The Preston 10-Mile race in Longton proved as popular as ever with a full entry and 275 runners on the day. It once again hosted he Lancashire 10-Mile Road Championships and incorporated a new 5-mile race. There was a good turnout from local clubs and Wesham had seven members running. Adam Wilding was to the fore, and he finished 17^th in a time of 56:44. Former Wesham member Ugis Datavs was 29^th in 59:43. There was a good quality at the front with the winner clocking under 50 minutes in 49:53 32 runners under the hour. Nigel Shepherd was after his M65 Diamond Standard for the Wesham ratings and he got this easily with 1:12:10 to finish 114^th and 2^nd M65. John Collier came in 188^th and 3^rd M70 in his new age category in his first road race for some time to clock 1:20:55. Peter Rooney was 232^nd and 7^th M65 in 1:29:38. Sharlan Butcher placed 56^th woman and 248^th overall in 1:35:37 for 7^th W50 with Dawn Biggs 57^th and 129^th in 1:36:02, 10^th W55. Christine Fare finished 67^th woman and 264^th overall in 1:47:27 for 11^th W50. Wesham finished 4^th team in the Lancashire Championships behind Red Rose, Blackburn Harriers, and Preston. The Wesham Men Veterans were 5^th team with the ladies finishing 3^rd team, and the lady veterans were 2^nd in a great result.

Martin Bates ran in the David Staff Memorial Fell Race over 6km and 305 metres of climb from the Sunnyhurst Woods up and over Darwen Tower twice. He finished 55^th in 53:06 placing 14^th Over-60.

Agness Woods ran in the Morecambe Festival of Running Half Moon Bay 5km on Sunday and she finished 10^th and 5^th female in 27:28, coming in as 1^st W55.

Wesham members were spread far and wide on Saturday morning with the cancellation of the Lytham Hall parkrun, with attendances at 12 separate events. The biggest showing was at the neighbouring Blackpool parkrun in Stanley Park with quite a few puddles from the recent days of rain. Chris Haines ran the 6^th fastest time of the day with 20:12 for an M35 age graded performance of 66.58%. Lee Barlow ran 22:15 for an M50 graded 66.82% and Rob Wallace came in with 25:51 for an age graded 50.03%. Agness Woods timed in at 27:25 for W55 66.02%, and Martin Allison clocked 32:21 for M40 42.19%. Liz Sharrocks returned 32:38 for a W60 61.18% with Jo McCaffery in at 35:40 for W45 44.95%. Tony Sharrocks recorded 42:51 for M60 37.77%, and Dave Young suffering long covid walked 52:24 for M75 36.80%. The Wesham parkrun tourists were at the Thorp Perrow event in the village of Snape between Masham and Leeming Bar in North Yorkshire. David Taylor produced the fourth fastest time of the day with 20:23 for an M35 graded 65.49%, guiding Steven Gore to the fifth fastest time of 20:42 and M40 66.91%. Carl Groome returned 22:37 for an M50 grade of 67.35% with Andy Moore on 31:11 for M60 51.90%. Peter Rooney ran 31:30 for M65 53.23%, while Sue Rigby clocked 45:46 with Julie Rooney in 45:47 for W50 36.64% and W45 36.18% respectively. In the Preston parkrun Steve Myerscough recorded 20:18 for M50 72.66% and James Danson ran 27:13 for M55 58.42%. Nigel Shepherd saved himself for the Preston 10 race the following day and had an easy 29:15 for M65 57.32%. Vicky Gore ran the Southport parkrun inn Victoria Park and she returned 26:00 for a W45 graded 62.31%. Michelle Pitt went to the Sale Water Park event, and she was rewarded with 38:29 W40 40.28%. Martin Bates ran in the Stretford parkrun for a time of 23:49 and a M65 grade of 71.73%. Michelle Tickle took a debut in Knowsley Park, and she ran 25:14 for W45 65.65% to place 3^rd fastest female. Daniel Bolton was in Gunnersbury parkrun near Kew in West London for his third run there and second fastest of the day to record a new personal best time of 17:18 with an age graded 74.57% PB 3^rd time. Emma Brook ran her home parkrun at Riverside in Chester-Le-Street and she recorded 27:46 for W40 55.10%, her second best performance, and at the Darlington South Park run Tracey Hulme ran 25:56 for W60 74.81%. There were a couple of Wesham members abroad, with Alona Versinina in Jersey for the run at Les Quennevais where she recorded 25:07 as a First Timer for W35 59.72%, and in The Hague at the Zuiderpark run Emma Wright clocked 27:27 for W45 58.41%.

There were six Wesham members in the Windmill Remembrance Day 10k on a circuit from Lytham Green near the Windmill along the front to King William and back. Daniel shaw finished 10^th in a time of 37:53 in wet and blustery conditions along the Promenade to place 4^th M35. Lee Nixon was 19^th in 39:31 and 3^rd M40. Andy McDonald was 272^nd in 51:51 and 32^nd M55 with James Danson 332^nd in 53:31 for 35^th M55. Sharon Cooper secured 80^th place in the women’s result with 53:49 for 346^th overall and 9^th W50. Agness Woods placed 9^th W55 in 54:33, 92^nd woman and 375^th overall. Helen Dutton finished 188^th woman in 59:07 for 586^th position and 29^th W40. There were 1352 finishers in this very popular event.

Last week 23 members ran the Wesham Monthly handicap for November around the 4-mile 2-lap circuit around Dowbridge. Adam Wilding had the fastest time in 23:45 with an 11-minute handicap. Chris Haines was second in 25:28 with the same handicap. Third placed was Carl Groome in 26:59 and Mick Edge ran 27:08 with a 9-minute handicap. Bradd Flatt clocked 27:28 and Nigel Shepherd was sixth in 29:11. Alona Versinina was the fastest woman with a time of 33:36, with Agnes Woods second in 33:53. Kirsty Holland placed third with 35:10. Rob Wallace was seventh fastest overall in 30:19 with James Danson running 35:15. John Burns recorded 35:23; Tanya Shaw 36:04; Sharlane Butcher 36:39; Julie Paton 36:46; Dawn Biggs ran 36:55; Andy Moore 36:56; Tom Nicholson 37:04; Natalie Mulrooney 37:06; Catherine Nicholls was on 38:16; Matt Holton 38:21; Antoinette Holton 39:05 and Claire Bellfield returned 39:13.

This week it was the 8^th anniversary of the Lytham Hall parkrun (although being celebrated a fortnight early), and the 500^th run at the Preston run in Avenham Park. There were 24 Wesham members running on Saturday morning, and most were content with the three events in the Fylde. At Lytham Hall Carl Groome ran the fifth fastest time of the day with a time of 20:04 for an M50 age graded performance of 75.91%. Agness Woods recorded her time 25:39 with a W55 graded 70.57%. Peter Rooney clocked 26:18 for M65 63.75% and Andy Moore 28:59 for M60 55.84%. Pauline Eccleston and Anne Berry ran together for times of 29:47 and 29:48 with a W50 58.48% and W60 66.05% respectively. Jo McCaffery returned 31:42 for W45 50.58%. In the Blackpool parkrun in Stanley Park Daniel Bolton scored the fastest time of the day with 18:00 for his age graded 71.67%. Jonathan Lawson ran 22:23 for M55 69.25%; Lee Barlow came in at 23:08 with an M50 graded 64.27%; and Rob Wallace ran 26:10 for 49.43%. It was perfect conditions for a run on Fleetwood Promenade with bright skies, crystal clear vision across Morecambe Bay and no wind, enough to attract Steve Myerscough from Preston for the sixth fastest time of 19:19 and M50 76.36% in his new age category. Vicky and Steven Gore clocked 25:08 and 25:09 for W45 64.46% and M40 55.07% respectively. Alan Hudson was just behind in 25:18 with his M70 73.65%, and Kirsty Holland clocked 37:41 for a 39.54% age grade. In the Preston parkrun Nigel Shepherd ran 21:39 for an M65 77.44% and Michelle Tickle clocked 24:09 for W45 68.60%. Starting and finishing in Victoria Park Ryan Azzopardi ran the Warrington event and recorded 25:48 for M40 54.13%, and in Longford Park in Stretford Tracey Hulme returned 29:26 for a W60 65.91% grade. Martin Bates ran the Alexandra parkrun in 25:39 for M65 66.60%, and in the Alderford Lake run in Whitchurch Emma Wright returned 30:24 for W45 52.74%. Mark Renshall was at the York Racecourse run and he clocked 23:47 for an M50 graded 62.02%. Emma Brook notched another run at the Riverside event in Chester-Le-Street for a time of 27:58 and a W40 age graded 54.71%.

There were a good number of events on across the North West but there were no Wesham members competing, despite the attractions of the Derwentwater 10-mile in Keswick and the Great Lancaster Half Marathon locally, although there were 29 members running a parkrun on Saturday morning. It is two weeks to the double challenge of the Wesham 10k and the second Mid Lancs Cross Country Legue incorporated in the Liverpool Cross Challenge, always an event to be a part of, and this weekend sees the Lancashire 10-Mile Championships incorporated in the popular Preston 10 mile race.

Mick Edge was celebrating his second selection for the Great Britain swim-bike duathlon team, and he will be looking forward to that event next year and training hard for it come the New Year.

The Wesham Monthly Handicap for November took place on Monday over the two-lap winter course from the centre of Kirkham around the bypass and back up Dowbridge, a 4-mile course. The results will be available later this week.

Wesham members stayed local last week in the Saturday morning parkrun, with seven running at Lytham Hall where David Taylor scored the fourth fastest time of the morning with 19:54 for an M35 age graded percentage of 67.09%. Will Parkinson clocked 20:48 for a new personal best time and an M40 grade of 63.38%. Adam Wilding provided support in 20:49 for 62.45%. Ian Nichols Hogg ran 24:10 for 53.79% with Peter Rooney running 26:28 for an M65 graded 63.35%. Bev Wilding returned 26:30 for W60 74.28% and Liz Sharrocks ran 31:09 for W60 64.10%. At the Blackpool run Daniel Bolton had the second fastest time of the day with 18:22 for 70.24%. Chris Haines clocked 20:36 for an M35 65.29% and Lee Barlow ran 22:49 and M50 65.16%. Michelle Tickle recorded 24:22 for a W45 67.99% with Finlay McCalman returning 27:42 for M55 57.40% and Jo McCaffery on 33:25 for W45 47.98%. James Danson was the only Wesham member at the Fleetwood Promenade run where he clocked 26:15 for M55 60.57%. In the Preston run in Avenham Park Steve Myerscough ran 19:55 for an M50 74.06% in his new age category having celebrated his birthday in Ireland last week. Nigel Shepherd suffering an infection still managed to record 22:27 for M65 74.68%. Alona Versinina took her First Timer run in the Burnley parkrun in Towneley Park and she ran 26:36 for W35 56.39%. Chris Banks was in Skelmersdale for the Tawd Valley event and he ran the second fastest time in 19:20 for M35 69.57%. Martin Bates ran the Rothay Park run in Ambleside where he recorded 26:20 for M65 64.87%, and in the Chester-Le-Street Riverside run Emma Brook returned 29:44 and a W40 51.46%. There was a Wesham 2-3 at the Muncaster Castle parkrun at Ravenglass as Carl Groome ran the second fastest time of the day in 19:57 for an M50 graded 76.36% and Steven Gore was third in 20:03 with an M40 69.08% on the undulating three-lap course through the castle grounds. Vicky Gore ran 26:36 for W45 60.90%, with Sue Rigby on 36:34 for W50 45.85% and Michelle Pitt timing in at 38:55 for W40 39.83%. all they Wesham parkrun tourists were First Timers at 5his event, with another one notched up.

There were 380 finishers in the popular Accrington 10k on Sunday in glorious autumn conditions and there were seven Wesham members in amongst the competitors. Mick Edge was the first Wesham finisher in 67^th place and coming in 3^rd M60 in a time of 45:53. Carmel Sullivan was 12^th woman over the undulating course and 74^th overall running 47:04 and placing 1^st W55. Ian Nichols Hogg was in 88^th place with his time 48:21; Peter Rooney finished 157^th and 4^th M60 53:53 with James Danson in 168^th position in 54:34. Sharlan Butcher and Dawn Biggs came in together in 78^th and 79^th, 264^th and 265^th in 1:03:07 and 1:03:08.

Rob Wallace ran the Dublin Marathon on Sunday and he finished 7134^th overall in 4:10:09 with a chip time from line to line of 4:09:29 for a great run.

