The 25^th Coniston 14 (Saturday, 1^st April, 2006)

Martin’s Race Rating

Overall Score: 9.8

Do it again : Yes

Scenery : 10

Pb potential : N/A

Atmosphere : 10

Organisation : 10

Value : 10

Beginner Friendly: 9 (not sure if beginners start of with a 14 miler!)

For the third year on the trot, Alan Taylor organised the accommodation at the magnificent Waterhead Hotel. The Hotel put on a superb meal on the Saturday night and some of us partied till 3:30 in the morning. (Not the writer you understand). Alan is off to warmer climes next year and Pete Cruse has offered to sort out the digs. I can’t praise the hotel/location highly enough even though they nearly forgot our breakfast in the morning! Michaela wants to go back with her mum and dad. My son Levon enjoyed playing with Alan Taylor’s kids and didn’t want to come home. Only trouble was, I had to carry my three-legged dog up two flights of stairs! Peter Gleaves again kept us entertained with his piano recitals.

The Hotel has its own jetty, is on the course and approx ½ a mile outside the town centre. So that was my warm up! As the race started I heard a voice from the side, “bloody hell, look at all the Wesham runners”. I ran with Karl Lee briefly and briefly with John Bertenshaw and then with second lady, Amy Green, (Amy won Dent). Barry Norman came past me and I didn’t recognise him from the back. I thought perhaps he had missed the start! (He hadn’t and he finished 14^th). Lots more runners started passing me from Torver onwards. A spectator at Torver, (only approx 3 miles into the race) shouted, “Your lads have won the team prize!” (Possibly the same guy, Harold Ogden who sent a congratulations e-mail to Steve and the rest of the team on the WRR Website?) Roger Brewster also came past and said hello. Roger runs for Clayton and is a course record holder. Must have been taking it easy today?

Quite a few Wesham spectators were on route cheering us on and taking photos. Unfortunately Peter Cruse couldn’t get a number which means Bates will steam further ahead in Richard Davies’ mileage competition! I was running near a guy called Martin from York Acorn Club and I think the encouraging shouts spurred him on as well. Les Ward’s son, David overtook, but I didn’t recognise his Borrowdale vest. I speeded up on the last couple of miles, not least because Colin Laidlaw was catching me! (Sorry Colin!!!). I was 80^th out of 1,356 in 1:34:20. Michaela bought me a change of clothes and we adjourned into the 16^th Century Sun Inn where I believe Campbell used to stay. We were joined by Peter and Kristy Waywell. Peter was picking my brains about the Bob Graham Round!!!…….. not that I could tell him too much!!! (He needs to speak to Ali Welsh!!)

The next day, Chairman Dave Waywell led a walk in the Hawkshead area. We decided to keep dry and went to (John Ruskins) Brantwood…… then onto the Pub!

We had 31 runners out.

Wesham times: -

1^st Steve Littler 1:18:14 (in the last 6 years Steve has finished 1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd, 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th) (the 4^th was in his North Fylde days!),

5^th Charlie Pass 1:21:23,

14^th Barry Norman 1:24:58,

16^th Joe Hodgkinson 1:25:30,

20^th Karl Lee 1:25:47,

27^th Steve Myerscough 1:27:31,

33^rd Lee Barlow 1:28:36,

36^th Alan Hudson 1:29:10.

47^th John Bertenshaw 1:30:46,

48^th Dave Waywell 1:30:51,

55^th Derek Buckley 1:31:58,

80^th Martin Bates 1:34:20,

148^th Peter Waywell 1:39:16,

149^th Simon Eaton 1:39:22,

316 Alan Taylor 1:47:52,

363^rd Andy Divall 1:49:23,

375^th Kath Hoyer 1:49:58,

427^th John Howorth 1:51:55,

441^st Tony Robbins 1:52:28,

474^th Graham Vickers 1:53:30,

537^th Yvonne Russell 1:55:39,

575^th Nigel Shepherd 1:56:57,

633^rd Dave Young 1:58:21,

735^th Doug Brown 2:01:35,

762^nd Derek Goodenough 2:02:40,

763^rd Paul “sprint finish” Carter 2:02:40,

775^th Julie Murphy 2:03:17,

835^th John Keohane 2:05:32,

901^st Peter Newton 2:08:25,

937 Finlay McAlman 2:10:20,

1253 Brenda Dwyer 2:31:03

(1,356 finishers)

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 5^th April 2006

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Website/Magazine Editor

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