Summer Series: Cheadle 5 race report

Cheadle 5

Sunday March 6^th.

Summer Series, Race 3

    (photos courtesy of Elspeth)

Every year there is a race which drops a points bonanza into the laps of those lucky enough to be there. I felt Cheadle had potential. An hour’s driving for a 5 mile race, I wrongly thought 5 miles would be scorned by those training for the Manchester and London Marathons, and it was Mother’s Day. I was, therefore, dismayed to find no less than 7 runners from League 4, although the overall number, 24, made for good points in the Main Table.

It was snowing when I left Wilmslow, turning into a snowstorm by Macc, I worried about a cancellation. The Race Director was complaining that he had been promised sunshine and got snow. Suddenly, however, like Moses at the Red Sea, at 10am the clouds parted and the sun shone and continued throughout the race. Then, with the race finished, as we queued outside the bacon butty van, a cold wind picked-up, the cloud thickened, the sun disappeared and it snowed again on the return.

Great race, great course. Lots of hills, though no killers, plenty of fast descents.

Sharon was again our star, ‘chicking’ all the men to finish 13^th. and 2^nd. lady.  Huma caught Sally late in the race to be second Wilmslow lady.

Sharon won the League 1 60 points, with Craig picking-up 59.

Matt was our first man, 19^th., and picked-up another League 2 60-points. Jarrod was second in League 2 and Tim, who was also 1^st. M50, was third. They were followed by Richard and Steve.

Gareth took League 3, 12 seconds ahead of Tony, who just edged-out Bernard, and took 1^st. M65.  Huma was 6 seconds in front of Sally who was followed-in by Chris.

League 4 saw Alan, who won at both Llandudno and Radcliffe, hold-off his biggest threat, James, who had been the league’s dominant runner at the end of last year, but was making his first appearance of 2016. Carolyn’s significant improvement comes from her marathon training but also slimming-down. She did 37:19. In the Autumn I would have anticipated her perhaps at 39½ minutes for this course. I had beaten Colin and Sue at Llandudno, but lost-out at Radcliffe. Sue gained an advantage on the early hill and then Colin started to pull-away from me. Colin steadily hauled-in Sue but I could make no headway. Simon’s running like a 70-year-old, his groin is giving him a problem.

Jan has found a rich seam of form, another 60 points. Elspeth enjoyed a leisurely day-off from the marathon training Julie’s some way off her best but had a good day. Don did not find it easy, not the ideal course for a man with one knee.

We duly saved Tony’s embarrassment by attending the prize-giving. The organisers do have to accept some responsibility, we had to wait an (unnecessarily?) long time. That apart, the organisation was excellent and they much appreciated us bringing so many runners to the race.

Ian