Wesham members were continuing well with the February virtual challenge of running the length of Hadrian’s Wall, 84.5 miles from Wallsend east of Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway, with several now well on their way back on a return run. There were three who completed the out-and-back during the week, as Michelle Tickle finished on Thursday and then overshot the end of the wall over the next two days by over 29 miles. She had been overtaken by Nigel Shepherd on Monday who completed his 169 miles on Wednesday and he was not for turning back for another trek westwards! Steve Myerscough reached Wallsend on Saturday and carried on for another 19 miles. Well on their way on the return route Peter Rooney had reached Turret 24A along St Oswald’s Way at mile 27.18 after 141.82 of running; Pauline Eccleston at the Riverside Tea Room in Chollerford, at 30.64 after 138.36 miles, and Tom Crabtree making up good ground at Turret 35A at Sewingshields at mile 38.42 having just met Clare Belfield coming the other way. Helen Lawrenson was making good progress on her return at Turret 38B at Highshield Crags with 127.48 miles in her legs, with Neil Tate and Mark Renshall together at Turret 40A at Winshield Crags with a total of 125.8 miles. Steven Gore had got back to Gilsland School after 118.16 miles, and Carl Groome making good headway at mile 56.40 at Turret 53A in banks on his return journey, with 112.6 miles completed. James Green had got to Sandy Lane east of Carlisle after 104.67 miles; Peter Cooke at the Beeches in Rickerby with 100.64 miles completed; Kerry Eccles at the Trinity School in Carlisle at 99.15 miles; Robert Danson at the Eden Bridge Leisure Centre with 98.6 miles; Tanya Shaw at the Karting centre in Newton on 96.61 miles; and Stephen Twist at 94.9 miles reaching Sourmilk Bridge in Grinsdale. Liz Beth was coming past Low Farm in Drumburgh at 87.72 miles; Tony leech at the drainage channel in Glasson at 86.83 miles; Anne Berry Turret 78A at port Carlisle; and Martin Allison at Milecastle 79 in Port Carlisle on 84.92 miles. Karen Cook was approaching the end at mile 81.33 in Drumburgh at Walker House with Phil Leaver close behind at Moss Cottage in Drumburgh on 81.48 miles. Paul Eccles was at Drumburgh Castle (80.15); Sue Hopcroft at Eastonbridge (80 miles); and Sue Coulthurst at Boustead Hill (78.75 miles).

It was an exciting week for the February Wesham Virtual Hadrian’s Wall Challenge to complete the 84.5 miles from Wallsend in Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway 14.5 miles west of Carlisle by running or walking locally to home. Exciting because even as a non-competitive event with the emphasis being to get members out and moving about the leader-board changed considerably and three individuals in particular forged ahead on the return journey for an out-and-back. Seven members completed the full virtual journey to the Solway with just Helen Lawrenson choosing to make the mid-month stopover at Bowness. Michelle Tickle, already approaching Carlisle at the end of the first week completed the run on Day 9 to turn round and forge back to the 42-mile mark at Peel Crags near East Twice Brewed on one of the most iconic sections by the end of Week 2 having then completed 127 miles. Nigel Shepherd, in third position after 7 days at Birdoswald Fort stormed ahead to reach Bowness with Steve Myerscough on Day 11 (Thursday) to then steam back to 44.41 miles at Turret 41A at Thorny Doors (124.55 miles in total) to meet Sue Hopcroft coming the other way. Steve Myerscough eased off a bit and was at Milecastle 50 at Birdoswald 53.26 miles from Wallsend (115.74 total) with John Burns approaching from the Newcastle direction and having just passed Kay Twist who reached Turret 51A at 54.61 miles. Pauline Eccleston also jumped ahead with two long runs to overtake Steven Gore on Day 8, touch base at Bowness and return to Stanwix Castle in Carlisle at mile 71 with her personal total at 98 miles. Tom Crabtree also completed the outward journey and returned to Station Road in Burgh by Sands (91.63 miles at the mile 77.37 point). Peter Rooney had reached the Rampart head in Bowness and retraced back to Walker House in Drumburgh at mile 81.92 (87.1 miles) having just met Neil Tate (83.82 miles) and Mark Renshall. Steven Gore was at the other end of Drumburgh at the Post Office (81 miles) with Carl Groome at Cowan Bank in Kirkandrews-on-Eden at 74.93 miles. James Green had reached the Karting Centre in Newton just west of Carlisle (72.33 miles) with Martin Allison just behind at the Waverley Viaduct (72.08). East of Carlisle Robert Danson was in Low Crosby in Crosby on Eden (65.89 miles) with Kerry Eccles about to cross the A689 at High Crosby Farm (65.15). Peter Cooke was approaching at White Moss a mile behind at Wall Head, and another mile behind at 63.16 with Paul Eccles at Milecastle 60 at Bleatarn. Stephen Twist had completed 60.5 miles and was at Turret 57A at Beck Farm with Tony Leach at the Beeches in Walton at 59 miles. Liz Beth was at the Dovecote Bridge at Riverside (58.74 miles) with Anne Berry at the footbridge near Walton Wood Lodge at 57.21. Sue Hopcroft made the most progress over the week, having run 8.5 miles in the first week she notched up 36 miles last week to take her to 44.31 miles and nip past nineteen other members!

February has kicked off this week with a new challenge, to traverse the 84.5 miles of Hadrian’s Wall virtually by running or walking the equivalent distance locally. The route is the advised long-distance trail route along the line of the wall starting in Wallsend in Newcastle to Bowness west of Carlisle. Michelle Tickle was well on the way to complete the full 84.5 miles to Bowness well within a week and a bit, as she completed 69.83 miles in seven days to bring her behind the Trinity School coming into the outskirts of Carlisle along the River Eden. Steve Myerscough was a little way behind at Turret 54B near Howgill before Walton having completed 57.51 miles. Nigel Shepherd was at Milecastle 50 just after Birdsowald Fort at Gilsland with 53.28 miles. Steven Gore was close behind at 51.88 miles negotiating the remains of the Roman Bridge across the River Irthing at Gilsland just between Turret 48B and Milecastle 49 having not run on Day 1. Pauline Eccleston was just resting up at Turret 48B itself at 51.61 miles. Tom Crabtree had run 46.3 miles after a reast day to reach the craggiest part of the route at Turret 43B just past Cockmount Hill just after the iconic Great Chesters Fort. Peter Rooney was well advanced with 45.99 miles under his belt at Turret 43A just approaching Cockmount Hill. Helen Lawrenson was at 42.31 miles after six days of running taking her to Turret 39 and a break at Once Brewed having just navigated the iconic Highshield and Peel Crags, one of the most scenic elevated sections. Neil Tate was at the most famous location at Housesteads Fort after 39.58 miles, on the momentous crags adjacent to Beggar Bog. Mark Renshall had completed 35.85 miles at the turret midway between Milecastles 32 and 33 at Brown Moor, between Carraw and Shield on the Wall. James Green had reached 34.93 miles taking him to the Brocolitia Fort and Coventina’s Well at Teppermoor, and Kerry Eccles had run 34.17 to bring her to a turret just approaching Teppermoor. Looking at the other end of those taking part it is important to recognise those not able to put in a high mileage but nonetheless taking advantage of the Challenge. 8.5 miles with three days running had taken Sue Hopcroft along the banks of the Tyne from Wallsend right through the centre of Newcastle to Scotswood. After just two days effort Jason Parkinson was just coming out of Lemington heading back to the banks of the Tyne with 10.36 miles clocked. A little further ahead Julie Kinsey was at Newburn having just reached the Tyne banks again, and Stuart Clayton was a bit further on at 11.4 miles in the Tyne Riverside Country Park at the Newburn Sands. Sue Rigby had completed 11.79 miles at Ryton Island a bit further on along the Tyne bank. Sean Murray was a few yards ahead just short of 12 miles with Clare Belfield in sight just ahead at 12.1 miles. Emma Wright had just regained the wall line at Turret 12A having just run through Heddon-on-the-Wall. Elliot Costello was at 17.04 miles just approaching Milecastle 14, and Alex Rowe was just ahead at 17.63 miles at Ippies Hill.

Wesham members completed the January Virtual Challenge to Move Every Day and well over 60 members completed this with any activity allowed any day. The challenge was for the equivalent of at least 1 mile or 30 minutes a day, so this could have been running, walking, cycling, aerobics or yoga or just vacuuming the living room!  January can be a traditional period of winter blues and especially with the current pandemic lockdown and perhaps a quiet Christmas and New Year the theme was to try and brighten up the month of the shortest darkest days. And the weather was a challenge at times, with sleet and cold winds some days.

Wesham have continued to storm ahead with their January “Move Every Day” Challenge and over 60 members are still actively following this with great enthusiasm. Despite the varied weather with a mix of sleet and ice, clear still conditions, or steady rain or drizzle and mist members have ventured out each day and relished the challenge. It is all about building physical and mental health during the darkest period of the winter when everyone is low after the joys of the festive period.

There are fewer athletic events so far cancelled in February but there is little chance that any competition will be able to happen over the next two or three months and probably even further ahead than that. While it is claimed that the pandemic is beginning to abate there are still high numbers of infections and further threats from the various mutations that are becoming apparent. There could still be many unexpected twists and turns yet, and caution also needs to be taken with expectation from the vaccinations, this is not the exit criteria yet!  There are parallels between athletics and theatrical events, many rescheduled events are already close on the horizon and there is no certainty that sold-out events and mass participation will be possible for some long while yet.

As the country locked down in both terms of the pandemic restrictions and the post-New Year blues, the actual Blues (Wesham Road Runners) were all action with the January Move Every Day (MED) Virtual Challenge, and a resumption of the Virtual Monthly Handicap. The latter saw 22 members take on the 4.9-mile event either on the actual course through Treales for those local, although this route is currently flooded again along Spen Lane, or an equivalent distance to the runner’s personal choice. In this month’s run, being the first of the year and a return to a virtual event was not handicapped but used to provide the weightings for February’s run.  Thus, on actual time run Lee Barlow ran the fastest time of 53:13. Alan Hudson was second with in 37:20, an excellent run for the over-70-year-old. Nigel Shepherd placed third in 37:29 with Paul Eccles fourth with 37:38. Rob Wallace was fifth in 37:49 with Peter Rooney sixth in 41:15. Michelle Tickle was first woman in 7^th place overall in 41:59; Claire-Marie Axel second with 45:14 (11^th overall).  Julie Kinsey was third woman (12^th overall) in 45:36, and Karen Cook was fourth woman and 14^th in 47:03. Pauline Eccleston was fifth and 15^th overall in 47:48. Robert Danson was eight in 43:30; Sean Murray ninth with 43:40; Dave Young 10^th in 45:10; Troy Watson 11^th in 47:03; Phil Leaver 16^th with 47:58; Andy Moore was 18^th in 49:16; Kerry Eccles sixth woman and 19^th in 49:57; Liz Sharrocks seventh and 18^th with 52:05; Dawn Biggs eight and 21^st in 53:50; and Sharlan Butcher ninth 22^nd with 54:11. This was a good result for the first event in three months and sets 2021 off to a good start.