Lee Barlow and Steve Myerscough head out along Darkinson Lane, LeaTown 10k
It turned out a great weekend for running last week, with the forecast rain on Saturday not materialising and Sunday being the predicted warm temperatures, starting with a lot of mist and fog after a clear night produced burn-off in the morning and temperature inversion giving the first real bite of autumn.
On Saturday morning the Lea Town 10k was staged from the quiet village on the east side of Salwick largely following the route of the old Kirkham 10k along Darkinson Lane, past Bartle Hall and down to the Hand & Dagger on the canal. Catherine Carrdus showed her class with a win in the women’s race and a very good time of 39:41 finishing 1st W45. Helen Lawrenson was 3rd woman and 1st W40 in 44:29, while Sara Ward was also running very well to come in 5th woman and 2nd W45 in 47:40 to complete the winning women’s team for Wesham. Rob Danson notched up another win making his 2014 tally 9 races as he stormed round the undulating course to finish 25 seconds clear in 33:03. Lee Barlow was second Wesham male in 6th place with 37:33 and 3rd place in the M40 stakes. Steve Myerscough was 10th and 4th M40 in 38:06 and Garry Barnett 11th and 1st M45 in 38:54, sealing the Wesham men’s team victory as well. Kath Hoyer was 7th woman and 1st W50 in 49:39, a steady improvement as she improves her fitness again, and Sarah Heaps was 9th with a time of 50:16. Diane Blagden was 15th and 4th W45 with 53:18; Sally Deacon 18th and 5th W45 in 55:54; and Julie Rooney 23rd in 64:27. In the men’s results Alan Hudson was untouchable in his new M65 age group as he came across the line in pole position with 41:39, 24th overall. Stuart Topping was 34th with 44:19; Phil Leaver 2nd M60 just missing out to Ray Taylor of Red Rose by 18 seconds in 45:59. Jason Blagden was 47th in 46:17 and Dave Waywell was 1st M70 in 48:17, a tremendous run placing him 55th overall.
Alex Rowe returned to the track on Sunday morning at the New Madely Park stadium of Leigh Harriers in misty and chill conditions for the Northern Veterans 10,000m Championships. Setting off fast at 1:20 pace he soon settled down and with a drop off in speed from 5km second placed Rob Jackson of Horwich started to recover his 8-second deficit. Reduced to just 2 seconds at 9500m Rowe started to pick up and with a devastaing kick at 9800m he pulled away to win by 6 seconds in 35:39.4 his fastest 10km time for three years.
There were fewer Wesham runners in Sunday morning’s Autumn Breaker around Blackpool’s Stanley Park for another 10k race. The Wesham women were again victorious in the team standings as Carmel Sullivan finished 2nd woman and 1st W45 in 41:46, a very commendable run in 34th place overall. Nicola Unsworth was 4th woman and 2nd W40 in 56th place overall in a time of 43:50. Kath Hoyer was in action again and this morning she clocked 49:17 a considerably faster on the flatter course through the parkland. Karen Davies was 57th in 56:20 a good performance with plenty of potential. There were only two men in action; David Taylor ran 42:00 to finish in 37th place, and Elliot Costello was 64th with 44:53.
On Saturday morning Alex Rowe clocked a new personal best at the Preston parkrun, posting 18:03 to revise his M55 age graded course best to 86.61%. Karl Lee ran 18:33 for 69.63%; and David Taylor 10 seconds short of his personal best with 20:47 for 65.21%.
LeaTown 10k
18 / 16 / Catherine / Caraduss / 1 / 1 / FV45 / 00:39:4136 / 1 / Helen / Lawrenson / 3 / 1 / FV40 / 00:44:29
53 / 84 / Sara / Ward / 5 / 2 / FV45 / 00:47:40
62 / 3 / Kath / Hover / 7 / 1 / FV50 / 00:49:39
64 / 91 / Sarah / Heaps / 9 / F / 00:50:16
74 / 56 / Diane / Blagden / 15 / 4 / FV45 / 00:53:18
80 / 94 / Sally / Deacon / 18 / 5 / FV45 / 00:55:54
88 / 93 / Julie / Rooney / 23 / 6 / FV40 / 01:04:27
1 / 80 / Robert / Danson / M / 00:33:03
6 / 97 / Lee / Barlow / 3 / MV40 / 00:37:33
10 / 100 / Steve / Myerscough / 4 / MV40 / 00:38:06
11 / 24 / Garry / Barnett / 1 / MV45 / 00:38:54
24 / 53 / Alan / Hudson / 1 / MV65 / 00:41:39
34 / 52 / Stuart / Topping / 9 / MV40 / 00:44:12
44 / 30 / Philip / Leaver / 2 / MV60 / 00:45:59
47 / 55 / Jason / Blagden / 10 / MV40 / 00:46:17
55 / 2 / Dave / Waywell / 1 / MV70 / 00:48:17
Autumn Breaker 10k
34 / 320 / Carmel / Sullivan / 2 / 1 / FV45 / 00:41:4656 / 338 / Nicola / Unsowrth / 4 / 2 / FV40 / 00:43:50
111 / 175 / Kath / Hoyer / 10 / 2 / FV50 / 00:49:17
215 / 100 / Karen / Davies / 57 / 11 / FV45 / 00:56:20
37 / 327 / David / Taylor / M / 00:42:00
64 / 89 / Elliot / Costello / M / 00:44:53