Alex’s Newspaper Report

The Wesham men’s team at the Mid Lancs Cross Country in Burnley

It was the final fixture in the Mid Lancs Cross Country League on Saturday in Towneley Park in Burnley and there was a smaller turnout perhaps due to the Inter Counties in Loughborough but there were still some fine performances to round off the season, reduced to 5 fixtures for the League. In the Senior Women’s 6km with a small, medium and large lap round the playing fields in front of the hall Carmel Sullivan had a great run to finish 14th overall in 24:35, placing 2nd W55. Kay Twist rounded off her season to win the Wesham club championship to come in 38th and 12th W50 in 26:19. Alona Versinina was 5th W35 and 61st in 29:45 and Julie Paton finished 74th and 9th W45 in 31:19. The Wesham ladies had just enough to finish teams in all their age categories, with the Senior team 11th, and W35s and W45s both 8th. Wesham have no M70s running this year having won medals in previous years, but the Senior Men did well in their 9.8km 3-lap course. Adam Wilding finished an excellent 12th in 34:56 having held his ground well over the three laps, with firm ground despite the snow of the previous three days. David Taylor finished 28th in 36:54, with next placed Carl Groome 78th in 41:47, 5th M50. Steve Myerscough placed 83rd in 42:14 for 11th M45 and Will Parkinson 87th with 42:43. Mick Edge ran well for 101st place in 44:23 and 9th M60; Lee Barlow battled on having a troublesome Achilles to finish 108th and 8th M50 in 45:11 having been well up on the first lap. Tony Leach placed 113th and 10th M60 in 46:05 with Nigel Shepherd 123rd with 48:10, 13th M60; Stephen Twist 125th in 48:23; and James Danson 128th in 42:49, 16th and 17th M55s. the Men’s team were 8th overall; 8th M40s; 5th M50s and 2nd M60 team. Overall for the season, the Wesham women have placed 3rd in Division 4, an excellent result for them this year, with a “B” team qualified as well. The W35s are 12th team and W45s 9th. The Senior Men finished 6th in Division 1 so will be relegated next season; the “B” team place 3rd in Division 3. The M40 team are 6th in Division 1 so also relegated, the M50 team are also 6th, and the M60 team come in second in silver medal position, so a good result.

The marathon season is well underway and the Trimpell 20 saw a good turnout in Lancaster for its out-and-back course around Morecambe and up through Caton on the old railway track. Martin Allison finished 341st in 3:01:05 for a good run, and recently ex member Stuart Clayton was 238th in 2:43:55 for 7th M55.

The Dentdale Run continues in its history, a challenging 14.2 -mile undulating run in the Dee Valley in the eastern reaches of Cumbria, although classed as being in the Yorkshire Dales. As a Saturday run it frequently clashes with a cross country fixture as it did this year. Andrew Wilkinson ran 2:12:07 for 64th place finishing 12th M50.  There were 122 finishers in this year’s race.

Wesham had three runners in the long established Roddlesworth Roller trail run from Abbey Village up past the two wooded reservoirs. Carmel Sullivan finished 69th in 45:47 and 1st W55, 12th woman. Mick Edge was 77th in 46:10 and 7th M60. Kirsty Holland was 205th in 1:08:21. This was another popular run with 218 finishers.

Rob Wallace ran the New Longton 10k and he finished 64th in 47:52 with 196 runners.

There were fewer Wesham members out this week at a Saturday morning parkrun but there were some good performances. Lytham Hall saw the most members with many going on to run the Mid Lancs cross country later on in Burnley. Steven Gore was in form to run 20:43 for an M40 age graded performance of 66.37% to run the fourth fastest time of the day. David Taylor saved some energy for later but came in 9th fastest in 21:54 for an M35 grade of 60.58%. Ian Nichols Hogg clocked 23:38 for 54.87% with Michelle Tickle on her 301st run marking off 24:00 for W45 69.03%. Jonathan Lawson gradually returning to form ran 25:28 for M55 60.34%, and Vicky Gore returned 26:24 for W45 61.36%. Louise Lord ran 28:44 for W45 57.66%; Carl Groome 30:32 for M50 49.89%; Martin Allison clocked 30:32 with M35 44.38%; Sue Rigby ran 32:49 for W45 50.48%; and Alona Versinina 32:50 with a W35 45.53% performance. Rob Wallace ran the Blackpool parkrun in Stanley Park in 26:32 for an age graded 48.68%; Andy Moore clocked 28:26 for M60 56.92%; and Finlay McCalman recorded 28:42 for M55 54.94%. On Fleetwood Promenade George Kennedy ran 26:17 for M65 63.79% and Steve Myerscough returned to Avenham Park for the Preston run to record a speedy 19:57 for an M45 performance of 73.35%. Tracey Hulme was in Platt Fields for the South Manchester run and she stopped the clock in 26:47 for a W60 grade of 71.44%. In Dunedin in New Zealand Deborah Cookson completed her third run there in 59:47 for a W40 25.93%.