Steve's Column - 23/03/08

Runners Battle The Elements

In some of the worst running weather of the year over the last few days, three club members ventured outside to take on the elements.  First up on Sunday 16th March was Chris Marshall who took part in the Wirral Sea Side Run.  This is a monthly race, which runs March to October along the Wirral seafront measuring just short of 5km.  With strong headwinds fast times were always going to be hard to achieve with the majority of runners down on their course personal bests.  Chris finished the race in a very impressive 2nd in the V40 age group with a time of 19:48.  Mark Hulmston from Wirral Athletics Club won the race in a time of 17:23.  Birkenhead Running club Member Diane Hartley won the ladies race in a time of 22:18

Also on the 16th, Paul Robertson took part in The Wilkinson Ackworth Half Marathon, North Yorkshire.  This challenging course with panoramic views from the hilltops near Pontefract was made all the more difficult by windy weather.  This race attracts a strong field due to also being the Yorkshire championship, this however did not stop Paul from posting a very respectable 6th in the V45, completing the course in 1:25:15.  The winner was Shaftsbury running club member Dominic Bannister in a time of 1:06:24.  Julie Briscoe from Wakefield District athletics club won the ladies race in a time of 1:20:04.

Steve Laker made the trip to Lancashire to part in Fleetwood 10 mile race, this is the 4th race in 4 days that completes Marathon Tour of The Fylde, the other races include a 6mile road race, a 4mile beach race and a cross county run.  With the wintry weather over the previous few days, Steve was glad that he decided only to run the last one.  The race is a two-lap course run along the promenade, while the sun decided to make an appearance, the winds made the going tough with long sections of route a foot deep in sand.  Steve came home in 5th place his highest ever finish with a time of 1:00:17.  Colin Rigby won the race in a time of 00:57:43.  Wesham Road Runner member Carmel Sullivan won the ladies race in a time of 01:08:22.  This completed a clean sweep winning all four to win the series.  The men's series winner was Nigel Thompson from Lytham St Anne’s running club.