wrc

YOUR HALF MARATHON STORIES

Charlotte needs your race stories for the newsletter but we have also been asked by Nick Taylor who is studying Sports Journalism @ UCLan for any feedback on your stories and emotions post / during / after race .

Nick can be emailed on  mailto:ntaylor2@uclan.ac.uk].

When sending to Charlotte , copy Nick with any additional thoughts where possible would be an easy way.

Thanks all.

Nick.( B) !

 

 

  

Cheshire Marathon Championships

The CCAA has decided that the Cheshire Road Race Championships event for 2011 will be the CHESTER MARATHON on Sunday 9th October.

As usual, there will be medals for the following Cheshire-eligible runners:
- first 3 men
- first M40
- first M50
- first 3 women
- first L35
- first L45

(This is in addition to the Cheshire RR GP, which is completely separate and is for Cheshire clubs and their first claim members only.)

Adrian Thiemicke

Wilmslow Half - Mick Hall photos

Mick's photos are now on display on his site.

Pictures of the Wilmslow Half

A brilliant set of photographs from Rod, who appointed himself official WRC photographer, donned a reflective, and recorded the pictures in the album '2011 Wilmslow Half Marathon' (Members' Area).  (Note that there are over 200 pictures, with five pages of preview thumbnails - click the small '>>' symbol at the bottom of the page to move to the next page).

These pictures are at reduced resolution, and if you want a high resolution version please contact Rod.

Wilmslow Half

				gun	chip
41	.	Rob	Downs	01:14:13	01:14:11
52	.	Jim	Pendrill	01:15:54	01:15:54
62	.	Trevor	Morris	01:17:16	01:17:14
71	.	Philip	Smith	01:18:02	01:18:00
75	.	Tom	Mcgaff	01:18:17	01:18:14
102	.	Mark	Bale	01:20:45	01:20:41
125	.	Hamish	Shaw	01:22:22	01:22:20
137	.	Rob	Gilbert	01:22:57	01:22:53
160	.	Mick	Fairs	01:23:57	01:23:54
202	.	Jonathan	Dunkley	01:25:59	01:25:46
225	.	James	Eyre	01:26:44	01:26:31
238	.	Andy	Watts	01:27:10	01:27:06
241	.	Peter	Bannister	01:27:15	01:27:07
289	.	Ian	Smallwood	01:28:54	01:28:39
325	.	Jeremy	Bygrave	01:29:38	01:29:08
351	.	Louise	Rudd	01:30:24	01:30:21
369	.	Paul	Norris	01:30:51	01:30:36
398	.	Patrick	Grannan	01:31:39	01:31:35
453	.	Gareth	Trimble	01:33:07	01:33:03
455	.	Edward	Hickling	01:33:10	01:32:54
458	.	Christine	Geraghty	01:33:12	01:33:09
459	.	Richard	Hirons	01:33:14	01:33:01
468	.	Gavin	Mendham	01:33:28	01:33:09
478	.	Geoff	Gilbert	01:33:42	01:33:22
501	.	Nicky	Mowat	01:34:02	01:33:59
509	.	Janine	Ellis	01:34:11	01:33:56
553	.	Kate	Sutton	01:35:17	01:35:13
554	.	Paul	Garnett	01:35:17	01:35:02
597	.	Jon	Bale	01:36:15	01:35:56
611	.	Sally	Johnston	01:36:26	01:36:09
660	.	Clare	Hawkes	01:37:19	01:37:00
670	.	Jarrod	Homer	01:37:33	01:37:09
689	.	Andrew	Dodd	01:37:50	01:37:23
695	.	Paul	Stonier	01:37:59	01:36:46
697	.	Steffi	Sperring	01:38:03	01:37:36
758	.	Ian	Ashcroft	01:39:05	01:39:00
791	.	Sue	Strang	01:39:37	01:39:18
806	.	Owen	Ashcroft	01:39:52	01:39:47
857	.	John	Porteous	01:40:36	01:40:31
935	.	Zoe	Houghton	01:41:52	01:40:49
1080	.	Angie	Maziere	01:44:23	01:43:56
1154	.	Soraya	Mason	01:45:33	01:45:05
1175	.	Alan	Turner	01:45:53	01:45:26
1200	.	Sharon	Jones	01:46:23	01:45:55
1373	.	Peter	Watson	01:48:36	01:48:07
1648	.	Penny	Hinke	01:52:15	01:51:47
1846	.	Catriona	Marshall	01:54:42	01:54:13
2146	.	Ned	Spencer	01:58:02	01:55:53
2174	.	Gail	Hill	01:58:25	01:56:43
2195	.	Sarah	Miles	01:58:46	01:58:19
2353	.	Trevor	Faulkner	02:00:40	02:00:13
2401	.	Don	Bullough	02:01:08	02:01:05
2403	.	Julie	Lucas	02:01:09	01:59:26
2469	.	Elspeth	Gibson	02:01:55	02:00:12
2728	.	Charlotte	Godfrey	02:05:45	02:03:35
3124	.	Andy	Gardner	02:13:29	02:12:06
3661	.	Neil	Mcaleece	02:36:43	02:35:02
Steve Russell ?
other errors & omissions?
Ian

Wilmslow Half Results

http://www.tdl.ltd.uk/index.php

Llandudno 10

Please note the message below received from Adrian Thiemicke of CAA.

