The spring really kicked off with some gorgeous sunny weather and Wesham members took good advantage of the conditions. In the Pilling 10k on Saturday afternoon eight members contested the rural two-lapper in the sunshine. First Wesham finisher in 3rd place was Alek Walker in 37:54. Lee Barlow finished 6th and first M50 in 39:41 with Steve Myerscough placing 8th and 1st M45 with 41:01. Kay Twist had a great run to finish 4th woman and 2nd W50 in 48:18. Peter Rooney ran 48:48 for 18th place and coming in first M60. Jonny Allsop was 19th with 49:17; James Danson 23rd and 3rd M55 in 52:14, with Andrew Wilkinson coming in 28th in 52:45, second M50 behind Lee Barlow. All in all, a good day at the races.
The Pilling 10k was closely followed by the Mad March Hare 10k and 5k on Sunday morning in Moor Park in Preston. Ryan Azzopardi finished 6th in 23:58, encouraging Michelle Pitt on the second lap who was 33rd in 40:51.
Chris Hastwell ran the Longton 10k last week, finishing 8th and 2nd M45 in 37:43 sporting the running number 1. There were 163 runners in this popular race with the men and women’s winning times 35:00 and 41:36.
Andrew Neville completed the Buttermere 20k trail race finishing 40th in 1:46:21 when the winning time was only 1:22:49, a fine run for the 12-mile circuit round the stunning valley, taking in a circuit of Buttermere first followed by Sourmilk Ghyll and then a circuit of Crummock Water. The 12-mile course featured 234 metres of ascent along a mixture of hard-packed trails, grassland and woodland. There couldn’t have been a better day for the 192 runners.
Saturday morning attracted many Wesham members to their local 5km parkrun before a well-deserved breakfast. In Lytham Hall there were 13 members taking part, led by Carl Groome who recorded 20:36 for an M50 age graded performance of 73.38%. Chrisr Hastwell clocked 21:48 for an M35 grade of 61.70%, with Ryan Azzopardi running 25:09 for an M40 55.07%. Bev Wilding was Wesham’s first lady in 27:18 with W60 percentage 70.09%. Finlay McCalman clocked 28:14 for M55 55.37%; Clare Belfield 28:49 and W40 53.09%; James Birchall ran 29:35 wit 44.11%; Emma Crabtree 30:08 for 49.12%; Peter Bartlett 32:16 and an M70 graded 56.87%; Julie Rooney recorded a time of 33:07 for a W45 48.92%, with Vicky Gore 36:12 and W45 44.29%. Michelle Pitt ran 39:19 for W40 39.13% with Kerry Eccles clocking 39:20 for W60 48.64%. In Blackpool’s Stanley Park on a revised and slightly longer route due to the building work but this didn’t stop David Taylor recording the fastest time of the day with 18:07 for an M35 age graded 72.77%. Rob Wallace ran 23:52 for 54.12% and Stephen Browne 24:49 for an M55 62.46%. Ian Nichols Hogg clocked 26:04 with 49.62%, Dave Marsland 26:30 for M65 63.90%, and Andrew Moore 27:53 with an M60 57.50%. Alex Rowe stamped out 38:30 for an M60 grade of 43.16%, and Graham Brook returned 44:19 for M55 34.67%. On Fleetwood Promenade Lytham regular Jonathan Lawson did a bit of parkrun tourism to run 21:49 for an M50 age grade of 69.82%. Suzanne Leonard clocked 23:01 for W50 73.71% and Peter Cruse made a welcome return running 25:18 for M55 62.85%. George Kennedy followed him with 25:51 for M60 64.28% and Dave Young recorded an M70 percentage of 68.93% with his time 27:02. There was just one Wesham runner at the Preston parkrun as Nigel Shepherd ran 21:52 for an M60 graded 75.30%. Further afield but on home ground at the Riverside run in Chester-Le-Street Emma Brook ran 27:43 for W35 54.84%. Club prize for parkrun tourism this week went to Martin Bates who ran around the Krakowskie Błonia at the Kraków parkrun clocking 23:09 for an M65 grade of 72.43% along the banks of the Rudawa river.
