Race starts behind the Metropole – two laps of the cenotaph, then onto the Lower Walk to Fleetwood; finishing just behind the Baths.

MARTIN’S RACE RATINGS:

Do it again: Yes

Scenery: 9 - About the best you get in Blackpool; sea on your left and running towards the Lakes (not that you could see the fells today)

PB potential: 10 - (how many other 15k races do you know of?!!)

Atmosphere: 9 - various Wesham partners/runners en route shouting encouragement. Billy Beggs was cycling the opposite way and passed comments about my forthcoming birthday.

Organisation: 10 - credit where it’s due. Everything went swimmingly; even the gate was open at Rossall!! (A lot could have gone wrong – there were at least three buses to the start, the baggage van didn’t set off till the last bag was thrown in and even though part of the Prom at Cleveleys was closed to high tides, we were able to run past this bit unscathed!). Also got a bit worried at the start: at about 9:58 when Ron asked if there were any shops nearby for batteries – presumably for his loudspeaker, but he managed to make himself heard regardless.

A bit of debris en route and a few dogs to give a wide berth to, but can’t hold the organiser responsible! No worse than one of my favourite routes – Stanah. (Ask Michaela about Saturday’s training run!)

Value: 9 - £10 to pre-enter and T-shirt not bad. No team prizes, but prizes otherwise good, (rucksacks, towels etc) – I’ve still got Carmel’s and Russ Mabbett’s.

Beginner Friendly: 10 - Judging by all the ladies in Runners Network T shirts, I’d say they all enjoyed it and sold a few, (nude), calendars to boot. Granada TV were filming for their 6 o’clock news spot and they filmed Steve Littler buying a calendar, (for charity of course). I used to work with one of the Network runners, (Lisa), and she’s only ever run twice round the park previously, so she was well chuffed.

I ran to Central Pier to warm up. In the race I ran initially with Carmel and Joanna for a while. I then ran just behind an unattached runner, Brian Cumpsty till Rossall. Brian had run to the start from Fleetwood! I usually see Lytham’s Emily Dennis during the race, but she was using the race as part of her long run for the forthcoming Frankfurt Marathon. (I think she’ll do well). I had a sprint finish with a V55 and managed to hold him off.

1^st Steve Littler 49:50 P.B. (1^st Lady Toni McIntosh of Stockport Harriers: 58:16)

4^th Steve Myerscough 53:06 PB.

5^th Lee Barlow 54:46

6^th Russell Mabbett 55:54 PB

7^th Peter Waywell 56:36 PB

8^th Peter Cruse 57:21

10^th John Bertenshaw 58:25 (1^st V50) PB

13^th Simon Eaton 58:55 PB

21^st Martin Bates 62:40 (1^st v45) PB (One cynic at the Club on Monday said was I the only Vet 45 in the race!! (Trevor Rayner I think!)

28^th Joanna Goorney 64:11 (1^st FV35) PB

29^th Carmel Sullivan 65:09 (1^st FV40) PB

33^rd Alan Taylor 66:05

60^thNigel Shepherd 70:23 PB.

67^th Peter Cooke 71:09 (forgot his shorts and had to run in tracksuit bottoms!) PB

72^nd Yvonne Russell 71:48 PB

85^th Julie Cruse 74:36 PB

93^rd Julie Murphy 75:44 PB

120^th Jenny Thompson 80:35 PB

298 finishers

I think we had nine prizewinners. The Mayor of Fleetwood, Peter Hawley, presented the prizes, (he was the coach driver who drove the Wrinklys to the Prague Marathon a couple of years ago)

To cap a great day, a gang of us went to the Norcoss Club to watch Blackpool thrash Brighton 3 – 0 and adjourned to a Cleveleys Chinese Restaurant for tea. An impromptu night, but really enjoyable.

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 11^th October 2006

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor