Peacock and Heron fly round Thorney and Oundle to register first place finishes

Adam Peacock winning the Thorney five mile race.

The Bromsgrove-based Royal Marine, who won with a time of 25.36, grew up in the area and competed for Yaxley as a junior.

Peacock was over two minutes clear of runner up Daniel Lewis of Peterborough & Nene Valley AC who clocked 27.50. Third place went to Lewis’s team mate Luke Brown in a time of 28.09.

PANVAC athletes filled three of the top five spots with Toby Hall fifth in 29.22. Jess Varley also of PANVAC finished as first lady in a time of 30.40 with Kanina O’Neil of March AC runner up with a 33.59 clocking. Yaxley’s Abi Branston came home third in 34.13.

Jess Varley during the Thorney five mile race.

There was plenty of age group success for local runners, including Wayne Bradley of Eye Community Runners who clocked 30.21 when finishing first over 50. Jack Jackson of PANVAC was first under 17 in 31.32 while teammate Sean Beard was the leading over 55 with a time of 32.19. Veteran Bushfield Jogger Eric Winstone collected his first win as an over 70 with a 37.39 clocking and Peter Ridley of Eye won the over 45 prize in 40.26.

Eyes’s Joanna Shelvin ran 37.34 to finish as first over 40 lady and Yaxley’s Lesley Hardwood finished as first over 60 in 41.19. Karen Freeman of Yaxley was the ladies over 50 winner with 42.24.

Ben Heron achieved a hard fought victory in Sunday’s Oundle 20 with a time of 1:54.55. The Peterborough & Nene Valley AC ace won by 24 seconds from runner up James Baker.

The PANVAC contingent had a good day with Kirk Brawn finishing sixth in 1:58.58 and James Whitehead eighth with 2:00.12. Ben Hannon placed 24th in 2:14.08 and Maddy Long finished as fifth lady in 2:33.14