WESHAM STORM TO TEAM VICTORY IN CONISTON 14 –
Seventeen years ago, in 2005 Wesham stormed the Coniston 14 on Saturday with a big turnout of runners to secure both the men’s and women’s team trophies in this most popular pre-London Marathon race on a weekend with probably the highest proportion of road races in a two-day period of the whole year. With 6 ladies and 23 men present, plus several casualties of injury and illness, and friends and families, the Wesham squad took over a hotel in Coniston, with most staying for the whole weekend. With a runaway winner in Mark Miles of Belgrave Harriers, who finished only a minute outside the course record, the Wesham pairing of Steve Littler and Charlie Pass took the silver and bronze positions with a close fought 1:17:00 and 1:18:17, well clear of fourth-placed Mike Scott of Border Harriers. Dave Waywell struggled on the hills and was well down on his best with 1:26:14, but nevertheless was an easy winner of the Over-65 age category with a clear 3:23 cushion. Steve Myerscough is running into his best form in his lead-up to London and recorded 1:28:55 to seal the Wesham men’s team victory. The Wesham women did not fare so well in terms of personal performance, with Michaela Dempsey 50th and 12th Over-35 in 1:49:44, and Kath Hoyer 77th and 10th Over-45 with 1:54:05. However, Bernadette Dickinson had a great run, recording 1:49:46 to finish 51st (12th Over-40) just behind Michaela to secure the women’s team victory. Karl Lee demonstrated his current training regime is paying dividends as he hung on the John Bertenshaw’s coat tails and recorded an impressive debut in this race. John finished 76th with 1:30:58, and Karl ran 1:33:26 to finish 104th. Tony Robbins finished 4th M65 in a high quality field with 497th position overall and a time of 1:51:37.
2. Steve Littler 1:17:00; 3. Charlie Pass 1:18:17; 33. Dave Waywell MV60 1:26:14; 53. Steve Myerscough 1:28:55; 76. John Bertenshaw MV45 1:30:58; 104. Karl Lee 1:33:26; 161. Martin Bates MV45 1:37:40; 171. Mark Midgley 1:38:06; 175. Peter Gleaves MV40 1:38:22; 187. Russell Mabbett MV40 1:38:54; 195. Lee Barlow 1:39:22; 215. Graham Vickers MV45 1:40:36; 375. David Preston MV50 1:47:16; 446. Michaela Dempsey FV35 1:49:44; 448. Bernadette Dickinson FV40 1:49:46; 497. Tony Robbins MV65 1:51:37; 523. John Howorth MV50 1:52:32; 564. Kathleen Hoyer FV45 1:54:05; 565. Derek Goodenough MV60 1:54:06; 582. Paul Carter 1:54:25; 624. Bill Brown MV65 1:55:52; 701. Finlay McCalman MV40 1:58:23; 723. Nigel Jackson MV45 1:58:59; 724. James Margerison 1:59:03; 745. Alan Taylor 1:59:43; 815. Ian Rawcliffe MV55 2:02:00; 967. Julie Murphy FV40 2:08:39; 1117. Cecilia Gregory FV45 2:16:27; 1118. Pauline Weller FV45 2:16:27
In the Trimpell 20 in Morecambe on Sunday, Brian Porter was delighted with his run along the Lune Valley as he is now improving at the rate of 5 seconds per mile in his preparations for the London Marathon. Brian finished 164th in a field of 336 with 2:44:49. Phil Leaver tackled the highly popular Wilmslow Half Marathon on Cheshire on Sunday. After the July temperatures of the previous day conditions were more seasonal and Phil ran well for the first 6 miles. He dropped back as the course turned into the fresh easterly wind and he crossed the finish line a little disappointed with 1:31:13 for 341st place. However, his efforts placed him 14th Over-50.
Roy Pickles was the sole Wesham runner in the Tramlines 4 in Blackpool on Sunday, running 26:06 to finish 12th. One-time Wesham regular Bill Stain made a comeback with 37:14 to finish 34th. In the Ryder Run Multi-Terrain 5k Race in Cuerden Hall, Leyland, Mark Wilson (M50) finished 45th in 24:53.
