The Wesham team at the Northern Athletics 12- and 6-Stage Road Relays
The event of the week for Wesham was the Northern Athletics 12- and 6-Stage Road Relays held once again in Liverpool’s SeftonPark, with 4 laps of 4.9 miles and 8 at 2.8 miles for the men and 2 and 4 for the women. With the usual difficulties of arriving at the venue with the same team that had originally declared itself ready and willing to run the Wesham Men’s ‘A’ team finished 52nd with a cumulative time of 3:59:01 with Rob Danson 24:26; David Taylor 28:35; James Mulvaney 27:23; and Steve Myerscough 30:04 on the long stages; and Stuart Topping 16:03; Jason Blagden 15:58; Paul Hetherington 15:41; Garry Barnett 14:57; Peter Gibson 15:15; Mick Edge 15:44; Roger Leadbeater 19:00 and Elliott Costello 15:55. In the ‘B’ team (65th with 4:41:48) Alan Glasgow ran 33:38; Graham Vickers 18:55; Russell Mabbett 35:33; George Kennedy 16:04; Chris Moss 33:10; Phil Leaver 17:22; John Bertenshaw 31:57; Alan Taylor 18:53; Peter Bartlett 18:36; Brian Jones 17:57; Peter Cooke 19:21; Paul Carter 20:22. The Wesham women were 24th in 2:10:50 with Catherine Carrdus 29:12 and Helen Lawrenson 32:58 running the long stages and Tracey Hulme 17:21; Carmel Sullivan 15:31; Lisa Minns 19:17 and Sue Coulthurst 16:31 on the short stages. With fine weather theteam thoroughly enjoyed the day out in the park.
Alex Rowe concluded his efforts at the European Masters Indoor Championships in Poland with two events that wee unfortunately timetabled on the same day. After a week where temperatures had risen to 15 degrees it turned in some traditional cross country weather by the Friday with wind and rain and much colder conditions. In the morning Rowe finished 5th in the M55 Cross Country staged over a short 5km course of three laps through some pleasant undulating woodland. He clocked 15:36.4, and with a low entry countries dropped members down from higher age categories, mainly M60s, to make up teams. Unfortunately the GB team were not quite strong enough and finished 4th with a combined time of 54:28.40. In the afternoon Rowe tackled the M55 1500m, and drawn in the ‘A’ final he did his best but was disappointed to come in 10th in 4:58.73, still feeling the after effects of an illness that struck mid week.
Carmel Sullivan finished 1st W45 and 13th woman in 1:29:18 in the Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday on a good course through the city placing 253rd overall. Mick edge ran well for 433rd place in 1:34:17, 30th M50. It was a big race with 4992 runners but surprisingly a poor quality at the front end with only 47 runners under 1:20 and 14 women under 1:30.
Two Wesham ladies ran the Goalden Girls 10k along Blackpool Promenade last week in a race of 169 women. Helen Lawrenson finished 8th W40 in 3rd place overall with a time of 40:15. Nicola Unsworth placed 8th and 6th W40 in 44:54 an excellent run in her build up to the London Marathon.
Karen Davies ran the Accrington 10k on Sunday, running 1:01:46 for 135th place in the women’s race, 14th W50 and 398th overall in a popular event.
Karl Lee ran the Preston parkrun on Saturday morning rather than the Northern Relays, clocking 17:26 for 74.09% age graded performance. Steve Myerscough warmed up for the relays with 19:21 for an M40 71.06%.
Rob / Danson / 24:26James / Mulvaney / 27:23
David / Taylor / 28:35
Steve / Myerscough / 30:04
Garry / Barnett / 14:57
Peter / Gibson / 15:15
Paul / Hetherington / 15:41
Mick / Edge / 15:44
Elliott / Costello / 15:55
Jason / Blagden / 15:58
Stuart / Topping / 16:03
George / Kennedy / 16:04
John / Bertenshaw / 31:57
Chris / Moss / 33:10
Alan / Glasgow / 33:38
Russell / Mabbett / 35:33
Phil / Leaver / 17:22
Brian / Jones / 17:57
Peter / Bartlett / 18:36
Alan / Taylor / 18:53
Graham / Vickers / 18:55
Roger / Leadbeater / 19:00
Peter / Cooke / 19:21
Paul / Carter / 20:22