Guy’s 10 Sunday 3^rd December, 2006

MARTIN’S RACE RATINGS:

Do it again: Yes, but may be tempted by Bowland by Bowland Fell Race next year……….unless I need the extra two miles!

Scenery: 8

Pb potential: 10 (but not today)! Really good quality field (male and female)

Atmosphere: 8

Organisation: 3 (sorry) A bit of a farce at approx 9:40am? The organisers started turning runners away after they had reached their limit (300?). Tony Robbins drove off and went home – mind you, he did forget to come off the M55 at Broughton and carried onto the M6, (he’s 69 you know). The next minute, a chap was walking through the car park with a loud hailer saying they weren’t full after all. I suppose the moral of the story is to pre-enter or get there at least an hour before the start. To be fair to the organising club, Garstang, a lot of club runners were complaining who should know better. Steve “last minute” Myerscough got there soo late, (10 minutes before the start). He decided to run the course the opposite way round.

Value: 6 (£8 to enter on the day)

Beginner Friendly: 10

Peter Waywell said he was going to run round with me as he had been working nights and he wanted to take it easy! As it happened, Peter passed me after a couple of miles and disappeared into the distance. I tried to keep John Bertenshaw and Dave Waywell in sight for as long as I could, but lost it a bit around half way. We had been running into a headwind and I wasn’t sure if my 12st 4 lbs frame was an advantage or a disadvantage! A few Burnden and Lancaster runners came past me and then another Burnden runner. John Keohane was watching and Carolyn Robbins of Blackpool drew alongside at about 6 miles and we worked together for the last 4 miles passing one or two runners. Carolyn was on for a P.B. and started flagging slightly with less than half a mile to go. I tried to encourage her, (never quite sure what to say). I tried to compare the distance left to a lap of the track and we went again, overtaking Peter Waywell, who shouted us home. Carolyn got a P.B. by half a minute. I did the gallant thing by letting Carolyn go first down the tunnel. (Please note Miss Sweeney!). We finished in 65:34/65:35. I was nearly a minute faster than Brampton, two weeks ago, so I was pleased. Carolyn was 1^st FV45.

Had a couple of pints after with Steve Hallas and Michaela who slaughtered Levon and I at pool.

1^st Ben Fish (Blackburn) 51:03, 1^st Lady Vicky Gill (Chorley) 56:55 (12^th overall). Whilst running I thought Gemma Unsworth (65:08) was 1^st Lady, but I hadn’t allowed for Vicky and Alison Raw (Darlington) 60:02.

and 30 WRR runners:-

4^th Steve Littler 53:35, 9^th Charlie Pass 56:40, 28^th Lee Barlow 61:07, 40^th Peter Cruse 62:21, 44^th Alan Hudson 63:16, 47^th Dave Waywell 63:39 (1^st V60), 53^rd John Betenshaw 64:10, 66^th Martin Bates 65:35, 68^th Peter Waywell 66:03, 78^th Peter Gleaves 67:15, 92^nd George Kennedy 68:56, 98^th Des Cleary 69:52 pb, 100th Stephen Hinde 70:17, 105^th Alan Taylor 70:26, 109^th Mark Threlfall 70:33, 117^th Carmel Sullivan 71:22, 126^th Stephen Bamber 72:40, 135^th Michaela Dempsey 73:05, 161^st Kath Hoyer 74:49, 168^th Sarah Sherratt 75:09, 181^st Nigel Shepherd 76:41, 183^rd Stephen Wilkinson 76:57, 193^rd Julie Cruse 77:24, 197^th Chris Moss 77:41, 206^th Reg Chapman 78:36, 226^th Finlay McCalman 80:21, 229^th Julie Murphy 80:42, 231^st John Howorth 80:58, 238^th George Flanagan 81:50, 290^th Pauline Weller 88:51

353 finishers – 2 of which paid at the finish!

Thanks to Kirsty Waywell for looking after Levon and Elaine Bertenshaw for offering.

Written by: Martin Bates

Submitted: 5^th December 2006

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor