wrc

Great North West Half Marathon

It was disappointing, having left Wilmslow in perfect running conditions, to arrive at a windy Blackpool. A fast time on a flat course was dead and I hadn't even got my shoes on. The sign on the tram stop where I parked actually said 'Bispham'. I recall my grandmother, a social-climber who'd bullied my grandfather into buying their own house, used to say that Bispham was a cut above Blackpool. Judging from the hotel that housed the race HQ, it may have lost that status and, with the blustery wind, I was reminded why I had broken with the family holiday tradition; I'll stick with the Red Sea.

I knew there were a few other Wilmslow runners but saw no-one until the start where I lined-up with Janine and Paul. It was the last I saw of either of them until the finish. Steve I never saw.

Into the second mile Huma came past and a few minutes later, Sharon. I had not run the race before but it used the same promenade, traffic-free, paths of the Blackpool-Fleetwood 15k we'd run in the Series a few years ago. The lower path was more sheltered than the higher one but the organisers had a sense of humour and we ran with the north-westerly on the more sheltered path but had full exposure running into it. Sharon and I had seen a lot of one another at Four Villages and the first half here was similar. At Helsby, once Huma had overtaken me she moved steadily away but today I could see her all the way. We turned after 6 and for the next four miles, very slowly, I was reeling her in. Then at 10 we turned back into the head-wind and she started to ease away and I started to wonder whether I was going to have Sharon back on my shoulder. I didn't but Sharon did get a PB.

Worth the 1 hour 20 minute drive? For me 'yes', I bettered my Four Villages time, my legs really ache, I lack the motivation to push myself as hard on a training run.

Ian

Blackpool (Great North West) Half

Sunday February 27th.

				chip	gun
132		Steve	SMITH	01:32:59	01:33:10	M45
206		Janine	ELLIS	01:37:11	01:37:24	F40
219		Paul	NORRIS	01:38:02	01:38:16	M50
333		Huma	RAHMAN	01:42:42	01:43:15	F40
356		Ian	ASHCROFT	01:43:59	01:44:13	M65
402		Sharon	JONES	01:45:21	01:45:36	F40
1140	finishers

Video of the National XC Championships

Video taken by Tony, to illustrate the less than ideal conditions.  Footage of the senior mens race. Can also be watched on YouTube.

 

Northern Vets Cross Country Championships

Northern Vets X Country Championships - Victoria Park, Warrington.  Sunday 20th February 2011

I think the conditions today were always going to be a lot better than what the team had to contend with yesterday, we had a flat field & not too much mud. The men  had 10k (4 laps) & the women had 5k (2 laps) but we all started at the same time. Tom & Stuart went straight to the front & that was the last I saw of them. They had a great race & was great to be able to cheer them on when I had finished. Both worked well together over the 10K. The men's & women's race was won by Salford boyfriend & girlfriend Paul Simons & Bev Jenkins - who had her second child less than a year ago & only late last year ran the Dublin Marathon in under 3 hours! It was unfortunate that this event fell the day after the Nationals as it would be great for us to put some teams out next year.

 Men 10K

1.    Paul Simons M45 Salford    36.54
2.    Stuart Parrott M45 Wilmslow 37.43
3.    Tom McGaff M55 Wilmslow 37.55

Women 5K

1.    Bev Jenkins W40 Salford    19.10
2.    Sue Becconsall W50 Bingley 20.23
3.    Louise Rudd W35   Wilmslow 20.57
4.    Helen Walch W45 Stockport 21.23

Louise

National Cross-Country Championship

A dull but dry day at Alton Towers for this premiere English XC event.  The venue was spectacularly muddy, so much so that there had been injuries in earlier races and the courses for both senior events were changed and slightly shortened (though still 10k for the men).  Wilmslow raced well in both events, with overall results as follows:-

Senior Women
Position		Time		Name
1		0:23:49		Louise Damen (ahead of Liz Yelling in 3rd)
198		0:31:06		Sally Gilliver
200		0:31:12		Kate Sutton
291		0:32:50		Christine Gerachty
344		0:34:35		Janine Ellis
360		0:35:08		Clare Hawkes
Team Position 39th
Senior Men
Position		Time		Name
1		0:35:11		Steve Vernon (Stockport Harriers)
125		0:40:27		Damian Nicholls
186		0:42:00		Malcolm Fowler
330		0:44:38		Graham MacNeil
399		0:45:48		Jim Pendrill
732		0:51:03		Andy Watts
947		0:55:29		Paul Garnett
1054		0:58:26		Paul Norris
1224		1:06:00		Chris Watts
1279		1:12:24		Trevor Faulkner
Team Position 34th

Full results on the English Cross Country site.

