Radcliffe Trail, 10k

Summer Series, Race 6

Sunday April 12th.

 Summer had flattered only to deceive with a cold wind sweeping through Radcliffe. Some of the marathon runners took the view that this was suitable tapering for the trials and tribulations of the coming two weeks, others gave it a miss. We had also lost some of the better men to the Cheshire Fell trials at Mow Cop. However, numbers were good with Leagues 3, 4 and 5 highly competitive. The threatened rain held off and the wind, possibly because much of the race was through canal basins and railway cuttings, was never a factor. Once you got going it was warm and some felt they had over-dressed. A scenic course undulates along tracks, which were sometimes rough and rutted, but most found enjoyable. The organisers had threatened a sting in the tail but it held limited terror even to those of us who suffer altitude sickness on the gentlest of climbs.

 The Ladies took the team prize, our counters Di, Sharon and Sally.

 Andrew was our first runner home in 17^th. (I’ve a £5 voucher for you but you might want to do a cost/benefit calculation on the drive to Barnoldswick to spend it), Allan was 26^th., Jeremy 34^th. and Phil 94^th.

 Diane narrowly lost out on the finishing sprint to finish 2^nd. Lady but 1^st.F35, Sharon was 3^rd. and 1st.F40., Sally was 2^nd.F50, then Zoe, Nicky, Amy, Gail, Clare, Rachael, Kate, Julie, Nina, Janet and Belinda.

 Sharon took the 60-points in League 2 followed by Matt, Jarrod, Richard, Ian, Paul and, back from injury, Tim.

 Gareth won League 3 from Christian and Sally. Zoe, having not completed 7 races last year, has not, as yet, run sufficient races this year to be allocated to one of the 2015 Leagues. Chris, one of those who doubled the weekend with the inaugural Wilmslow Parkrun, was followed by Amy and John.

 Bernard has been the dominant League 4 runner on the road, Jon off-road. Radcliffe lay somewhere between the two. Bernard had the confidence to start slowly but triumphed and as Jon faded towards the end Gail passed him and he slipped to third. Clare was followed by Kate. Ian, as in the earlier races, was a little off the pace but did enough to pick-up the 2^nd. M65 prize.

 Rachael’s relegation last year was unfortunate, she paid the penalty for only running 7 races and choosing the wrong ones. If her race management proves better this year, she will be too strong for League 5. Simon, 1^st. M70, is consistently picking-up first or second place, he got revenge here on Nina, who headed him at both Trafford and Crewe. Julie came third, again showing good recovery from her operation and Don got in ahead of Nina, who does not appear to be able to transfer her road pace to the trail. Jan had clearly tired herself out organising the Parkrun (with Trevor and Rob) and baking whilst Belinda is steadily picking-off the races.

Ian