Team Blizard’s racing performances are hotting up just as the temperature gauge rises, with our athletes showed the rest of the running and duathlon community how it should be done at Normanby, Askern, with some truly top class times at the Phoenix Flyer and Christleton 5ks.

First up in our weekly racing round up is our first Normanby Hall Duathlon event of the year, which saw scores of you flock to the stunning country park to pit your athletic wits against the first of our summer run-bike-run events.

There were sterling performances from athletes across the whole field, and everyone who completed the race should be immensely proud of their achievements!

Team Blizard elite athlete, Mike Chadwick, took the spoils when he finished the 10k run, 40k bike and final 5k sprint in a fantastic 1:59:12, ahead of Andrew Holt and Richard Bugg. Richard was actually leading coming off the first run after completing the 10k and transition in a strong 35:54, but Mike’s big winter training miles on the bike showed when he took two and three minutes respectively out of his nearest rivals before running the second fastest 5k of the day behind Richard.



First lady to cross the line was Amy Grocock, ahead of Emma Wright-Phillips and our own super triathlete, Karen Lynch, who ran the second fastest 10k of all the women on the day, behind only the winner. Karen ran an excellent 45:30 to help her on her way to an impressive 2:31:38 finishing time.



Rich Morton also did well to finish in 2:57:45 despite a mishap on the bike leg, as did Tony England, who teamed up with Kevin Cooper to finish first male team. The first mixed team prize went to Mike Williamson and Louise Venables, while Lynsey and Shona Taylor led the way in the women’s team stakes.

Racing over a far shorter distance but making it count in style were Wolverhampton’s GB athlete, Phil Nicholls, and international Telford veteran, Claire Martin.



Phil won the Phoenix Flyer 5k by nearly a whole minute when he clocked a classy solo 15:19, while Claire won the women’s race at the Phoenix Flyer in an equally impressive 18:20, before racing another 5k at Christleton just two days later in an incredible 17:04! That time represented Claire’s fastest 5k in six years, and was only half a minute shy of her 16:30 PB set back in 2007.
Meanwhile, Claire’s club mate Rob Nash obliterated his previous PB at the same race with a superb 16:28, knocking 58 seconds off his previous life time best!



Earlier in the week, a large contingent of steely Team Blizard athletes took on the heavy rain at the ever popular Askern 10k on Wednesday night.



Our elite Barnsley runner Dan Kestrel proved his discipline and fitness ahead of the impending Edinburgh marathon when he took the win in 32:54, despite running the whole race in his threshold zone, while Scunthorpe’s consistently quick Matty Smith clocked a strong 33:31 to finish fourth overall.



Our own Dave Tune ran a comfortable 34:48 to dip well into the top ten men, while Team Blizard’s ace physio Jenny Blizard also ran well to finish third lady in 37:25.



Knavesmire’s Sarah Attwood perhaps ran the performance of the day, though, when she scored a big PB of 40:01, and will surely go well under the 40 minute barrier very soon!

Kimberworth’s Lee Weatherall also had a good run when he clocked 42:24, as did Doncaster’s ultra-running machine, Martin Hookway, who crossed the line in 42:56, exactly one minute ahead of Steve McAleavy, who continues to make his comeback with an encouraging 43:56.



Danum Harriers’ Keith Lindley, friend of the clinic, ran a fine 47:45, a very good run for the V60, while Rotherham’s equally popular veteran, Brenda King, crossed the line in 62:23 in the less than ideal racing conditions!



This weekend sees the biggest marathon running festival in the whole of the UK, with Edinburgh hosting races across the distance spectrum for many of our Team Blizard athletes to tackle.

We will look ahead to the main event - the marathon - later this week, so please ask us if you have any particular marathon running questions we can help you with!