Runners wanted for TV advert

Emma Stafford - a casting agency - are seeking male runners for a TV advert to be filmed in Macc area.  If interested, the info is on the Cheshire AA site at this link.  Some payment is involved - not clear how much!

Andy

Events to enter - April/May

With the trend to on-line entry, and many events getting full, you might want to consider entering April's Summer Series races:-

• Sunday 10th - Air Products 10k at Crewe (UK Results)
• Sunday 24th - Runcorn Bridge 5 miles (on-line entry page)
• Thursday 28th - Goyt Valley (UK Results or form on our web-site)

Sunday 3rd - Mow Cop - is one of the few which only accepts entry on the day!

CHESTER HALF
A popular race (although not in our Summer Series), and one which fills up fast

• Sunday 15th May - Chester Half Marathon (Sport Systems)
  This race opened for entries on 14th February, and 860 places out of a total of 2,800 were taken within 24 hours - so get in quick if you want to run it.

Andy

Clayton Vale XC MACCL finale

Not the most scenic of venues - but no worse than Wythenshawe Park.  Awesome results - and the Holiday Inn was a good venue for the presentations - superbly organised by Nick.

The Ladies team were all conquering:

Division 1 1st seniors and vets
Division 2 1st and 2nd seniors and vets
1st LV 35 Clare Stevinson
3rd LV 35 Louise Rudd
2nd LV 45 Sally Gilliver
3rd LV 45 Kate Sutton
2nd LV 50 Nicky Mowat

Mens results were also fab - tho' not as sure have all the details right!

Divison 1 3rd seniors and 1st vets
3rd overall  Damian Nicholls
3rd V40 Jim Pemdrill
1st V45 Malcolm Fowler
2nd V45 Rob Downs
3rd V45 Graham MacNiell
1st V55 Tom McGaff
2nd V60 Andy Watts
2nd V65 Trevor Faulkner.

Kate Sutton

PS 1 small Chester 1/2 tshirt and black size 12 adidas lycra shorts left in gazebo. Will bring to training Tuesday - also loads of medals,trophies etc.

PPS Alton Towers National XC championship Sat 19th www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk

Sunday run - Lyme Park

There will be a Sunday club run in Lyme Park (starting at the car park opposite the Boar's Head, 2 Shrigley Rd N, Poynton, SK12 1TE).  This Sunday (13th Feb) 9am (not next Sunday as stated in the Club Calendar).  A group will probably also go from the Rugby Club at the same time.

Radcliffe 10 mile trail race

As an alternative to Alsager, 5 of us opted for this jaunt to the home of film director Danny Boyle ( Slum Dog Millionaire, 127hrs)

Used to be 12 miles now shortened to 10 along a disused railway line - muddy ++ and undulating loops round a couple of parks - 657ft climbing.

Paul Nichols        1.13.02 5th M40

Kate Sutton        1.18.25 7th lady

Patrick Grannan  1.20.13 2nd M60

Huma Rahman    1.23.17 4th LV 40

Simon Bolton      1.28.44 - hobbling with his Achilles...

Kate Sutton

Alsager 5

Sunday February 6th.

Alsager attracts a quality field, I seem to remember Mike Halman finishing 44th. Nevertheless it has never been that popular with Wilmslow runners; those who are not training for London have their eyes on the Wilmslow Half and a five-mile Sunday does not fit the schedule. We did, when it was a regular Cheshire Grand Prix event, get better representation but the narrow start, and the history of fallers, has forced it out. I'm not good at the Half, and so Wilmslow is not, for me, the focus, it is for many. A fast five-miles looked more inviting than a training run. Seven others concurred, well probably five; Trevor runs everything and Martin is gently working his way back.

                121         Mick Fairs                            31:24       2 M60

                125         Rob Gilbert                          31:32     18 M40

                247         Matt Atkinson                      34:47

                318         Ian Ashcroft                         36:29       2 M65

                594         Julie Lucas                           42:46     17 L45

                634         Catriona Marshal                  43:44     34 L40

                702         Trevor Faulkner                   45:44     12 M65

                877         Martin Wheeldon                  56:17     33 M55

 

support from Nina, Paul and Mike.

Mick was edged-out of the M60 first he had won the previous two years but was happy with his run, as was Rob. Mick is, however, starting to mutter about unfair competition from young M60s. Matt and I were disappointed with our times. Cat and Mike were looking disgustingly healthy, this is their third continent of 2011, but that's it, Catriona is about to re-enter the real world. I didn't see her, Julie, Trevor or Martin after the race; although warm, it wasn't standing-about, chatting weather. Good to see Martin back racing.

