Wrekin Road Runners Club History
Wrekin Road Runners was formed in July 1992 by its Founder Members, and Affiliated to the Shropshire / Midland Counties A.A.A.’s Aug/Sept 1992, in the Road Running Section.
The Club’s H.Q. became Telford’s Ice-Rink, Training on Tue/Thursday Night’s.
Club Colour’s: were established as Black/Orange/ White.
Wrekin’s Inaugural Road-Race was staged in Nov 1992, within Telford’s- Town- Park, and was awarded a Sport’s Grant in Dec 1992 by the Wrekin Council Sport’s and Leisure Dep’t.
The Club has grown from its original 9 Members to around 250 in 2018. The Club was built on a Friendly enjoyable basis, which has taken its member’s all over the U.K. and Abroad. Since 1992 Wrekin has Staged/Promoted some 71 Road-Race’s, and has travelled abroad as organised groups/and individual representation to some 37 countries, in 4 continent’s.
Our Male runners were named as the Orange Army, and the female’s named as the Tangerine Terriers. We soon established ourselves as a competitive Club, and in Aug 1992 one of our Ladies had the privilege to run in the World Veteran Championship’s at the N.E.C. Birmingham Clocking 42.23. We also had the pleasure of obtaining a French International Hassan Sebtatiou to join and represent our Club in the 1995 London Marathon, he finished in 22nd Place out of some 28,000 in a time of 2hr’s 18min’s he was disappointed not to break his record of 2hr’s 15 Min’s! He became the First Club runner to cross the line in the Country, Wrecker’s had a First. He also held the world record at that time for winning the Marathon- de- Sables the world’s toughest Marathon 3 times, and on the Trot! Other individuals to mention are Paul Muller who in 1996 ran 54 Races and won 37. He was ranked NO 1 in the U.K. in the O/50 Cat, and is now ranked NO 1 in the O/60’s 2018. Also not forgetting Paul Ward who has won the Sexarathon Series 7 times from 2003-2014, and is now No 1 O/50 in the U.K. Both went on to represent England. Finally not forgetting our Ladies in 2008 Sadie David also won the Sexarathon Series.
In 2007 a group of Wrekin/Telford runners took part in the Caen 10k, Normandy, France when we were Joined with yet another World Celebrity non-other than the World Snooker Champion Ronny O’ Sullivan and can he run completing the 10k course in sub 36.00 Min’s. He then went on to write a book about Running and his career, in which a Club Photo of Wrekin was Included, thanks Ronny for that. Wrekin Ladies also did the Club proud in Caen by taking First/Second Places in the Ladies 5k and hold the course record 3 years on the trot, well done Jenny Clauge, and Amanda Dalkins.
Other formidable successes were achieved in the North-Staff’s x-Country league when we were promoted from Div/2 as Champion’s to Div/1 in Yr 2,000. In 2,003 we were the overall winner’s of the Shugborough Relays, and on the European scene we took first team position out of 33 Team’s in the Brugge International 10 Miler Road-Race Belgium over 1,000 Runner’s took part. Not forgetting the Club’s first European Success in France Oct 1992, when our Ladies took First/Second Ladies in the Romoranti 10k. Other outstanding Individual performances Jon/Sarah Aston who have completed 260/ 190 Marathons/ultra’s, respectively in there running career’s to Date and Kathy ling who Celebrated her 70 Birthday Year by completing over 100 Races.
The famous Wrekin Flag has been Flown around the World, from the Top of Table- Mountain South- Africa, the Top of Sugar-Loaf, and Corcovado Mt, to meet the Redeemer Brazil, from Niagara-Fall’s in Canada, to the U.S.A. where the Flag was flown in front of the Statue of Liberty, on top of the Empire State Building, and in front of the White-House. The famous Flag has been Flown in the Artic- Circle, Iceland, Scandinavia, Norway/Sweden, Eastern-Europe Estonia, Latvia, Moscow- Square Russia, North-Africa Morocco, New-Zealand, the Faro-Island’s, Lebanon Middle-East, while back into Europe many Famous/Race locations’ have seen the Wrecker’s Flag Flying, ie: Berlin, Rome, Budapest, Dublin, and many ,many, more.
Remember our Club’s Moto were like Dog-Poo, we get ever where?
Any Member or Party of our Club who has run abroad, Island or Country that has not already been visited please let me Know and I Will add them to the list, also if it is a new destination please try and obtain either a sow- on badge, or a sow- on pennant, to put on the Wrecker’s Flag of the Country or City/town where the Race was.
Compiled by: Ian Emery a founder member, and now President. from Wrekin's History/Archives. 2018.
Countries/Islands Wrekin Road Runners have participated in Races
Australia-Belgium-Brazil-Canada- Canary/Isles-China-Cyprus-Czech-Republic-Denmark-Estonia-France-Faro/Isles-Germany-Greece-Guernsey-Holland-Hungary-Icland-S/Ireland-Isles of Man-Italy-Lanzarotta-Latvia-Lebanon-Malta- Mallorca-Monaco-Morocco-New/Zeeland-Norway-Portugal-Russia-Scotland—Sri/Lanka-South/Africa-Spain-Sweden-Switzerland-Tenerife-U.S.A.-Wales
Australia-Belgium-Brazil-Canada- Canary/Isles-China-Cyprus-Czech-Republic-Denmark-Estonia-France-Faro/Isles-Germany-Greece-Guernsey-Holland-Hungary-Icland-S/Ireland-Isles of Man-Italy-Lanzarotta-Latvia-Lebanon-Malta- Mallorca-Monaco-Morocco-New/Zeeland-Norway-Portugal-Russia-Scotland—Sri/Lanka-South/Africa-Spain-Sweden-Switzerland-Tenerife-U.S.A.-Wales
