A Look Back at the Windmill Half Marathon

 

 

 

The early 80’s was a golden age for British road running.  Athletes such as Mike Gratton, Charlie Spedding, the Jones’s (Hugh and Steve), all won the London Marathon in under 2 hours 10mins and they inspired a generation to get running.  Races and running clubs sprouted all over Britain to cater for the demand, with every town above village size holding a marathon or half marathon.  Britain was in the grip of a running fever.

 

The Windmill Half Marathon was one of many races borne in the running boom.  It ran for 10 years between 1983 and 1992 and became a feature of the Lytham St Annes’ September sporting calendar. 

 

I ran in every race, and many veteran athletes, now running for Wesham and local clubs, did at least one event though many ran as ‘unattached’ in the first few races.  It was only after the formation of Wesham in 1985 did the club feature on the results sheet.

The race started at Blackpool Road playing fields, where the football pitches provided parking for the large numbers of visitors to the town.  Although promoted as a fast and flat course, the westerly winds could be a strength sapper which could turn a promising outward run into a grim head down slog on the return.

Race to the line –

1st Windmill ½ marathon 1983

 

The first race in 1983 attracted a field of around 2000.  It was won by Salford’s Steve Kenyon who finished a minute ahead of his team mate, in an impressive 1.05.08, a time which would never be beaten. 

 

Familiar names include: Geoff Everall (131st – 1.20.56), Tony Robbins (277th – 1.25.40), Terry Maunder (278th – 1.25.42), M Bates running for Red Rose (327th – 1.26.39), Bob Harescough (384th – 1.27.57), Terry Unsworth (521st – 1.30.22), S Smith running for Red Rose (500th – 1.30.01), R Chapman (667th – 1.33.01).

 

The second race had 1648 finishers, though the clock stopped after 2½ hours. It was won by Paul Kenney from Blackpool and Fylde in a time of 1.07.01. 

 

The third race was for me the most memorable.  It was started by Olympic Silver Medallist, Shirley Strong, in particularly windy and cold weather.  The gale force winds on the previous night had destroyed the marquees and baggage compound.  On the outward leg the winds blowing off the sand hills by the North Promenade, sand blasted your legs raw.  Coming back a group of runners had tagged onto me and I had to practically stop to make one of them take the lead, allowing me to tuck in behind and get some shelter.  The one mile to go sign outside my Uncle Nick’s house has never been so welcome.  I almost felt like going in for a brew.  This was the first year that Wesham members featured in the 1894 finishers.  The results, including all the Wesham finishers are listed below:

 

Pos

Name (Club)

Time

 

Pos

Name (Club)

Time

1

P Campbell (Bolton)

1.08.00

 

802

K Moylan (Wes)

1.35.31

2

R Brewster (Clayton)

1.08.35

 

830

K Munro (Wes)

1.35.49

4

K Moss (Chorley)

1.09.28

 

852

J Hearne (Wes)

1.36.15

33

R Forsyth (Wes)

1.15.21

 

862

S Potter (Wes)

1.36.25

75

Terry Maunder (Wes)

1.18.33

 

921

P Earnshaw

1.37.23

166

A Pawson (Wes)

1:21:30

 

929

J Porter (Wes)

1.37.36

222

John Collier

1.15.21

 

988

N Walsh (Wes)

1.38.47

250

John Baldwin (Wes)

1.24.53

 

1112

Keith Rhead (Wes)

1.41.37

251

J Lyons (Wes)

1.24.53

 

1129

W Moxham (Wesham)

1.41.52

316

D Waywell (Lancs Fire Brigade)

1.26.23

 

1146

Norman Bateman (Wes)

1.42.22

317

R Bamber (Wes)

1.26.23

 

1160

Jenny Thompson (Wes)

1.42.42

382

D Nuttall (Wes)

1.27.50

 

1182

Janet Eaton (Wes)

1.43.04

473

J Kirkham (Wes)

1.29.55

 

1186

K Munro (Wes)

1.43.08

479

John Whiteman (Wes)

1.30.03

 

1188

K Andrew (Wes)

1.43.10

534

C Daniel (Wes)

1.30.47

 

1340

G Durber (Wes)

1.46.08

584

A Cartain (Wes)

1.31.36

 

1376

J Quincey (Wes)

1.47.50

594

S Ball (Wes)

1.31.49

 