Five years ago, it was at Alsager that I took the club M60 record (over the longer races I couldn't touch the legendary 'Rocket' Ron). However my best as a 64-year-old, in perfect conditions on the flat at Green Drive, was 50 seconds outside Ron's M65 time and I was never going to be close on a damp, blustery, February Sunday. I ran to 'average pace' on my watch, "keeping-up" with Ron over the first two miles before slipping back but the final result was a major disappointment; somehow I'd managed to run 5.11 miles, adding 40 seconds to my time. Rocket's record, which has already lasted 15 years, will have to await Tony and Mick coming of age. 

Ian

Training Days

I have, at present, two training days planned, probably in April and September and also some more local ones.

Last year's went well, the Snowdon day causing the most interest. All who completed the day responded brilliantly to what, I know, was, for some, a severe challenge.

Again this year the surroundings will be as inspirational as last, driving you to new levels of fitness.

April 17th. looks a good day for the first one, so, if you're not doing the London Marathon there's an alternative.

Tony

To encourage you to run the Langley Fete Hill race, which is on Sunday June 26th, the day after the Lymm 5k,  there will be prizes for category winners across the two races.    

 

Summer Competition 2011

SUMMER SERIES RACES
NOTE - Correction to dates below in red:-

Sun        April    3                Mow Cop Hill Race
Sun                 10               Air Products  10k, Crewe
Sun                 24               Runcorn Bridge  5 mile
Sun        May   1               Bluebell Trail, Halifax
Thu                 12              Mobberley  5 trail
Fri                  27               Dunham  5k
Thu        June    2              Tittesworth Trail
Wed                  8              Boars Head, Lyme Park
Thu                 23              Roaches
Sat                  25              Lymm  5k
Sun        July     3               Fairy Freckled Cow, Denby
Sun                  10              Bollington Nostalgia
Sun                  24              Moonraker  10k               
Wed                27               Forest 5
Wed      Aug     TBA            Pie & Peas (date not yet announced)
Sun                 7                 Merebrook  15k
Sun               21                 Birchwood  10k
Sun      Sep    18                 Sutton  10k
Sun              25                 Macclesfield Half
Sun     Oct     2                  Alexandra Park  5k
Sun            30                   Halloween Hellraiser, Crewe (date not confirmed)  

Our 2010 Series was supported in greater numbers than ever before.

Higher numbers mean greater competition and usually someone in sight to spur you on, an incentive to compete at your best.

Originally designed as a way of enticing runners from their comfort zone into a competitive environment more frequently, it also acts as a tough training session. Therefore those who compete regularly often see the greatest improvement.

It is noticeable from the feedback of the 2010 competition that individual's likes and dislikes regarding, short, long, hilly and flat races are often totally opposite and therefore cancel each other out. Remember it is the training session, or the race, that you hate the most that you probably need to practice the most. I have tried to ensure that there are a few races that some of you will hate as much as ever in 2011.

Emphasis this year is more on 10k than 5k with several new races including a couple of awaydays to broaden your horizons. Try each type of race and you may find even greater improvement.

Remember it is a competition rather than a championship, therefore strategy, skill and cunning can all play their part, peaking for the right race etc.

Race hard, take your chances, accept defeat with grace and you can get even better next time.

Tony

P.S.  2010 Mugs available soon

Runner of the Month - January

 Ladies took the first three places in January.

 Nicky Mowat  “Turns up for everything and generally wins it; Cheshire Cross Country, 4 Villages..........” and that included 1st.L50 in a quality field at Helsby, but, at the last gasp, she had to settle for second place.

Sharon Jones was third; a PB at the 4 Villages, double medallist at Cheshire XC.  Sharon started at a sprint and was the early leader, a reflection, perhaps, of how she runs her races.

then came:-

Andy Dodd for his Four Villages sub 1:40 performance.

Ian Ashcroft for his Bramhall Park M65 course record

Damian Nicholls   “ 1st Wilmslow runner at 4 Villages and Woodbank Cross Country”.

Christine Geraghty  for her 4 Villages performance

“Carolyn Hirons for consistent effort in competing in somewhat intimidating races and in beating her PB at Helsby.”

Jim Pendrill “picked up Rob’s number when he couldn't run 4V to ensure we had a good GP team showing. In the event he ran 1:15 which is one of his best HM times on a course that is always hard”

This month's winner   - 

 Gail Hill was beaten in November by two votes in the last two hours. It was equally close this month, a vote at 22:27 that took her above Nicky.   "she has continued to run well in the Cross Country and managed to knock 5 minutes off her half marathon PB at Helsby"

37 members voted

Ian