Stockport 10

Post Views: 56

For the local first timer “The Stockport 10” has a rather grim ring to it suggesting perhaps a few cold laps of the A6 and the Merseyway shopping centre. However by the time I was walking into Woodbank Park in rather pleasant sunshine I was thinking that this might not be too bad at all.

Despite the competing attractions of Macclesfield Cross Country, Bedford Half Marathon, Christmas shopping and a good lie in we managed to field 10 Wilmslow vests out of a total of 500 runners.

After a couple of laps of Stockport’s shiny new track we ran out through Woodbank Park. Looping around a housing estate the first mile marker finally arrived at least 30 seconds late. By this time the leaders were already beginning to disappear round yet another corner and the combined effect made me feel like I was running rather slowly. We turned out onto the main road on and off the pavement dodging heavy traffic and pedestrians.

Three or four miles in we thankfully turned down a country lane where I had the rare thrill of overtaking the pace car as it was thwarted by a closed farm gate. At one point it became a bit too cross country for my racers leading to a bit of a dance over the muddy cobbles. I knew that there was a grinding hill at 5 miles but just having reached what I thought was the top we then turned up again through yet another housing estate. Charging down the other side I could see that I was gaining slowly on a couple of runners left behind by the leading pack. We dodged back through the Stockport streets and chased up the long hill back to the park gates but I couldn’t quite catch them by the time we reached the track.

Andy Penney was back shortly after, running an excellent time followed by Mike C (shaving just 12 minutes of last year’s time), Kate and Jane in quick succession. Trevor ran in ahead of Peter but admitted it was the first time that he hadn’t run a PB since donning a Wilmslow vest.

Job only half done the Wilmslow ladies changed their racers, wrung out their vests and heroically headed off to their cross country duty – leaving us weaker men to mince up and collect prizes on their behalf.

Rob

9 Rob Downs       V40 2    56:49
24 Andy Penney                   1:00:59
44 Mike Cooper V40 8 1:03:38
46 Kate Ayres    L45 1 1:03:48
60 Jane Clarke    L35 1 1:04:45
66 Trevor Morris V40 13 1:05:56
77 Peter Carne    V40 18 1:06:52
91 Paul Ayres       V45 8 1:08:12
145 Sean Barry             1:11:38
245 Kate Sutton    L40 5 1:18:04

497 finishers

Winner
Mike Aspinal Lancaster & Morecambe AC 50:57

Mens Team Results
1 Sale Harriers Manchester          35
2 Stockport Harriers & AC          55
3 Wilmslow Running Club          109
                              9 Robert Downs
                              22 A Penney
                              32 Mike Cooper
                              46 Trevor Morris

Full results at http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2005/stock10.htm

** see photos in continuation …

After one lap it appears that the two Santas are in front of eventual winner Mike Aspinall