The 2009 Summer Series has made a low key start. There are 19 races, so at this time of year getting-in your seven races, or eight or nine to allow for the disaster and the race when the whole club turns up, seems easy. Two holiday weekends are impossible for some, but those who could make South Cheshire were richly rewarded and the same was true at Waterloo.
Only Jim from Group1, no Group 2, just Tony from Group 3 – the lower orders were relishing the sort of Bank Holiday Monday by the seaside for which Britain is famous; wet, cool and windy.
The weather wasn’t as bad as forecast; no driving rain just damp with a strong breeze. Jim finished 5th., Tony was 2nd M60, the points virtually guaranteed before either had left the sports field. This means that Tony replaces Tom at the head of the Main Table with Don second and Kate third. Tony also replaces Rob Gilbert as the early leader in Group 3/4.
Once over the cow-patch the running is smooth with a mix of tarmac and sandy tracks. Don normally favours the hills but a best-ever 48 points takes him to second behind Tony in 3/4 with Kate third.
Group 4 was competitive, Neil, a long gap through injury then working away, beat Nicky by only one second. Steve Smith is working his way back to full fitness, normally this time of year is pre and post marathon, the benefit of missing London being the early SS races. Geoff was the only marathoner brave, or foolish, enough to be so quickly back into action.
Kate was 1st. Lady 45 and Nicky 1st. Lady 50. Kate made it three wins out of three, Julie is second in the Ladies table followed by Angela.
There were also no lack of numbers from Group 5; Amanda, Angela, Ian, Catriona, John and Penny. Only Huma missing of the likely contenders and, as past races have shown, they can finish in any order. Ian was allowed to set the pace, perhaps over-kindly since his Group wins have come at 10k or below, and, although John at 5k and Ang at 10k did speed it up, overall it was run no faster than Wilmslow. John and Angela waited until the last 50m to make their moves, Ang managed, initially, to get away but Ian (ungallantly according to Kate) caught her on the line. A flat course should have suited the old men of Group 5 but they were mainly missing on a day when they could have given the girls a race.
Julie led Group 6, followed by Charlotte and Nina. Trevor moves up to second in the 5/6 table. Martin was Wilmslow’s laterne rouge.
Ian
Only by 1 second, and only because she let me!!