Kicking off the New Year was the Lancashire County Cross Country Championships in Blackburn’s Witton Park last Saturday, in good weather despite the poor conditions either side of the day. Wesham had two ladies in the 3-lap course Senior Women’s race over 6km but both came away with bronze medals in their age-groups. Sue Coulthurst continued her good form to finish in 33rd place overall in a time of 32:12 for the Lancashire W55 Bronze, and Lisa Minns finished 56th in 38:45 to repeat her bronze medal performance of last year for W60 this year. The M70 Men’s race was very interesting with just three competitors; Phil Quibell had a comfortable victory to finish in a time of 31:15, coming in 31st amongst the Senior Women, securing his M70 Gold medal having just turned this age. John Collier held off Preston’s Alan Appleby for the entirety of the three laps but was outsprinted over the final hundred metres to come in 3rd, 54th in the overall race, for 36:10 and his Bronze Lancashire medal.
In the Senior Men’s 4-lap 9.8km race Wesham fielded 8 members, but Dan Bolton sadly had to pull out with cramp after the first lap. Adam Wilding was once again first home for the team in 27th place with 37:34, just 3 seconds slower than last year. Tom Crabtree was 2nd for Wesham in 38th position with 39:25 with a great run. Chris Banks had an impressive debut finishing 52nd overall in a time of 41:32. Carl Groome ran 46:07) for 71st place ahead of Will Parkinson in 46:57 and 78th place. Steve Myerscough was just lapped by Adam to clock 49:21 and close in the Wesham Men’s team in 6th place, his result 89th place. Nigel Shepherd was the star of the Wesham men’s team, securing the Lancashire M65 Silver medal in 93rd place overall and his time of 50:05.
There were four Wesham members running the Ribble Valley 10k just before New Year, a quality race sold out at 1500 runners and incorporating the Northern Athletics 10km Championships. Such was the depth of quality that there were 14 runners under 30 minutes with the 15th finisher bob on 30:00:00, and the talk of the morning were the four leading Juniors, all inside 32 minutes. The winning time was 28:43 by James Walsh of Tonbridge, with half of these leading running from clubs outside of Northern England. Wesham’s Dan Bolton had a great run in this quality field to finish 189th in 36:46, 98th in the Northern Championship, with Chris Haines also running well for 38:25 and 245th place, 27th M40 and 119th Northern place. Des Cleary is producing great results since his return to the club, and he finished 785th with 51:58 for 40th M60, 212th in the North, and Helen Bailey was 277th female, 30th W50 and 1006th overall in 58:16, a great run.
In the Trails and Ales New Year’s Eve Fell Race Tom Crabtree finished 5th in 54:56; Chris Banks 7th with 56:32, 4th M40; Alek Walker 14th in 60:33, 5th M40; Dan Bolton was 23rd in 62:54; Carl Groome 35th with 65:05; and Sharon Cooper 10th W50 and 50th woman in 1:34:38, 173rd overall.
Many races were cancelled or postponed last Sunday including the Central Lancashire Half Marathon at Lea Town due to the sudden dump of snow across the region.
In last week’s parkrun on Saturday morning 32 Wesham members were running a parkrun at 9am over 5km. at the Black Park parkrun in Slough Vicky Gore ran 25:43 and in Troon south-west of Glasgow parkrun Mike Eyre clocked 22:54 and Helen Eyre 30:28. Worsley Woods:Martin Bates 32:31; Riverside: Emma Brook 28:11; Lytham Hall: Dan Bolton 1st (18:36); Dan Eyre 5th (20:18); Bradley Flatt 8th (21:06); Carl Groome 21:55; Jonathan Lawson 23:33; Mark Holton 23:35; Ian Nichols Hogg 24:25; Andy Moore 28:43; Alona Versinina 29:11; Anne Berry 31:10; Tracy Clare 34:44; Elliot Costello 34:46; Julie Rooney 35:28; Sue Rigby 36:10; Mary Lois Cortes 38:44; Michelle Pitt 43:54; Alex Rowe 46:37. Blackpool: Emma Wright 30:27; Fleetwood Prom: Steve Abbott 7th (19:46); Jonny Heathcote 20:02; Lee Barlow 20:21; Des Cleary 24:25; Alan Edgar 26:09; Carly Edgar 32:31. Rothay Park (Ambleside): John Naylor 23:39; Worden: James Danson 28:50; and in the Guild parkrun, a private run on a closed site somewhere in this region, Sharon Cooper finished 3rd overall and 1st female in 32:30.
There were 34 Wesham members out at a parkrun on the Christmas Saturday at 13 venues. In Preston before the floods of the mid-week Carl Groome ran a time of 20:19 while Steve Myerscough clocked 21:10. Nigel Shepherd ran a swift 21:17 and Andy Moore returned 28:58. Alona Versinina came in with 29:49 and Sue Rigby clocked 36:24 with Michelle Pitt on 40:34. David Taylor ran the fourth fastest time of the day with 18:12 at the St Helens parkrun in Victoria Park. Vicky Gore recorded 26:46, while in the Bolton parkrun in Leverhulme Park Martin Bates ran 32:58. At home in Chester-Le-Street Emma Brook spun round the Riverside run in 27:44 and at the Penrith event at the Association Football Club at Brougham Castle Chris Banks cored another fourth place this week with his time of 18:33. Anne Berry was in Fitz Park in Keswick where she ran 29:48 and Alice Deacon was in Conwy in North Wales to record 27:45. There were six Wesham members at the Lytham Hall run; Bradley Flatt clocked 21:52; Jonathan Lawson returned 23:07; Paul Eccles recorded 27:54; Clare Belfield 31:17; Sharon Cooper 33:08; and Philip Leaver continued his return with 41:32. In Stanley Park in Blackpool Steve Abbott had the 6th fastest time with 20:32 and Lee Barlow was 9th quickest in 21:07. Chris Haines clocked 22:22, Ian Nichols Hogg 26:53, and Mary Lois Cortes ran 40:36. On Fleetwood Promenade Des Cleary returned 24:35, Alan Hudson ran 26:05, Dave Young 30:42 and Alex Rowe walked 42:39. At the Irchester Country parkrun in Wellingborough Brian Weatherington ran 28:17 and Janine Weatherington 36:52. Up at Cockermouth on the Greenway parkrun from the old railway station along the disused line Mike Eyre ran 23:43 and Helen Eyre 31:11, and at the Birchall Playing Fields parkrun in Leek John Naylor ran 24:14.