Summer Series – Race 8

Bowdon  5k

After the heat of Hollins Green, a more temperate 15^o evening for our second 5k in a week. This is a fast course, and I know of PBs for Damian, Louise, Matt, Nina and Gail. I suspect there were others.

Damian at 4k was threatening to go under the magic 15 minutes but in the end had to settle for yet another race win in what is proving to be a stunning season. Jim was our second runner home, 10th.  then followed Graham, James and Ray. Rob is not yet back to last year’s peak and Nick is nursing himself back,

Carolyn had her first race in a Wilmslow vest, James Gowrie made his debut and, with Jamie making his 2010 entrance, the participants in this year's competition moved-up to 73. The names of Damian Nicholls, Tony Hulme, Richard Hirons, Kate Sutton, Sarah Waite, Ian Ashcroft, Owen Ashcroft, Roy Pownall and Martin Wheeldon went onto the 2010 T-shirt and mug. Only 8 races gone and already 11 have completed the qualifying 7 races. For those of us in the 11, its now all uphill; extra points need to be ground out, whilst better runners, who've opted for a gentler start, push us, race by race, down the table. Nevertheless it is pleasurable to stand, for a while, at the top looking down.

The inevitable has happened rather sooner than in previous years; Damian, 7 races and a perfect 420 points goes to the top of the table. Thereafter it reads second Tony, third Richard, Clare, Sarah, Kate, Ian, Owen, Roy, Julie and Martin.

There was the prospect of a record Summer Series turn-out but the race was declared full earlier in the week, leaving those who had planned on entering on the night frustrated. The positive was that the runners had a lot of support. Pre-entry, particularly  for the Sale Sizzler and Pie & Peas, might be wise. The second positive, if you made the cut, was that, for once, Series points at Bowdon were respectable, even for those of us down the pecking order.

 Louise, was first Wilmslow lady and 3rd. overall. Katy, as at Hollins, was second Wilmslow lady. Clare was third then Sarah and Kate. Jane, another Bramhall recruit, went one better than Hollins to be 1st. L55.  Janine, also in her second race, was sixth then Penny, Steffi, Sharon, Soraya, Nina, Carolyn, and Gail.

Clare stays top of the Ladies’ league, a mere two points ahead of Kate, who herself is only three ahead of Sarah. Katy is next with 4 wins and two seconds in six races but Louise; three races, three wins remains unbeaten.

Peter was first home in Group 3/4. Louise had said at the weekend she believed she was capable of going under 19 minutes, Bowdon moved her right to the edge of that target as she picked-up the 59 points. Richard was third, then Matt, Tony (first M60 again), Katy, Jamie, Clare, Kate, Sarah, Jane, Gavin, Ian and Janine.

Matt's magnificent PB was the last straw, he's been promoted from Group 5/6 to 3/4.

Penny, who used only to be able to run the hills and the longer distances, had her second  5k 5/6 win in a week catching Owen in the last kilometre. Andy was third followed by Steffi, Sharon, Roy, Soraya, Simon, Nina, Rod, James, Carolyn, Gail, and Martin.

Four  5/6 runners have completed their 7 races; Owen and Roy move above Julie with Martin bringing-up the quartet. John who looked hot favourite (Matt aside) has a 100% record of three races, three wins. He has, however, been injured and missed the last three races all of which have been won by Penny.  Chris and Owen have one win each.

A fortnight’s gap to the Warrington 10k. It has not been in the Series for four years but, on the basis of hot evening in 2006, it is a slowish course. Not, if my memory is correct, hilly but lots of twists and turns.