There were some great opportunities on the road this week for athletes to test themselves with some startlingly fast courses to ensure a plethora of PBs.
Action started on Friday night with a stressful journey north on a busy M6 for the Mid Cheshire 5k, a rapid roadrace on closed country lanes and with the first 46 runners over the finishing line breaking 15 minutes there were plenty of fast athletes to chase to drag our boys and girls to fast times. Fred Jones were first back for the club in 74th place in 15.18, Dan Turner was hot on his heels in 88th in 15.27, James Neilson was 108th in 15.36, new addition Rob Meredith was 109th in 15.38, Louie Lambeth was 146th in 15.53, Oscar Davis was 154th in 15.55, Isobelle Jones, on the back of a busy track season, ran a fantastic 16.26 for 219th (although it may not have felt that fantastic on the night). Dan Brazier was 385th in 17.34, Zak Sandhu-Whitton was 422nd in 18.01, Grace Hendy was 546th in 18.55, Hannah Creamer was 566th in 19.07, Sabrina Thomas was 588th in 19.20, Maria Calleia finished in 20.28 for 679th place, Lucy Horton was 682nd in 20.40 and Scarlett Willoughby stopped the clock in 2045 for 683rd place.
We’ll stay in the northwest for Sunday’s Ellesmere 10k where Jack Pickett claimed a superb win in 31.44. The form Jack is in at the moment if he turned up for the boat race, the Grand National and the FA Cup final he’d probably win those too.
There was more action locally over the same distance at Cosford in the Midlands Spitfire 10k. Although the course was pancake flat it was reported to be a little long and those hoping for fast times were left a little flat. Rob Cartwright led the club home in 37.49 to take 8th place, Ben Pilsbury was 15th in 39.19 but not listed as W&B as he still needs to renew his membership, Derrick Milligan was 16th in 39.26, Tony Cheema was 20th in 39.55, Dave Newport finished in an agonising 40.01 in 21st, Mark Illidge was 42nd in 42.50 and Stephen Green was 134th in 48.18.
Our marathon couple of Dave Joynson and Gill Mitchell continued their adventures by taking part in the Jonkoping Marathon in Sweden, with Dave finishing in 56th in 3.18.51 and Gill coming home in 5.40.15 to take 89th place.
There was more fast midweek action in the Ellerdine Effort 5k, another chance for those who missed out at Mid Cheshire to run a fast time to assist with road relays selection next month. Rob Meredith backed up Friday night time with 15.42 to take 5th place, Tyler Hawley was 7th in 15.35, showing that positions were on gun times rather than chip times, Jon Hart was 9th in 15.57 to claim the 1st M40 prize, Dan Maskew finished 10th on 15.59, Ben Foster was 17th in 16.42, Ashley Atkinson was 24th in 17.11, James Wright 26th in 17.12, Paul Dean 28th in 17.13, Dan Brazier 30th in 17.25, Rich Amor-Wilkes 31st in 17.27, Ben Rawlings 33rd in 17.34, Zak Sandhu-Whitton 34th in 17.36, Chris Apperley 43rd in 18.18, Tony Cheema 45th in 18.30, Brian Wright 48th in 18.42. Holly Baddeley placed 3rd lady and 55th overall in 19.10, Pete Hood was 2nd M60 and 61st in 19.15, Sabrina Thomas was 1st F35 and 64th in 19.23, Darren Owen-Jones was 2nd M50 and 67th in 19.41, Joe Flatley was 70th in 20.07 with Paul Clarke placing 71st in 20.41. Lee Partridge was 81st in 22.00 and Ben Mescam was 86th in 22.21.
Dave Norman
