Alex’s Newspaper Report

A good Wesham turnout at the Rivington 10 Mile trail Challenge at the weekend

The Manchester Marathon drew 30,000 runners to the streets, and they were joined by Wesham’s Sharlan Butcher and Dawn Biggs. They finished 15173rd and 15176th with the same chip time of 4:57:26. They finished 3636th and 3648th in the women’s results. Stuart Clayton finished 5350th in 3:40:03.

In the Three Bridges 10k in Lancaster on Sunday from the Salt Aire athletics track, Chris Haines finished 10th in 39:26 with a good run up to the Lune Aqueduct with its climb of 50 steps to the height of 61ft. Stuart Topping placed 37th with 45:55, James Remnant was 42nd in 46:16; and Peter Rooney 87th in 52:40.

Tom Crabtree won the Rivington 10 Mile Trail Challenge on Sunday in 1:13:43, by a 5-second advantage over second place. Alek Walker finished 3rd in a great team result for Wesham completing the course in 1:14:13. Steve Myerscough was 12th in 1:21:56 placing 2nd M45 with. Ian Nichols Hogg coming in 45th in 1:33:54. Kay Twist lead the Wesham ladies finishing 13th woman and 65th overall in 1:40:31 placing 2nd W50. Jo McCaffery was 30th woman and 98th in 1:50:40, 8th W45, with Anne Berry 116th overall in 1:58:49 and 2nd W60. Finlay McCalman finished 121st in 2:04:21; Alistair Morris was 128th in 2:07:29, 4th M60; and Kirsty Holland placed 130th in 2:09:04.

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Alex’s Newspaper Report

The Wesham team at the Inter Club race on Wednesday in Stanley Park Blackpool

There was a good turnout for Wesham at the first Inter Club fixture hosted by Blackpool in Stanley Park on their two-lap 4-mile course on Wednesday evening in damp and cool conditions. There was a renewal of rivalries at the front with Rob Danson being challenged by Luke Minns of Blackpool from the start. Danson suffered a rare defeat by 12 seconds at the finish to come in second in 20:22. Adam Wilding finished 8th in 21:20 with  David Taylor 16th in 22:34 and Dan Bolton 21st in 22:52. The Wesham team was completed with Alek Walker 27th in 23:27; Mark Belfield 28th with 23:29; Tom Crabtree 36th in 24:00; Steve Myerscough 40th with 24:05; Lee Nixon 70th in 25:29; and Chris Haines 77th with 25:43. The team was third behind Blackpool and Preston, the best result for Wesham on this evening despite a good turnout of members. For the women Kay Twist finished 27th (163rd overall) in 29:40; Sue Coulthurst was 30th (172nd) with 30:06; Michelle Tickle 35th (186th) in 30:41; Lisa Minns 50th (223rd) with 32:18; and Natalie Middlemas 53rd (321st) in 32:37, with the team placing 6th and this same team 4th in the lady veterans, a good result  The Wesham overall veterans team came in 5th, with Belfield 9th; Myerscough 14th; Nixon 30th; Carl Groome 40th (90th overall in 26:32); Lee Barlow 42nd (94th in 26:44); and Damian Ings 56th (110th in 27:18). The vet-50s were 5th with Groome 14th; Barlow 16th; Nigel Shepherd 26th (120th overall in 27:39); and Phil Quibell 47th (158th in 29:33). The vet-60 team was also fifth with Shepherd 4th; Quibell 10th; and Alan Hudson 23rd (242nd in 33:12). Altogether, Wesham had 18 women and 41 men running, with 370 in the race from the seven clubs.

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Alex’s Newspaper Report

Will Parkinson strides into stage 9 of the Northern Road Relays on Saturday

It was a day at the races for Wesham with three teams entered in the Northern Athletics 12- and 6-Stage Road Relays for men and women respectively, held on the coast road in Redcar. Wesham were last here 18 months ago for the 6- and 4-Stage relays in barmy late summer weather but last Saturday it  was damp and windy with a strong swell on the sea just adjacent to the race route. The day kicked off with junior 5km Northern Championships, and then the senior men were off on 4 alternate long stages of 9.6km and 8 short stages of 5.2km. Dan Bolton was off to a great start with 34:53 for the opening long stage, returning 41st on the out and back two laps. Elliot Costello was on Stage 2 with 21:16 for the first short stage, and David Taylor 35:12 on Stage 3. Steve Myerscough retained 40th place with 18:37, followed by Rob Danson with the fastest long stage of 31:07, 50th fastest long stage of the day out of 182. Stuart Grice ran 20:48; Adam Wilding second fastest for the team in 32:07 (long stage) taking the team to 32nd, with Chris Haines 19:35; Will Parkinson 20:11; Mark Bellfield an excellent 17:52; James Remnant 21:46; and Peter Rooney 25:25 to give the team 34th place in  cumulative time of 4:58:51, and although 3:17 short of qualification for the English national road relays in two weeks’ time only 30 seconds separated the four teams that just missed out.55:34. Wesham’s men’s “B” team was incomplete but not lacking in commitment and enthusiasm as Stephen Twist (47:50); Andy Moore (25:56); John Collier (35:31); Dave young (26:18); James Danson (51;29) and Andrew Wilkinson (34:21) brought the team 43rd place at halfway. The Senior Women set off five minutes after the men on two long and four short stages with Kay Twist first off completing 45:51 for 35th place, backed up by Debbie Myerscough (33:08); Michelle Pitt (33:22); Kirsty Holland 54:03 (long stage); Claire Belfield (28:270 and Bev wilding (27:46), bringing the team in 35th in 3:42:37. There was an abundance of North East clubs competing, Wesham and Blackburn were the only Lancashire clubs present with a handful of Merseyside and Manchester clubs.

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Alex’s Newspaper Report

Wesham parkrun tourists at Watergrove in Rochdale

There were a number of races last week as there were signs of spring in the air. The club fell and trail running championship continued with the Trotters Trail Five Mile race through the Smithills Country Park on the northern outskirts of Bolton.

Stuart Mulrooney ran the 46:41 for 5th M40 in 34th place in the 10k of the Oulton Park running grand prix.

Trotters Trail Run 5 miles in the Smithills country park in the north of Bolton with a run up to a two-lap circuit of the high ground, and descent back to the finish. Steve Myerscough was out in front finishing 26th in 33:20 for 6th M45. Mick Edge ran well for 54th place in 35:52 for 7th M60. Carmel Sullivan was 18th woman and 80th overall in 37:31 to place 2nd W55. Ian Nichols Hogg was 91st in 38:21 with Kay Twist 21st woman and 94th in 38:31 finishing 3rd W50. Sally Deacon was 207th in 52:31; and Kirsty Holland ran with Debbie Myerscough marking her return to running for 237th and 238th places with respective times of 1:04:01 and 1:04:14.

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Alex’s Newspaper Report

Julie Paton and Anne Berry complete the Leighton Hall Trail Half Marathon

There were a good number of athletics events on last week but there were only a few Wesham members out taking part. With the start of spring in the air preparations are being made for this year’s Inter Club series with the first fixture hosted by Blackpool in Stanley Park on Wednesday 5th April.

The Mother’s Day 10k was staged a day early on on Saturday in Lancaster on the old railway track to the Morecambe triangle and Mick Edge finished 24th in 43:05 to come in 1st M60. Carmel Sullivan was 4th woman and 31st overall in 44:35 to claim 1st W55. Both Mick and Carmel ran their best times this year so far.

Julie Paton and Anne Berry ran the Leighton Hall AONB Trail Half Marathon with 1971ft ascent on a figure of eight route around Silverdale and the flanks of Arnside Knot on a good day for running on Saturday. Julie finished 76th and 22nd woman in 2:54:58, 11th W40. Anne was 81st overall and 26th woman in 2:56:22, placing 2nd W60.

Paul Carter travelled to warmer climes last week and completed the Cyprus Marathon, running 5:39:37 for 264th place. He has now run well over 30 marathons and still revelling the experience.

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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.

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