Six year ago in 2016 Carmel Sullivan was 61st woman and 1st W50 in the North London Half Marathon in Brent on Sunday in a excellent result, clocking 1:36:35 for 678th place overall. Mick Edge ran 1:44:48 finishing 1387th and 21st M55. Having run past the RAF museum in Hendon and in and out of the Saracen’s rugby ground at halfway the race finished inside Wembley Stadium. There were 6798 runners in this race. Steve Myerscough had been the first Wesham finisher in the Dentdale race two weeks ago, placing 21st with a time of 1:34:43 for the 14.2 miles, 11th M40-49. Paul Gregory was 44th with 1:39:12, 13th senior man such was the weight of Over-40s. John Collier won the M60-69 category with 1:41:18 finishing 54th overall. Chris Moss ran 2:00:04 to come in 156th and 41st M50-59. Jenny Salt was 16th W35-44 in 161st place overall with 2:00:49 and Peter Bartlett 211th and 12th M60-69. This is a challenging figure-of-eight course up and down both sides of the valley with some significant climbs and descents. There were a few Wesham runners in this year’s Coniston 14 road race from the village round the lake. Jason Barlow got the bit between his teeth and he was first home for the blues in 24th place with a time of 1:27:40, 7th M45, with a good run on a challenging rolling course with as some say the toughest section at 10 miles rising up past Brantwood. Steve Myerscough was 38th and 4th M40 in 1:29:37, in his build up towards his marathon. Paul Hetherington finished 74th with 1:35:00 giving him 11th M40 place. It was John Bertenshaw’s 23rd consecutive run in the event, encompassing the two year’s 17-mile version following flood damage; this year he ran 1:38:52 for 124th place and 8th M55. Catherine Carrdus was 24th woman and 3rd W40 in 1:45:36, a fine run placing her 225th overall. Paul Carter completed the Wesham squad in 810th place with a time of 2:15:40; he followed this up on Sunday with a 60-mile effort for Sport Relief in Preston. There were 1098 runners this year showing its continued popularity after 35 years of operations. Emma Lund finished 2nd woman in the Garstang Gallop on Sunday, a fairly challenging 7-mile road race from the town up into the Bowland foothills, running 48:25 for 19th place overall. Nigel Shepherd was 27th and 1st M55 in 49:56, a great run. Michaela Dempsey was 51st in 56:10, placing 9th woman and 2nd W50. Alan Taylor finished 57th in 57:07. Gary Barnett finished 22nd in the Trimpell 20 on Sunday with a new start and finish at Lancaster Castle, quite a contrast to running up the Lune through the Gorge and back. Garry finished 2nd M50 in 2:09:23, showing good form for the forthcoming London Marathon next month with just five weeks to go. Dave Young was 407th in this popular race with a time of 3:03:02, very creditable result placing him 4th M65. Paul Gregory finished 3rd in the Lakeland Trails Cartmell Challenge 18km, running 1:25:50 in a good performance on a grand say for running, over some fairly benign terrain. Steve Gore was not far behind in 5th place in a time of 1:27:19. Kath Hoyer was 101st in 1:48:33, 2nd W50 and 18th woman. There were 480 competitors in this race. David Taylor placed 12th in the 18km Trail Race in 1:19:30, a performance that would almost certainly have won the Challenge race.
Finlay and Martin buddy up in the South Lakes
A roundup of parkrun results for last week: Nigel Shepherd warmed up in Preston on Saturday morning with 21:09 for an M55 age graded performance of 73.92%; while Robert Brown clocked 25:00 for M55 63.07%. Graham Cunliffe took on the Burnley parkrun and he ran 23:08 for M55 68.73%. Sarah Sherratt was in action at Cuerden Valley again, with 23:03 this week for 68.26%. Martin bates and Finlay McCalman travelled to Fell Foot at the southern end of Windermere, running 22:17 and 28:48 respectively for M55 71.35% and M50 51.62%. At Lytham Hall Gemma Owen recorded a W35 66.99% with a tie of 22:19 and Phil Leaver an M60 70.74% with 23:04, both new personal best performances, Phil by 32 seconds and Gemma by 1:19.