Martin Bates ran the Red Rose Cross Country League fixture in Leverhulme Park in Bolton on Saturday over 3 laps giving a 10.2m distance. He finished 177^th and 2^nd M65 in 1:02:47

The entries are filling up for the Wesham 10k on Saturday 25^th November with the limit set at 350 this year.

There were over 30 Wesham members running a 5km parkrun at 9am on Saturday morning. The largest turnout was at the Blackpool run in Stanley Park with 15 members. Adam Wilding ran the fastest time of the morning with 17:46 to record an age graded performance of 73.17%. Daniel Bolton had the third fastest time with 18:10 for an age graded 71.01%. David Taylor was fourth fastest in 18:17 for an M35 graded 73.02%. Carl Groome ran 20:13 for M50 75.35% and Will Parkinson 21:21 with M35 61.75%. Lee Barlow clocked 23:05 for M50 64.40%; Bev Wilding 26:26 with W60 74.46%; Stephen Twist recorded 26:52 for M55 58.19% and Emma Wright ran 27:14 with a W45 grade of 58.32%. Vicky and Steven Gore ran together in 27:23 for W45 59.16% and M40 50.58% respectively. Andy Moore returned 28:14 for an M60 57.32% and Dave Young ran 29:32 with M75 65.29%. Michelle Pitt and Sue Rigby were together in 48:31 and 48:32 for W40 31.95% and W50 34.55%. In Lytham Hall Mark Holton recorded the fourth fastest time with 20:05 for an M45 age graded 70.62%. Jonathan Lawson ran 23:33 for M55 65.82%; Ian Nichols Hogg 24:54 with 52.21%; and Agness Woods clocked 26:59 for W55 67.08%. Out and back along Fleetwood Promenade there was a headwind on the return and Jo McCaffery ran 28:09 for W45 56.96% with Martin Allison on 35:54 for an M40 graded 38.02%. In Preston’s Avenham Park Nigel Shepherd ran 22:07 for M65 75.81% and in Wilson’s Fields in Hyndburn Alona Versinina was the fourth fastest woman in 27:57 with W35 53.67%. Further afield Chris Banks ran the fastest time of the day in the Penrith run at Brougham Castle with 18:27 for M35 72.90%. Tracey Ann Hulme ran the Fountains Abbey parkrun near Ripon in 25:33 for a W60 74.89% and at home in Chester-Le-Street Emma Brook was at the Riverside run and clocked 28:13 for W40 54.22%. Steve Myerscough was in Dublin for his birthday and took in the parkrun in Corkagh Demesne to run the third fastest time of the day with 20:10 for M45 72.56%.

The main event last week was Sunday’s Green Drive Five, very popular as usual with its entry limit of 400 filling up. It was a good day for Wesham with 21 members taking part in the out-and back course with its 3-mile loop round Lodge Lane. Adam Wilding was on good form finishing 8^th in 27:52. Chris Haines was 28^th in 30:33 with Carl Groome 47^th 6^th M50 in 32:06. Will Parkinson was 67^th in 34:14 and Nigel Shepherd placed 3^rd M65 and 69^th overall in 34:23. Helen Greenhalgh was 17^th woman and 102^nd overall with a time of 36:35 to finish 3^rd W45 and Kay Twist was 19^th and 114^th in 37:21 for 6^th W50. Lisa Minns was 48^th woman and 173^rd overall in 42:00. Ian Nichols Hogg came in 106^th in 36:53 and Jonathan Lawson 116^th and 6^th M55 with 37:21. Anthony Leach finished 127^th in 38:26; Martin Bates 157^th in 40:37; Peter Rooney 167^th with 41:44; Finlay McCalman 177^th in 42:09; Agness Woods 53^rd woman and 183^rd in 42:22; Catherine Nicholls 63^rd and 202^nd with 43:57; and Dave Young was 218^th and 7^th Over-70 in 45:23. Sharlan Butcher was 80^th woman and 229^th overall in 46:26; Dawn Biggs 85^th and 236^th with 46:46; Emma brooks finished 97^th woman and 257^th overall in 48:15; and Christine Fare placed 123^rd and 293^rd overall in 52:09. The Wesham men finished 5^th team and the ladies were 4^th, a very creditable performance. The race hosted the Lancashire 5-mile championships and all Wesham members were counters. 

