As recalled by John Whiteman (an original member)
(If the reader can recall the facts
differently, please feel free to let me know so that I can amend the report)
As mentioned elsewhere on the Club Web Site (www.weshamroadrunners.com),
following our first ever AGM held in
January 1985, (held at the Lane Ends pub, Wesham), the Club became a member of the then AAA (now BAF). As a group of runners who met on Monday nights, we met firstly at St. Joseph’s School, Wesham
in the summer of 1984. In 1985 we moved to Wesham Community Centre. The first ever club race was round the sports
field by the side of the centre
and it was for Wesham members only.
I can’t recall how many laps there were but it didn’t amount to anywhere near 10K. Terry Maunder won the race.
Our next effort came in November 1985 and was again for Wesham members only. The weather was
freezing and there was ice everywhere. The distance was again a little dubious,
(no Jones Counters, Surveyors Wheels or GPS monitors
used then), and the course was measured by Mike
Carter’s car. The start was on Mowbreck
Lane outside St Josephs, through
to the end of the lane, on to the Derby
Arms, left up Church Rd, left
down Cross Lane, left down Moss Lane, right at Mowbreck Lane back to the start to the finish on the sports field.
But this was for the ladies – the men ran an additional distance by having to
carry on along
1986
was to become the year of our
first ever officially recognized open 10K
race. This was only open to club members, (unattached members did not take
part). It was held on the last Saturday in November and has been every year since. The start was on
For the next few years the same course was
used, with one or two minor alterations. Probably the most notable of these was
the year a cow that had escaped from a field on Bradshaw Lane decided to join in, it ran all the way to Weeton Village before dropping out
‘knackered’, (sorry exhausted), and it probably went to the “knacker’s yard” afterwards. When the
new roundabout and Wesham bypass was
opened the police quite rightly refused the Club permission to use the route on safety grounds, so an
alternative course had to be found.
There is plenty of countryside around the Wesham area, so finding a new course
wasn’t too difficult but finding one that would satisfy the police would prove
to be more onerous. The Derby Arms
at Treales was to be the race HQ and also the start and finish.
This course wound its way round the lanes
through Treales and Wharles then back to the Derby Arms. This was an excellent,
flattish course on quiet country lanes so how the police could say that, “There was an accident waiting to happen”,
beggars belief. Unfortunately after a couple of years at this venue it had to
change. Another venue would have to be found.
This time we were off to HMS Inskip. The people there were kind
enough to allow the use of their facilities for the start and finish. This
course was over many of the lanes used from the previous venue and the police,
however, were happy for them to be used from HMS Inskip. After two years using this course there were some staff
changes at the site and once again another course would have to be found.
Coming to our rescue this time was BNFL Salwick. The Social Club there was, and has proved to be, an excellent venue for
the start and finish. At the time of writing September 2005 there are over 300 pre-entries for this year’s race
on Saturday 26th November.
The event is usually closed as being full long before the closing date and has
been for a number of years now.
Long may
it last!
Written by: John
(Boss Wrinkly) Whiteman in conjunction with Keith and Marian Rhead
Submitted: 1st November 2005
Additional Information from John Bertenshaw
Hi Boss
Wrinkly,
I read your report on the Wesham 10K: it was a good
read, nice to know the history of this famous race! On reading it, my few,
[remaining], memory cells were kick-started. This is my recollection of the last
years of the Bradshaw Lane/Weeton course:-
The course was run on the Fleetwood Rd./Bradshaw Lane/Weeton course for a
few years after the construction of the Wesham Bypass, which I think was
constructed between 1990 and 1992. The course I ran in 1995
and 1996 started in Park Lane Wesham, following Fleetwood Rd.,
Bradshaw Lane, on to Weeton Village and along Weeton Rd.,
finishing on the Weeton side of the new Bypass. After the 1996
race the police refused permission to use the route again. The new course from
the Derby Arms was run for the first time in 1997.
I hope this helps to fill in some gaps.
Cheers and Merry Christmas,
Bertie.
Submitted: 17th December 2005
The origins of the “Club” as seen by John Baldwin
