Dave Neilands reports . . . .

The Cross Country season is underway again and the first event at Leyland was run in sunny conditions with little mud around – see how things might have changed for the next fixture at Burnley in November.  Not so many years ago Garstang Running Club had a thriving ladies team whilst struggling to get many men to run.  How times change, with not a lady runner in sight the Club was able to field a team of seven men, with three others who might have run but got better offers, not as far as I know shopping.  Captain Tony Pritchard led the club home in 92nd place followed by Phil Cornall 114th, Geoff Lyons 122nd, Richard Jones 139th, Dave Barraclough 153rd, John Pitchford 196th and Pete Gelderd 209th in a field of 221.  

Mr Gelderd was out again the following day (I bet Anne love was cross) at the Green Drive 5 road race where he finished 217th in 41.13 minutes with Heather Tipping 274th in 45.09 and Tracey Winter 311th in 48.38.  The last of the huge field of 345 finished the course in 1.04.41.

Exactly 400 competitors took part in different versions of the Coniston 14K trail race in the Lake District.  Garstang had four competitors with Richard Roberts finishing 28th in 1.06.19 followed by Dave Heslop 1.14.32, Dave Barraclough 1.22.35 (apparently doing only the easy bits) and Julie Graham 1.37.42.  Messrs Roberts and Barraclough  appear to be following each other around as they both did the Great Cumbrian half marathon at Carlisle (fuller report next week) however will they and any other club members be at Sunday’s Southport10k where Richard will be running his 100th 10K and his 50th race of this calendar year – he would appreciate some support.

(15/10/06)

 

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