Rob Danson improved his half marathon this weekend with a fine run
The Wesham men were all over the front cover of the Valiants Half Marathon on Saturday morning in glorious autumn conditions very favourable for running. Unusually the Wesham women were not in evidence at the second outing over this course this year. Rob Danson was in great form and was off from the start, working up a three minute lead by the 5-mile mark and scorching round the course to record a startling new personal best of 1:10:29. James Mulvaney was looking good in second place in 1:16:48, with Steve Waterhouse 3rd and first masters’ athlete in 1:17:28. The pair were a minute and a half ahead of fourth placed local legend Paul Muller, with David Taylor the next Wesham finisher in 6th place with a time of 1:21:19. Lee Barlow was 9th with 1:22:21 having a good run and placing 3rd M40, with Troy Watson chugging out a great performance just a week after completing the Chester Marathon, blazing out 1:23:20 closing in the top 10 and finishing 3rd M45. Steve Myerscough was 11th and 4th M40 in 1:24:25 upping his distance and kick-starting his autumn programme of running. Garry Barnett was 12th in 1:26:18, 4th M45 and running well. Steven Gore was on pace making duty and he came in 36th with 1:45:02. Dave Young had a great run finishing in 43rd place with 1:49:25 winning the M65 age category. Alona Versininc was Wesham’s only lady runner and she pulled out all the stops to come in 7th woman in 1:52:30 in 45th place overall.
EmmaPass won the women’s race in the Autumn Breaker around Blackpool’s StanleyPark on Sunday morning, completing the 6 miles in 40:19 and finishing 21st overall. Mark Billington was Wesham’s first male finisher in 24th place and 3rd M50 with 40:57. Carmel Sullivan was 3rd woman and 1st W45 in 41:35. Nicola Unsworth was 4th woman and 36th overall in 42:38, 2nd W45. Close behind Alan Hudson on the comeback trail was 38th and 1st M65 in 42:47 with Graham Cunliffe 39th and 1st M55 in 42:52. Mick Edge was 58th with a time of 44:29; Kath Hoyer was 15th woman and 1st W55 in 46:56. Michaela Dempsey was 134th in 50:39 and 36th woman. Peter Cooke was 160th in 52:39 and Helen Lawrenson was 197th in 55:22. Karen Davies placed 221st in 57:03
Helen Lawrenson finished 3rd woman and 1st W45 in the Vernon’s 4-Miler in Preston on Sunday, clocking 29:44 for the course and placing 32nd overall. Alan Taylor unwound from organising the half marathon on the previous day with a smooth 29:59 for 34th place
There were still a few Wesham runners at the Preston parkrun on Saturday morning, with Nigel Shepherd running 20:35 for an M55 75.95% age graded performance. Martin Bates ran 22:39 for M55 69.61%; Paul Carter 30:12 with M45 46.96%; and Kerry Eccles 30:45 for W50 56.64%. Mark Billington ran in the Witton parkrun in Blackburn, running an M50 72.36% with a time of 20:23.