A fantastic turn out of 37 Red Rose Runners helped swell the numbers at the Cuerden Valley Badger 10k in a field of 183. Ben Donoghue took up the challenge of going with the lead pack, even leading for a short time with a first mile in 5 minutes 30. Although the front runners got away from him he still broke 40 minutes for this tough much gated race. His final time of 39.32 gave him seventh place. Joe Swarbrick ran an evenly paced race to finish 2nd V55 in a time of 40.30 in 10th place. Ken Addison ran 41.32 to be 15th overall. Stuart Cann ran a very respectable 42.15 for a top twenty finish. In 33rd place Anthony Murphy stuck to the task of rebuffing a challenge from Fred Lynch to finish in 43.51 with Fred home in 44.22. Steven Gore and Paul Dawson were doing this run for the first time and both dipped below 45 minutes, in 44.43 and 44.59. Barry Wheeler ran 45.10 and must have been aware of the presence of Shane Cliffe who finished in 45.48.
Joe Donoghue (M.J.) finished in 46.37 in his second attempt at this distance followed immediately by Janine Needham who finished as second F35 in 46.39. Paul Woan finished in 47.07 and John Wiseman improved on last month’s attempt by a minute in 50.48. Frank Nightingale ran 51.39 followed closely by Neil Marshall 51.55, Margaret Lupton in 52.03 to be first F45 and Carol Hughes, second F40 in 52.28. Our other Junior runner, Lucy Lodge, should be pleased with her time of 53.32 coming in ahead of many more experienced runners.
Carol Douglass improved on last month’s time to take the F65 prize in 53.42 and Joan Gouldthorpe matched her previous time to take the F60 prize.
Richard Lodge took on this course for the first time finishing in 56.28 followed in by Anneke Crosby in 56.40. A group of runners finished within 40 seconds of each other led by Yvonne Johnson (57.57), George Fletcher (58.01), Dave Maudsley (58.08), John Plowman (58.11) and Roger Johnson (58.34).
Shelley Regan had a great run taking 2 minutes off her previous attempt to finish in 60.22 with Allan Howard only 6 seconds behind. Colin Manning improved his time by 90 seconds to finish in 61.56 followed by Jim Robinson V65 in 62.07. Aimee Midgely crossed the line in 67.27 whilst newcomer Ann Donoghue 68.12, Adela Nuttall 68.20, Kate Bosman 70.26 and Sue Harrison 70.53 completed the formidable presence of Red Rose.
Over the weekend,in searing heat a 5k and 10k took place at Catforth where three runners ran both races. Mark Billington ran the 5k in 19.49 and the 10k in 41.39. Stephen Gore ran two PB’s 20.32 and 43.39 and Jamie Jardine ran 23.03 and 49.18. Paul Woan ran 20.55 for the 5k. Also in the 10k Jose Pinon Shaw ran an excellent 39.38 and Doug Bryden finished in 43.38. Jill Jefferson took the F50 prize in a PB of 43.49.
Three runners ran the St Anne’s Carnival 5k. Charles Maughan ran 20.41, Jo Duffy ran well for 23.24 and Evelyn Elkington finished in 31.47 as the only F75 competitor.
Over 600 athletes lined up for the Southport Half Marathon at 8.30 in Princes Park. Conditions were blistering for the runners. Anthony Murphy put in a sterling effort with a time of 1.34.48 and Aimee Midgley conquered the distance in 2.41.41.