramhall was proud to do his first parkrun in club colours and got asked the age-old question "Barrow-in-Furness???"

Rachel Bentley, Becky Hewitt and Mats Vermeeren lined up with the XC elite to take on the Nationals at Sedgefield, watched by the legend Alex Yee (apparently). They all had a storming good race, enjoyed being on telly (Rachel especially - just look at her joy on the start line!) and did our club proud.

Of course we had participants at the Leicestershire half marathon, where Kathy Robinson excelled to come 1st FV55 and Fiona Mee zoomed home to be the 4th FV40. Michael Cheverton thought he'd stretch his legs out this weekend after last weekend's marathon PB, not once, but twice, taking on the Braunstone parkrun on Saturday and the Leicestershire half on Sunday faster than many of us could enjoy when we hadn't done a speedy marathon the week before. What a legend.

Nationals XC, Sedgefield

Senior Women 8.2km

• Rachel Bentley 00:37:41
• Becky Hewitt 00:38:03

Senior Men 12.4km

• Mats Vermeeren 00:54:19

Leicestershire Half Marathon

• Marcus Shepherd 01:35:25
• Jamie Moseley-Sarsfield 01:37:08
• Fiona Mee 01:43:41 4th FV40! 🏅
• Harry Obrien 01:45:06
• Michael Cheverton 01:45:07
• Kathy Robinson 01:50:31 1st FV55! 🥇
• Jonathan Dent 01:51:14
• Amanda Bailey 02:18:42
• Tracey Little 02:26:50

Parkrun!

Abbey Park parkrun

• Jonathan Rashleigh 00:24:08
• Amanda Rashleigh 00:32:30

Beacon Hill Country Park parkrun

• Liam King 00:24:52 3rd VM40-44! 🥉
• David Buxton 00:27:40
• Helen Taylor 00:29:01 3rd VW40-44! 🥉
• Jonathan Reynolds 00:29:34

Braunstone parkrun

• Harry Obrien 00:17:30 FIRST! 🥇
• Jake Blythe 00:18:41 1st SM20-24 🥇
• Phillip Rooney 00:19:41 1st SM30-34 🥇
• Danny Nye 00:19:58 2nd SM25-29 🥈
• George Burdett 00:20:00 1st VM50-54 🥇
• James Shephard 00:20:06 1st VM35-39 🥇
• Liam Harvey 00:20:15 2nd VM35-39 🥈
• Hollie Elliott 00:20:17 1st VW35-39 🥇
• Chris Bowles 00:21:08 2nd VM40-44 🥈
• Danny Hall 00:21:20
• Rob Phillips 00:21:23 3rd VM50-54 🥉
• Tony Armitage 00:21:27
• Poppy Ballantine 00:21:32 1st SW25-29 🥇
• Millie Crane 00:22:02 1st SW30-34 🥇
• Justine Albert 00:22:09 1st VW50-54 🥇
• Ian Paramore 00:23:16 3rd VM60-64 🥉
• Malcolm Cook 00:23:58
• Dawn Storer 00:24:14 1st VW60-64 🥇
• Michael Cheverton 00:24:25
• Mark Sadler 00:24:58 2nd VM65-69 🥈
• Lorna Goodacre 00:25:07 2nd VW40-44 🥈
• Katie Alliband 00:25:08 2nd SW25-29 🥈
• Laura Shepherd 00:25:09 2nd VW35-39 🥈
• Paul Leaney 00:25:12 1st VM70-74 🥇
• Monique M Raaijmakers 00:25:19 2nd VW60-64 🥈
• Paul Bentley 00:25:54
• James Armitage 00:28:47
• Tilly Bowles 00:30:16 1st JW10 🥇
• Rufus Bowles 00:30:46
• Hannah Bowles 00:30:47
• Gill Elliott 00:31:17
• Katy Young 00:32:16
• Bill Phillips 00:32:29 2nd VM75-79 🥈

Hyde parkrun

• Rebecca Brooks 00:34:01 2nd VW65-69 🥈

Long Eaton parkrun

• Rachael Vatter 00:20:52 3rd SW25-29! 🥉
• Mat Richardson 00:22:11 200th parkrun!! 🏅

Markeaton parkrun

• Jack Peasgood 00:20:24 3rd VM35-39! 🥉

Rushcliffe parkrun

• James Woodford 00:23:26
• Matthew Wolloch 00:23:41
• Julie Felstead 00:41:35

Watermead Country Park parkrun

• Chris Walker 00:17:28 FIRST! 🥇

Woodgate Valley Country Park parkrun

• Steve Bramhall 00:29:34

Junior Parkrun

Watermead Country Park parkrun

• Rufus Bowles 00:10:40
• Tilly Bowles 00:12:06

Prepared by Lorna Goodacre