Andrew Wilkinson finished 21^st in the inaugural Zoo to Fell Multi-Terrain Marathon from Blackpool Zoo to Beacon Fell, clocking 5:27:33 for the 26 off-road miles. Conditions underfoot were boggy and challenging but the weather on the day was favourable. 

Tanya Shaw ran the Langdale Half Marathon on Saturday and she finished 95^th woman and 358^th overall in 2:38:05. There were over 400 runners in this popular event and 141 in the accompanying marathon. The route is very hilly and challenging. 

There were 24 Wesham members running a parkrun on Saturday morning over the 5km distance at 9am. At the Lytham Hall parkrun Jonathan Lawson was again the fastest Wesham member present running 23:51 for an M55 age graded performance of 64.99%. Mark Holton clocked 25:34 for an M45 graded 55.48% and Ryan Azzopardi returned 25:37 for M40 54.52%. John Burns put in a good 26:45 for M65 64.49%; Jo McCaffery ran 28:41 for W45 55.90%; and Martin Allison was on 47:17 for an M40 graded 28.87%. In Blackpool’s Stanley Park Chris Haines recorded 20:32 for M35 65.50%; Rob Wallace ran 25:35 for a senior graded 50.55%; and Finlay McCalman clocked 28:29 with M55 55.82%. On Fleetwood Promenade Martin Bates started off near the back but stormed through to 25:11 for an M65 graded 67.24%. Alan Hudson ran 26:07 for M70 71.35% and Kirsty Holland recorded 38:23 for aa age graded 38.82%. Emma Lund ran the Morecambe Prom parkrun in 23:38 for the second fastest female time of the day and a W40 grade of 64.74%. In the Oldham parkrun in Alexandra Park Daniel Bolton was 6^th fastest of the morning with 18:50 for a grade of 68.50%. Michelle Tickle was at the Croxteth Hall event for the fourth time, and she ran 24:16 for W45 68.27%. In Alexandra Park in Moss Side Manchester Tracey Hulme ran 26:00 for W60 73.59%. The Wesham parkrun tourists went to Worden Park for the second event in this new run have missed the inaugural event last week due to the Mid Lancs cross country and David Taylor ran the third fastest time of the day with 19:06 for an M35 graded 69.90%. Steven Gore and Carl Groome ran together for 22:35 and 22:36 for M40 61.33% and M50 67.40% age grades. Vicky Gore recorded 27:47 for W45 58.31%; Andy Moore ran 28:10 with an M60 57.46%; Sue Rigby clocked 37:07 for W50 45.17%; and Michelle Pitt was there with 37:46 for W40 41.04%.  

The cross country season got underway on Saturday at the Mid Lancs League fixture in Kendal, returning to the Westmoreland Show ground at Crooklands on a blustery and showery afternoon. Luckily it rained before the ladies’ race, and it was sunny thereafter. On a 3-lap course over a 6.2km distance sue Coulthurst was the leader for the Wesham women and she finished 46^th and 3^rd W55 in 31:25. Kay Twist was next in 60^th place, 7^th W50 in 32:26, with Lisa Minns strong in 98^th place, 12^th W55 in 35:42. Sharlan Butcher was 120^th in 38:22, and Clare Belfield 129^th with a time of 40:37. This gave the ladies 20^th team position overall, 15^th W35 and 7^th W45 team. Dave Young ran the Over-70s race over the 6.2km and he came in 4^th in and 3^rd M75 in 38:42. The men’s race was held over 4 laps at 9.9km and Adam Wilding was the first across the finish line for Wesham in 44^th place in a time of 41:33. Alek Walker finished 74^th and 14^th M40 in 43:27 with Tom Crabtree 88^th in 44:45. Carl Groome was 111^th and 11^th M50 in 45:56; and Chris Haines 120^th with 46:12. Damian Ings placed 152^nd in 48:30 with Phil Quibell 2^nd M65 in 48:41 and 157^th overall. Will Parkinson came 183^rd in 49:59; Men’s captain John Collier was 239^th and 6^th M65 in 57:24 with James Danson 247^th in 59:32. The Senior Men’s team placed 14^th with the Over-40s team in 8^th place and the Over-50s were 11^th. This gave the Men’s team 5^th place in Division 2 with the M40s 2^nd in Division 2. The Wesham Senior Women placed 10^th in Division 3.

Agness Woods ran the Autumn Breaker 10k in Blackpool’s Stanley Park on Sunday and she finished 61^st in 54:00 (53:46 chip timed). She Was 18^th woman and 2^nd W55.

The weekend saw the final of the Lakeland Trails for 2023, with the double events of Helvellyn and Ullswater over the weekend. Andrew Wilkinson ran the Helvellyn 15km Trail Race on Saturday finishing 114^th in 1:29:25. Martin Bates ran the 10k Trail Run and finished 117^th in 1:05:48. Karen Wilkinson placed 233^rd in 1;28:30. On the Sunday Martin ran the Ullswater 10k Trail Run on the early sailing across the lake on Sunday and he finished 123^rd in 1:39:57 placing 9^th Over-60. There were two Wesham ladies in the 14k Trail Race on the 13:30 sailing, with Sharon Cooper and Jen Salt running together in 1:57:59 and 1:58:00 for 52^nd and 53^rd places, 6^th W50 and 9^th W40 respectively.

Five Wesham members ran the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday. First to the finish line was Mark Belfield in a time of 1:21:06 (1:20:46 chip time) for 247^th place, 52^nd M40. Mark Holton finished 434^th in 1:26:35 (1:26:15) with Dan Bolton 449^th in 1:26:56 (1:26:24) with. Liam Thompson placed 696^th in 1:34:17 (1:33:35) and Antionette Holton came in 4633^rd in 2:20:03, with her chip time at 2:01:21, 1862^nd woman. There were nearly 13,000 runners in this prestige race.

The Wesham team were out in Palma for their annual trip for the Marathon, Half Marathon and 9km races. The 9k race is a temporary cut-down distance from 10km due to enduring building work. Daniel Hounslea finished 37^th in the 9km race in 37:13 while Nigel Shepherd was 78^th in 39:58 also placing 3^rd M65. Tracey Fryman finished 333^rd in 48:29, 4^th W60 and 77^th woman. Andy Moore was 511^th with 52:22 (51:52 chip time). Julie Rooney placed 1517^th in this popular event in 1:10:22, 97^th W45. There were five Wesham members in the Half Marathon, with Steve Myerscough the fastest in 164^th place in 1:34:59, coming in 19^th M45. Peter Rooney ran 2:14:17 for 2032^nd place, 2:12:03 chip time for 24^th M65. Sally Deacon finished 2523^rd in 2:25:18, 884^th woman and 72^nd W55. Her chip time was 2:21:09. Anne Mayers Smith clocked 2:31:56 (2:27:48 chip time) for 1012^th woman and 2750^th overall. Kirsty Holland was 3179^th in 3:05:52 (3:01:43 chip time) for 1273^rd female.

There were fewer Wesham members running a parkrun today due to the first cross country of the season at the Mid Lancs League. In Lytham Hall this week there were just three Wesham members, with Jonathan Lawson running 23:27 for an M55 age graded performance of 66.10%. Finlay McCalman clocked 26:52 for M55 59.18% and Agness Woods recorded 26:52 for a W55 graded 67.37%. In Blackpool’s Stanley Park Michelle Tickle was the fastest woman of the day with 23:57 for a W45 graded of 69.17%. Ryan Azzopardi ran 25:28 for M40 54.84% and Rob Wallace was on 26:25 for an age grade of 48.96%. Jo McCaffery returned 27:55 for a W45 57.43%, with Colin Gibson running 37:47 for M65 44.82%, and Martin Allison completing the 5km in 49:09 for an M40 graded 27.77%. In the Delamere parkrun in the heart of West Cheshire between Northwich and Chester Emma Wright recorded 29:10 for a W45 grade of 54.46% and in Fitz Park in Keswick Alona Versinina was a First Timer and the seventh fastest woman of the day in 24:35 for W35 61.02%. The Wesham parkrun tourists were in Silloth in the north of the Lake District for the Promenade run where Carl Groome was 5^th fastest of the week in 20:52 for M50 73.00%. Vicky and Steven Gore ran 26:16 and 26:17 for W45 61.68% and M40 52.69% respectively, and Sue Rigby clocked 34:30 for W50 48.60%.