Wrekin Road Runners Club History
Wrekin Road Runners was formed in July 1992 and a month later was affiliated to the Shropshire/Midland Counties A.A.A. in the road running category. The Telford Ice Rink was established as the club’s headquarters along with the club’s colours of black, orange and white. Training began on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
The club was built on a friendly and enjoyable foundation and has grown from its original nine members to over 200 today. Its members have competed all over the UK and abroad, with individuals and organised groups representing the club in some 37 countries on 4 continents.
Wrekin’s inaugural road race was staged in November 1992, within Telford’s Town Park, and was awarded a sports grant in December 1992 by the Wrekin Council Sports and Leisure Department. Since then the club has staged some 71 road races.
Our male runners were named the Orange Army, and the females named the Tangerine Terriers. We soon established ourselves as a competitive club, and in August 1992 one of our ladies had the privilege to run in the World Veteran Championships at the NEC 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 18min and was disappointed not to break his record of 2hr 15 min! He became the first club runner to cross the line in the country - Wreckers had a first. He also held the world record at that time for winning the Marathon de Sables, the world’s toughest marathon, three times, and all on the trot!
Other individuals to mention are:
- Paul Muller who, in 1996, won 37 of the 54 races he competed in. He was ranked first in the UK in the over 50 age category, and in 2018 was ranked first in the over 60s.
- Paul Ward who has won the Sexarathon Series seven times from 2003-2014 and is now first in the over 50s in the UK.
- In 2008 Sadie David also won the Sexarathon Series.
The club’s first European success was in France October 1992 when our ladies took first and second places in the Romoranti 10k. Other formidable successes were achieved in the North Staffs Cross Country League when we were promoted from Div 2 as Champions to Div 1 in 2000. In 2003 we were the overall winners of the Shugborough Relays, and on the European scene we took first team position out of 33 teams in the Brugge International 10 Miler Roa-Race in Belgium in which over 1000 runners participated.
In 2007 a group of Wrekin/Telford runners took part in the Caen 10k in Normandy, France. We were joined by World Snooker Champion Ronny O’ Sullivan, and can he run! He completed the 10k course in sub 36 mins. Ronny went on to write a book about running and his career which included a photo of him with the Wrekin team - thanks Ronny for that! Jenny Clauge, and Amanda Dalkins also did the club proud in Caen by taking first and second ladies places in the 5k and held the course record the next three years.
Other outstanding individual performances Jon and Sarah Aston who have completed 260 and 190 marathons/ultras respectively in there running careers to date and Kathy Ling who celebrated her 70th birthday year by completing over 100 races.
The famous Wrekin flag has been flown around the world, from the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, the top of Sugarloaf and Corcovado Mountain to meet the Redeemer in Brazil, from Niagara Falls 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 also been flown in the Arctic Circle, Iceland, Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Berlin, Rome, Budapest, Dublin, Estonia, Latvia, Moscow, Morocco, New Zealand, the Faro Islands and Lebanon,
Compiled by: Ian Emery a founder member and now President, 2018.
Countries/Islands Wrekin Road Runners have participated in Races
Australia,Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Faro Isles, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Malta, Mallorca, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Wales
Australia,Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Faro Isles, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Malta, Mallorca, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Wales