1426

D Thompson (Wes)

1.49.15

608

A Peake (Wes)

1.32.00

 

1453

T Roberts (Wes)

1.50.17

611

M Bates (Red Rose)

1.32.03

 

1479

J Moxham (Wes)

1.51.58

670

D Parkinson (Wes)

1.33.14

 

1638

S Davies (Wes)

1.57.44

 

The fourth Windmill Half Marathon was won in 1.06.38 by J Woods from Liverpool, while Sharon Astley from Blackpool took the women’s race in 1.15.41, a course record.  Dave Walker led the Wesham contingent finishing in 53rd position in 1.14.09, with Terry Maunder 69th with 1.15.25.  From the large field of 2237 finishers, an impressive 662 finished under 90 minutes, 193 under 80 minutes and 64 under 75 minutes.

 

The fifth race was my best run on the course to date with 1.20.27 for 178th place.  The race was won in 1.06.15 by David Swanson from Cockermouth.  Tony Croft (then Springfield AC), was 21st with a time of 1.12.09.  Dave Walker (48th) led the Wesham contingent with 1.13.54, followed by Graham Clarkson (54th) in 1.14.24.

 

The sixth race still managed to attract nearly 2000 runners.  It was won by Dave Ramsden, a Coventry Godiva athlete in 1.07.07.  An ever improving Graham Clarkson was the first Wesham man home in 1.11.18 to take 17th place, followed by Pete Aldersley who had a ‘stormer’ to finish 106th in 1.17.34.  I again improved to finish in 1.20.08 (162nd), just ahead of John Burns (193rd) in 1:20:41.  A certain Alex Rowe, running for Guardian Royal Exchange, finished in 1.23.43.  (Wow! - never realised that I had actually ever finished in front of Alex.  Sadly this was the one and only time).

 

The course record of 1.05.08 was equalled in 1989 by Colin Moore of Bingley Harriers; a full 2½ minutes clear of Kevin Vose from Liverpool Harriers.  Graham Clarkson continued to improve with 1.10.53 for 18th spot, while Brian Hall (1.15.43) was 2nd Wesham man home.  A huge improvement saw Alex Rowe, still GRE, finish in 1.16.59 for 93rd spot.  The women’s race was won in a time of 1.20.30 – with Wesham’s Janet Eaton finishing 11th lady in 1.31.10.

 

The 8th race in 1990 was won by D Beattie from Dundee Hawkhill in 1.7.23.  Otherwise it was characterised by a string of mediocre performances so I’ll skip this and move on.

After Race Photo - Keith the postman,

Peter Wyld, John Collier, Jack Goodwin,

Billy Beggs and someone else

 

The 9th race in 1991 was won by Blackpool and Fylde’s Paul Muller in 1.10.04.  Brian Hall was first back for Wesham in 1.15.47 to take 27th place, followed by Alex, now running in a Wesham vest, who finished in 35th with 1.16.49.  Sadly, the 9th race was the last to be organised by Fylde Borough Council.  Numbers had dropped to 1291 finishers and with an eye on the purse strings the council decided to pull the plug.  Although still a respectable turnout by today’s standards, the running boom of the 1980’s was running out of steam. 

 

A final race, sponsored by Kensington Developments took place in 1992, with a slightly altered course, which I suspect may have been slightly short.  Dave Ramsden repeated his win of 1998 in a time of 1.07.54.  Alex continued to realise his potential with a time of 1.12.30, while Russ Mabbet’s 1.18.09 saw him finish in 61st, just ahead of Pete Waywell (63rd) in 1.18.14, myself (64th) in 1.18.32 and Pete Aldersley (76th) in 1.18.58.  Peter Wyld finished in 1.27.40 to take 234th spot (a PB?).

 

Despite the Windmill’s demise, several events from the era have survived and gone from strength to strength - the Coniston 14 originating in 1982 being a case in point.  The strength of the vets sections in many running clubs nowadays serves testimony to the numbers who were hooked in the 80’s boom. 

 

On a personal note the ‘Windmill’ was my introduction into Wesham Road Runners through meeting Peter and Marie Wyld.  They hosted a brilliant after race party, which was finished off by a ‘team’ photo to round off a great day.

 

Thanks to Peter Wyld, Alex and Tony Robbins for their help with this article. 

 

Written by: John Collier

Submitted: 15th August 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor