ALEX’S NEWSPAPER REPORT

For Week Ending 29th March 2008

Steve Littler led the Wesham men to team victory in pole position himself at the Caldervale Country 10-mile road race on Good Friday. Littler took up the reins early on and only had Nick Leigh from Altrincham AC for company, but he pushed on and won by 31 seconds in a time of 55:06 in very windy conditions with wintery showers. Charlie Pass returned to his old training grounds and finished a fine 5^th in 58:06, a good result. Barry Norman is working away steadily, returning form injury, and had a great run here to record 60:53 and finish 11^th. Alan Hudson took the M55 honours with 64:14 on the hilly course placing 17^th overall. The Wesham men easily won the team result with Garstang RC second.

Kath Hoyer was the first Wesham lady, finishing 12^th and 2^nd W45 in 77:37, 99^th overall. Julie Murphy was 37^th and 3^rd W40 in 88:27, 166^th overall, and Anne Docherty was 46^th and 1^st W50 in 93:28, placing the Wesham ladies 2^nd team behind Lancaster & Morecambe. Janice Copeland continued her return to running with a fine 1:40:22 for 56^th place, finishing 1^st W55, running in tandem with Pauline Mills who was 2^nd W55.

John Bertenshaw was 2^nd M50 behind Howgill’s Stephen Moffat with 64:33 for 19^th. Peter Waywell overtook his father Dave, finishing 20^th in his marathon preparations in 64:49, with the older Waywell exactly 2 minutes behind in 32^nd, placing 2^nd M60 with East Cheshire’s Alan Carrol just 20 seconds ahead. Doug Brown was 1^st M70 and 134^th in 83:41; and Mike Walsh was close behind as 2^nd M70 (and 1^st Over 75) in 85:53 (147^th), Andrew Whaites was 35^th in 67:25, a great run; Simon Eaton 43^rd in 68:33; George Kennedy 48^th in 69:35 (6^th M50); Lee Barlow paced Tanya Ashworth and finished 73^rd in 73:20; Chris Moss 113^th in 79:49; John Howorth 118^th in 80:40; Colin Whaites 119^th with 80:56; Barry Edwards 136^th in 83:52; Bernie Krawczyk 154^th with 86:26; Dave Young 160^th in 87:05; John Butler 164^th in 88:25; Finlay McCalman 168^th in 88:57; George Flanagan 172^nd with 89:18; Norman Bateman 192^nd in 95:18; and Paul Carter 197^th with 96:46.

The second Marathon Tour of the Fylde got underway on Thursday evening from North Pier in strong winds. Over a 6-mile run along Princess Promenade Carmel Sullivan got off to a great start, quickly becoming the leading lady and finishing 11^th overall in 40:13. Julie Cruse headed the women’s veterans behind Carmel, coming in 15^th in 42:58. Andrew Divall was the only Wesham male on the opening race, placing 20^th in 45:16. Helen Jolly ran 51:58 to finish 32^nd, and Pauline Weller was 36^th with 53:57.

On the second day, on the beach at St Anne’s Pier, the wind was again very strong on the sand for the 4-mile beach race, so much so that the course was changed to go out on the road and come back on the beach with a favourable tailwind. With 2 laps of a 2-mike circuit, Carmel Sullivan, now sporting the Tour Leader’s vest, was again out in front and came home 13^th in 25:17. Peter Gleaves took in a Good Friday run and had a great speed workout to clock 25:26. Julie Cruse, running in the Ladies Veteran Tour Leader vest, finished 19^th in 26:37, with Andrew Divall next in with 27:45 for 20^th place. Pauline Weller was 36^th in 53:57.

Saturday morning was the 6-mile cross country race staged at the Collegiate Sports College on the adjacent fields. Carmel Sullivan hung on to her leader’s vest in great style as she scored another victory, this time coming home 11^th in 38:51 over the 3-lap course. Andrew Divall came into his own on the twisting grassland course, finishing 15^th in 42:32. Julie Cruse was 16^th in 26:37, still the leading ladies veteran, and Pauline Weller was 28^th in 52:28.

The ranks were swelled on the final day in the Fleetwood 10-mile road race from the Leisure Centre along the promenade towards Rossall and Cleveleys. Martin Bates joined the action on another windy day and finished 2^nd M50 and 14^th overall in 66:01. Carmel Sullivan completed her Tour the ladies victor running 68:22 for 19^th place. Andrew Divall stormed ahead to record 74:06 and finish 28^th, joined by Michaela Dempsey who came in 29^th place with 74:51. Julie Cruse was 36^th in 76:49 and won the ladies veteran place in the Tour overall. Stephen Wilkinson was 40^th with 77:32; and Nigel Shepherd renewed the old partnership with Wilkinson to come in 48^th after his exertions the day before in the Fiendsdale race with a time of 80:53. Pauline Weller finished 63^rd in 91:44.

The route of the Guiseley Gallop multi terrain 10k race had to be changed on Sunday due to the snow in the Leeds area, but the change was not for the better as the race route became more challenging with more mud to negotiate and contend with colder temperatures. Unfortunately the first 10 runners went the wrong way, but it did mean that Dave Waywell came in 37^th although he was always assured of the M60 victory, clocking 40:18. Kath Hoyer finished 5^th W45, 27^th woman and 197^th overall in a splendid 50:22.

Four Wesham runners took part in the Fiendsdale Fell Race on Saturday in mixed conditions, with strong winds and hail showers to contend with. Incorporating two climbs up Parlick behind Chipping, Derek Buckley finished 3^rd M50, Richard Davies had a mixed race nearly dropping out halfway with sickness; and Sarah Sherratt and Nigel Shepherd also ran; results http://www.bowlandfellrunners.org.uk/fiendsdale_results_2008.xml

Written by: Alex Rowe

Submitted: 27^th March 2008

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor