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

In the Three Bridges 10k in Lancaster on Sunday from the Salt Aire athletics track, Chris Haines finished 10^th 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 37^th with 45:55, James Remnant was 42^nd in 46:16; and Peter Rooney 87^th 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 3^rd in a great team result for Wesham completing the course in 1:14:13. Steve Myerscough was 12^th in 1:21:56 placing 2^nd M45 with. Ian Nichols Hogg coming in 45^th in 1:33:54. Kay Twist lead the Wesham ladies finishing 13^th woman and 65^th overall in 1:40:31 placing 2^nd W50. Jo McCaffery was 30^th woman and 98^th in 1:50:40, 8^th W45, with Anne Berry 116^th overall in 1:58:49 and 2^nd W60. Finlay McCalman finished 121^st in 2:04:21; Alistair Morris was 128^th in 2:07:29, 4^th M60; and Kirsty Holland placed 130^th in 2:09:04.

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 8^th in 21:20 with  David Taylor 16^th in 22:34 and Dan Bolton 21^st in 22:52. The Wesham team was completed with Alek Walker 27^th in 23:27; Mark Belfield 28^th with 23:29; Tom Crabtree 36^th in 24:00; Steve Myerscough 40^th with 24:05; Lee Nixon 70^th in 25:29; and Chris Haines 77^th 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 27^th (163^rd overall) in 29:40; Sue Coulthurst was 30^th (172^nd) with 30:06; Michelle Tickle 35^th (186^th) in 30:41; Lisa Minns 50^th (223^rd) with 32:18; and Natalie Middlemas 53^rd (321^st) in 32:37, with the team placing 6^th and this same team 4^th in the lady veterans, a good result  The Wesham overall veterans team came in 5^th, with Belfield 9^th; Myerscough 14^th; Nixon 30^th; Carl Groome 40^th (90^th overall in 26:32); Lee Barlow 42^nd (94^th in 26:44); and Damian Ings 56^th (110^th in 27:18). The vet-50s were 5^th with Groome 14^th; Barlow 16^th; Nigel Shepherd 26^th (120^th overall in 27:39); and Phil Quibell 47^th (158^th in 29:33). The vet-60 team was also fifth with Shepherd 4^th; Quibell 10^th; and Alan Hudson 23^rd (242^nd in 33:12). Altogether, Wesham had 18 women and 41 men running, with 370 in the race from the seven clubs.

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 5^th M40 in 34^th 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 26^th in 33:20 for 6^th M45. Mick Edge ran well for 54^th place in 35:52 for 7^th M60. Carmel Sullivan was 18^th woman and 80^th overall in 37:31 to place 2^nd W55. Ian Nichols Hogg was 91^st in 38:21 with Kay Twist 21^st woman and 94^th in 38:31 finishing 3^rd W50. Sally Deacon was 207^th in 52:31; and Kirsty Holland ran with Debbie Myerscough marking her return to running for 237^th and 238^th places with respective times of 1:04:01 and 1:04:14.

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.

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 14^th overall in 24:35, placing 2^nd W55. Kay Twist rounded off her season to win the Wesham club championship to come in 38^th and 12^th W50 in 26:19. Alona Versinina was 5^th W35 and 61^st in 29:45 and Julie Paton finished 74^th and 9^th W45 in 31:19. The Wesham ladies had just enough to finish teams in all their age categories, with the Senior team 11^th, and W35s and W45s both 8^th. 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 12^th 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 28^th in 36:54, with next placed Carl Groome 78^th in 41:47, 5^th M50. Steve Myerscough placed 83^rd in 42:14 for 11^th M45 and Will Parkinson 87^th with 42:43. Mick Edge ran well for 101^st place in 44:23 and 9^th M60; Lee Barlow battled on having a troublesome Achilles to finish 108^th and 8^th M50 in 45:11 having been well up on the first lap. Tony Leach placed 113^th and 10^th M60 in 46:05 with Nigel Shepherd 123^rd with 48:10, 13^th M60; Stephen Twist 125^th in 48:23; and James Danson 128^th in 42:49, 16^th and 17^th M55s. the Men’s team were 8^th overall; 8^th M40s; 5^th M50s and 2^nd M60 team. Overall for the season, the Wesham women have placed 3^rd in Division 4, an excellent result for them this year, with a “B” team qualified as well. The W35s are 12^th team and W45s 9^th. The Senior Men finished 6^th in Division 1 so will be relegated next season; the “B” team place 3^rd in Division 3. The M40 team are 6th in Division 1 so also relegated, the M50 team are also 6^th, and the M60 team come in second in silver medal position, so a good result.