For the first time in a number of years, the CAU are holding a Inter
Counties Road Running event - incorporated in the Llandudno 10 mile on
Sunday 22nd May.
http://www.llandudno10.co.uk/

The county hope to send teams to this event - particularly as it is in a
neighbouring county.
However, there is no means for the county to enter runners to this race,
so what I intend to do is select the county teams from those
Cheshire-eligible runners who have entered themselves.

I have been told that county team managers will have access to a list of
entries, so that they can choose their team from those who are entered,
but it would help me if suitable athletes could advise me directly if
they have entered.

If you intend running the event and want to be considered for selection , please let me know and i will pass your details to Adrian .

Nick.

STAFFORD 20

Post race round up from the weekends Stafford foray...........

The day dawned with drizzle & overcast as I tucked into my pre race breakfast of porridge, Banana & a Bagel chaser- would it prove too lardy a breakfast; given the previous days meagre in take.

3hrs later and in the usual last minute panic to get things together, ensure all was well with the family. I set off for my inaugural 20 miler & London prep. To date, form a bit of an unknown quantity, having taken a tumble on the ice pre Helsby and had to pull out at last minute.

After the hour or so trip down to Stafford all was well in the world, things were looking brighter & by the time we lined up it was back to shorts & vest.

The race had been billed flat (yes like the sound of that!) 3 lap race on quiet roads. As it turned out 1 x 8 & 2 x 6, the first lap seeing more hills than I'd bargained for, although that's how I remember it?

Non the less I should know runners at the best of times have rose tinted glasses! As it turned out, course best described as undulating with each lap starting with a steady long climb with a bit of a false summit.

The race itself was very definitely a no frills affair & truly low key, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, you helped yourself to water at the end, no announcer or crowds to speak of & a traditional tshirt for your efforts picked up at registration.

All in all a good training race, that did what it said on the tin and for £8.50 had I pre entered, is reasonable value these days.

Results:

1 1:48:43 112 Ben Gamble Tipton Harriers

35 2:16:37 120 Rob Gilbert Wilmslow RC

Rob.

Trafford 10k

13th March 2011

Like Louise and Tom we were up against it with the quality and depth of the Trafford 10k field.  With practically the top 50 under 34 minutes and a crowded fast start there was little chance to run your own race, it was a sprint from the gun.  Jim and I tried to hang onto the pace but ended up fighting a losing battle with the leading ladies into the last 3km.  The first V40 ran 30:17.  Flat and traffic free, Trafford is probably the fastest 10k in the area with far greater depth than GMR.  And as Matt and Alan showed you really should PB.

Rob

1   Edwin Kipkorir (Kenya) 29:15
36  Damian Nicholls  32:21
71  Jim Pendrill 5V40 34:19
83  Rob Downs 4V45 34:39
92  Trevor Morris 5V45 35:23
258 Matt Atkinson PB 43:28
315 Alan Turner PB V45 46:03

615 finishers

Full results at http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=43919&event=10K&venue=Partington&date=13-Mar-11

 

BMAF National X Country Championships

Saturday 12^th March Perry Park Birmingham

 

I picked up Tom early Saturday morning & we set off for Birmingham hoping the rain would hold off. By the time we got to the Alexander Stadium – which is currently being renovated for the USA to use in 2012 – the weather was glorious not what you expect for X Country weather!  We parked next to Claire Stevinson after much waving to gain her attention & we set off to look at the course. It was 3 x 2K laps for the women & 4 x 2k laps for the men. It was very dry, fairly flat & the sun was out – albeit the wind was rather strong, particularly on the up hill finish – not sure who decided that when devising the course but it was unpleasant!

 

The ladies set off at midday, it was a very strong field & I was engulfed by fast runners straight away. I couldn’t believe it when my watch bleeped to say that I had done the first mile in 6.14 – that's road racing pace! Unfortunately I paid the price & ended up going backwards. It was great to have supporters there including Claire who kept telling me that I looked strong – I was obviously hiding the fact that I was struggling! The first 3 ladies had a real battle, Lucy Elliot winning from Claire Martin – who was the winner in Dublin at the International last year. Claire had beaten Lucy the week before at the Inter Counties X Country Championships. Claire did mention that even she had found it hard work with her average mile pace being 5.43! Bev Jenkins from Salford who was the winner at the NVAC X Country champs couldn’t stay with the front runners on this occasion. Bev is running the London Marathon in a few weeks with Katie Price, who plans on doing it in 7hrs, Bev has done this before with Katie, a far cry from last years 2.57 in the Dublin Marathon!

