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The Oldham Mayor’s Half
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A very hilly, single loop Town and Country road race from Oldham Town Centre into undulating Saddleworth countryside.
Scenery: 5 (middle bit nice)
PB potential: 0 (won in 1:17)
Atmosphere : 3 – quite a low key race, but run for very
worthy causes and deserves better support.
Organisation: 9 – could have done with one or two more marshals and one or two
more direction arrows as quite easy to become isolated.
Value: 10 (£5 only to enter and free
parking and generous prizes)
Beginner Friendly: 0
– a few of our contingent were saying it was tougher than Coniston and Dent. Not
sure if that’s true or not, but you get the picture. Not for April Fools.
Do it again: Yes - tough, but I enjoyed it.
Michaela and I met Peter “tea total” Gleaves
at the
I was just about to play a joke on Michaela and say, “Hi Pete” (Cruse). Michaela has
got the bit between her teeth for the competitive miles”, but Pete and Julie spoiled the joke when they both walked in, (after doing Grizedale 10 yesterday). Pete also told us Richard has missed off Dent
14, but not sure if that’s an April
fool joke!
I got a fairly good start and managed to
leave Peter Cruse for dead………or so I
thought! My next target was Richard
Lawson of Clayton! (Jonathan’s dad)……..but he was getting
further and further ahead. It wasn’t Richard,
it was the young Brian Horrocks, but
I swear he’s Richard’s double from
the back!
The first four miles is steadily uphill,
but I was making good progress and picking off the odd runner. I went fairly fast
on the downhills, relying on the wind to stop me going too fast. I’d just
overtaken two or three, the mile markers appeared to be flying by and I thought
I could hear one of them coming back to me. It wasn’t a runner I’d just passed,
it was a rejuvenated Peter Cruse and,
after a brief chat, he left me. He never got too far in front and glanced back
once or twice as if he was unsure of the way. A few cyclists went past and
shouted, “Go on Wesham”.
At mile ten however, I died a bit and Peter seemed to take off. This was a
downhill bit, but running through road works. The last two miles was run on
cycle paths, but it was hard to keep your pace going for the twists and turns
and bollards and the uncertainty of were we going the right way. I asked a marshal
how far to go and he said three miles. I think he was joking. I was hoping he
was going to say half a mile, because I missed a few markers.
When I emerged back onto the road, Peter wasn’t in sight anymore, but I
could see a Royton runner struggling
and furtively looking over his shoulder. I caught him up about a yard from the
line. He was miles in front at one stage, so I assumed he’d either died or
pulled something. Soon after, Peter
Gleaves came through, just a minute off his PB – he’ll hammer his PB
on a Brass Monkey or a Freckleton course. Michaela came in next – 3rd
overall.
1st:
Ken Chapman (u/a) 1:17:43 and 1st Lady Lisa Wilyman 1:33:33 (20th)
(Valley Striders)
13th Peter Cruse
1:27:27 (Alex – please note I think it was 1:29:27 & John Schofield couldn’t
read Tony Martin’s handwriting)
14th
Martin Bates 1:31:23 (1st V50)
22nd
Peter Gleaves 1:33:47
27th
Michaela Dempsey 1:40:12 (1st FV40)
50th
Julie Cruse 1:45:27 (1st FV45)
71st Stephen
Wilkinson 1:51:37
72nd
Nigel Shepherd 1:51:46
87th
Peter Cooke 1:58:18
105th
Finlay McCalman 2:04:45
Dave Robson (BW
and F):42nd (1:42:03)
115 finishers. Michaela, Julie and I all received Boots vouchers from the Mayor
for winning our categories, (mine was initially awarded to a Royton runner)!
Pete and Julie Cruse, Michaela and I,
Pete Gleaves, Peter Cooke and Finlay
all met for a drink at the Malthouse,
Blast from the past - Oldham Half
2001
4th
Alex 1:15:12
7th
Gary Pendlebury 1:18:56
18th
Derek Buckley 1:22:48
20th
Martin Bates 1:23:23 (a few weeks later I ran 1:18:40 at the
46th
Tim Gibson (LSARR) 1:28:50
94th
Finlay McCalman 1:38:49 (Michaela says are there two Finlay McCalman’s in WRR)
162nd
Ruth Calderbank 1:50:25
218 finishers
Written by: Martin Bates
Submitted: 2nd April 2007
Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor