Photos: Emily Wideman, first Ivanhoe lady home at Bagwoth; Tom Smith in the Tough Guy.

The Derby Runner league cross-country series saw the re-scheduled Bagworth Heath race take place on a very tough hilly and muddy course. Thirty-seven Ivanhoe Runners took part and battled the tricky conditions.

The men's team put up another fantastic performance, finishing a brilliant second in League Two behind Badgers but ahead of West End, Huncote and another fifteen clubs. They were led home by Ramzi Sidani in 30th place (46.07), just ahead of Ivor Davies (46.18) making a welcome return to the Club and finishing a fine 32nd. Chris Lockhart was next home in 40th clocking 47.09, and he was backed up by Gez Eivors 46th (47.37), Craig Hinds 50th (47.50), club men's captain Nick Rowles 51st (47.58), Alastair Burgwin 54th (48.09) and Matt Pleass 66th (49.34). These formed the scoring eight men, tallying 369 points.

Ably supporting the scorers by packing the placings and pushing other teams scorers even further back were Phil Stevenson in 74th clocking 50.21, Mark Parker 105th (52.01), Andy Lindley 107th (52.03), Andy Pearce 116th (52.49), and Louis Barnes 117th (52.53). The great packing continued with Mark Bradford clocking 54.14 in 135th, followed by Ian Potter 150th (56.17), men's cross-country captain Martin Yeomans 163rd (56.25), Andy Jeyes 164th (56.27) and Damon Bland 174th 57.25). Julian Rawlings came home in 197th with a time of 60.51, Tim Sturla was 204th (61.15), Mark Eydman 219th (62.19), Tim Moore 226th (63.19), and Keith Baron 272nd (71.32). The fine second place at Bagworth consolidated the men's team in second place in League Two after 5 races, and looking strong for a promotion push.

With illness in the Armstrong ranks, the ladies were more than capably led home by the ever improving Emily Wideman who was 21st in 58.09, closely followed by Karen Bell in 23rd in 58.44. The four scorers were completed by Tracey Powell in 47th (62.18) and Carolyn Osborne having a really good run for 63.23 in 56th. This brought the ladies home in fifth place in League One and after five races they lie an excellent third in the top division.   

The ladies team packed well with ladies club captain Victoria Smith next home in 59th (63.44), followed by ladies cross-country captain Teresa Talbott in 66th (65.34), Karen Hartland 70th (66.08), Laura Collier 82nd (67.45) and Amanda Bradbury 108th (72.20). Next home was Lucy Allsop in 126th (75.38), followed by Christine Ridley 129th (76.37), Heather Swan 130th (77.11), Grania Towle 134th (78.37)and Karen Edwards 139th (81.13).

The combined team score of the first seven men and first three ladies placed the squad a brilliant second in the top tier League One, behind Hermitage Harriers. After five races they lie a brilliant second behind Hermitage but well clear of Shelton Striders.

Ivanhoe Runners have always enjoyed the Tough Guy event at Tettenhall  near Wolverhampton, a 15k cross-country event coupled with a series of very tough obstacles including underwater tunnels, fire hazards, rope swings, climbing towers and plenty of mud. Recent club recruit Tom Smith completed this years event, which was the last Tough Guy to be staged after over 30 years in the calendar. 

Written by Kevin Sanders - last updated on 31/01/2017