 

The men’s race was an equally high quality field, the speed that they were going was phenomenal, we could barely run across the field in time to cheer them on. It was again a real tussle for the first two, the lead changing until the last lap when Martin Cox from Salford pulled away from Mark Dalkins of Telford AC. They made it look easy. Tom looked comfortable all the way round & maintained the 3^rd place V55 virtually from start to finish. I think the 2^nd V55 had beaten him in a fell race the weekend previously; unfortunately Tom couldn’t exact his revenge on this occasion.

 

It was certainly an experience & very high quality athletes, for me it just showed me how much work I have to do to catch up with these ladies.

 

LADIES – 6K

1^st Lucy ELLIOT – Winchester – V45 – 21.59

2^nd Claire MARTIN – Telford AC – V35 – 22.02

3^rd Amy CHALK – Bristol & West – V35 – 22.04

11^th Bev JENKINS – Salford – V40 – 23.31 (2^nd V40)

32^nd Louise RUDD – Wilmslow – V35  - 25.30 (13^th V35)

 

MENS – 8K

1^st Martin COX – Salford – V40 – 26.32

2^nd Mark DALKINS – Telford AC – V40 – 26.45

3^rd Paul WARD – Telford AC – V40 – 26.53

57^th Tom MCGAFF – Wilmslow – V55 – 29.48 (3^rd V55)

 

Louise

Grindleford Gallop

Grindleford Gallop, Saturday 12th March.

Snow was forecast for the week end, so three intrepid souls went to Grindleford for 21 miles of ...as it turned out...glorious spring sunshine. I am great believer in the long distance walkers events, they are very civilised, cup of tea at 10 miles, cake and biscuits for strength before the last big hill and big bowl of soup to celebrate the finish. This event takes you round the white peak of Derbyshire, along old railway lines, across Chatsworth park and finishes it off with a few miles along the gritstone edges.

The times are skewed depending on how many cups of tea you drink/ cakes you eat. For the record my garmin provided the following information.

1 David Riach 2:26:51
19 Ian Smallwood 2:55:24
40 Steve Smith 3:05:03
52 Andy Watts 3:09:10
333 runners

Ian Smallwood

Off-road Development Day

Cheshire Athletics Network are organising an Off-Road Development Day at Tegg's Nose (2nd April).  Details in this attachment.  Please contact the organisers directly if interested.

Welsh Castles Relay - cancelled

Unfortunately our entry to the Welsh Castles Relay (11/12 June) was not accepted, as they were heavily over-subscribed and we were not selected.

We may try again next year!

Andy

24th Cloud Nine Hill Race (incorporating Cheshire Fell Championship)

Sunday 6th March 2011

Pos	Name			Category	Time
1	Simon Bailey - Mercia FR			M	54:03
2	Damian Nicholls			M	54:45
3	Andrew Lamont - Macc H			M	55:14
8	Olivia Walwyn – Altrincham			L (1)	58:53
108        183	Jeremy Bygrave Dianne Bygrave			M L (20)	1:11:13 1:17:34
228	Tony Hulme			M60	1:20:37
285	Angela Maziere			L50	1:25:28 *
314	Don Bullough			M50	1:28:54
331	Catriona Marshall			L40	1:30:55
(427 ran)

* Add 4:00 penalty for breaking the fellrunning code of not pushing in while others queue in race order to negotiate a stile !!

Full results at : http://www.congleton-harriers.co.uk/Cloud%209%202011%20Results

Photos courtesy of Bryan Dale at :  http://www.racephotos.org.uk

cloud nine n. Informal. "A state of elation or great happiness..." 

Well, for one, it should be.  For on a glorious spring morning, Damian became Cheshire Champion again, in finishing a close second behind the indomitable Simon Bailey. 

Otherwise, Cloud 9 is an multi-terrain hill race over 9 miles with a total ascent of 1250ft.

With half the club's ladies seemingly "trimpelling" up in Lancashire the other "half" endured the (not as muddy as usual) local classic Cloud 9.  The large quality field set off along the disused railway line with Tony in hot pursuit having not quite made it to the start in time.  We ask not why?

Although the summit of Bosley Cloud is not half-way it psychologically represents the turnaround point of the race, with the bulk of the climbing complete.  But, there's no time to stop and admire the extensive views of the Cheshire Plain and Derbyshire hills - another time. Along with many people atop, Mike and the "boys", provided welcome encouragement before we disappeared over the back and quickly down through the trees ..... to the stile!  Even at this point the finish is still some five miles away, and off we head on a big loop where a few metres could save a whole mile.

Apart from Damian, Jeremy and Dianne, who had good races, the rest us were out merely for the exercise with our various excuses and disabilities!

Don

Trimpell 20

Trimpell 20, 6th March 2011

In the car on the way home, I was kindly nominated to write a report on today's race. Although I feel like the captain of the school hockey team reading out in front of assembly - here goes, I hope I've done it justice!!

The setting for this pre-marathon outing was predominantly beautiful although we did encounter a couple of obligatory staffordshire pitbulls and their rather unsavoury looking owners on our travels! It was a relatively well organised set up at the local leisure centre where you could even have a swim afterwards, assuming you could still move of course!

After a lap and a half of the running track, the majority of the race was then run on paths/cycle paths along side the River Lune and we quickly found our places within the field. Nicky, Janine and Gareth led the way and I did my usual trick of tearing off like a looney but by mile 4, Andy Dodd and Soraya were with me and Soraya and I settled into a steady rhythm trying to get to a comfortable 9 minute miling - which we never quite achieved! Andy had gone then in an attempt to chase Sue down. There wasn't a great deal of passing going on, everybody seemed to have their own agenda, just getting another big run in before whichever spring marathon is their goal.

As we went out past mile 10, the Lancastrian countryside came into view and how gorgeous it was on such a perfect running day. There were plenty of water stations and it was well marshalled if a little sparcely supported. Miles 16 to 19 were probably the trickiest as we'd come so far but still had a bit of a trek to go but some uplifting tunes on the old i-pod managed to inject a little light relief, at least to Soraya and whoever else was around, I thought I was just singing along in my head but no, it was to an audience! Soraya was delirious by that point though so it probably sounded great to her!!!

One last lap of the track and we were all done, Soraya and I came over the line together, as we'd run the race, but the miserable bloke said we couldn't do that! As the final results aren't online yet, I can't be sure who they put first but to be honest it wouldn't matter a bit, we had a great day out and it's another big run ticked off. If our results are anything to go by, it all bodes well for our upcoming marathon efforts. I would highly recommend this for the future (especially if Soraya chauffeurs and Andy entertains!). Soraya managed a PB by 6 minutes - well done!

Sharon

TRIMPELL 20 - 6th March 2011

TRIMPELL 20 - 6th March 2011

We couldn't have wished for better weather conditions for our pre marathon race. The sun was shining and the winds from last week in Blackpool had gone!

I set off with my usual goal in mind of trying to keep Nicky in sight as long as possible. Gareth joined in and we managed to stay with her and did a bit of club packing, running together for 18 miles! Managed to stick to Nicky and clipped her heel a few times (sorry) and finished just 2 seconds behind in the end. Thanks to both of you - the 20 miles went fast with the company!

Gareth was only a few seconds behind, followed by Andy and Sue and then Soraya and Sharon crossed the line together. All were really pleased with our times which are all looking good for our marathons coming up soon. Just really wish Nicky was running London and not Paris......

 1 GETHIN BUTLER 1.52,13
144 NICKY MOWAT 2.31.23
145 JANINE ELLIS 2.31.25
154 GARETH TRIMBLE 2.32.02
209 ANDY DODD 2.42.42
220 SUE STRANG 2.44.24
243 SORAYA MASON 2.48.54
244 SHARON JONES 2.48.54

388 finishers

Janine

Wrexham Half

Wrexham Village Bakery Half Marathon, Sunday 27th February

1 Ben Fish 1:06:36
26 Trevor Morris 1:18:51

500 finishers

Quite windy, but fortunately the rain stopped as the race started. Previously renowned for being a short course, but I clocked just over 13 miles on my Garmin - word is they moved the start a couple of years ago to extend the course. Had to wait nearly a week for the results. http://www.ukresults.net/2011/bakery.html

Trevor

High Legh 10k

27 Februray 2011

This is a nice little race that is a bit like Whitley 10k.  The only problem is that it is full by about November.  I was somehow nearly 2 minutes slower than my last run here in 2009.  It was rather windy and waterlogged in places and after a brief tussle for the lead I ran completely alone.  But the excuses didn't quite add up to the deficit.  My consolation is that I didn't push the leader to beat my unlikely course record.

1 Simon Marwood (Altrincham AC) 34.12
2 Rob Downs 35.45
37 Matthew Atkinson 44.16

225 finishers

Full results at http://www.highlegh.org.uk/images/stories/caevents/race11/2011fullresultshighlegh10k.pdf

Rob