Sunday February 6th.
Alsager attracts a quality field, I seem to remember Mike Halman finishing 44th. Nevertheless it has never been that popular with Wilmslow runners; those who are not training for London have their eyes on the Wilmslow Half and a five-mile Sunday does not fit the schedule. We did, when it was a regular Cheshire Grand Prix event, get better representation but the narrow start, and the history of fallers, has forced it out. I'm not good at the Half, and so Wilmslow is not, for me, the focus, it is for many. A fast five-miles looked more inviting than a training run. Seven others concurred, well probably five; Trevor runs everything and Martin is gently working his way back.
121 Mick Fairs 31:24 2 M60
125 Rob Gilbert 31:32 18 M40
247 Matt Atkinson 34:47
318 Ian Ashcroft 36:29 2 M65
594 Julie Lucas 42:46 17 L45
634 Catriona Marshal 43:44 34 L40
702 Trevor Faulkner 45:44 12 M65
877 Martin Wheeldon 56:17 33 M55
support from Nina, Paul and Mike.
Mick was edged-out of the M60 first he had won the previous two years but was happy with his run, as was Rob. Mick is, however, starting to mutter about unfair competition from young M60s. Matt and I were disappointed with our times. Cat and Mike were looking disgustingly healthy, this is their third continent of 2011, but that's it, Catriona is about to re-enter the real world. I didn't see her, Julie, Trevor or Martin after the race; although warm, it wasn't standing-about, chatting weather. Good to see Martin back racing.
Five years ago, it was at Alsager that I took the club M60 record (over the longer races I couldn't touch the legendary 'Rocket' Ron). However my best as a 64-year-old, in perfect conditions on the flat at Green Drive, was 50 seconds outside Ron's M65 time and I was never going to be close on a damp, blustery, February Sunday. I ran to 'average pace' on my watch, "keeping-up" with Ron over the first two miles before slipping back but the final result was a major disappointment; somehow I'd managed to run 5.11 miles, adding 40 seconds to my time. Rocket's record, which has already lasted 15 years, will have to await Tony and Mick coming of age.
Ian
It is interesting that many runners were 3-5 mins slower than at the April 2010 Chester Spring 5, which is itself not exactly a fast course. (I was 4 mins slower). These are enormous differences. It is difficult to believe that the course (which has been the same since at least 2008) was long. The start was very slow, probably costing me 40 seconds, but the wind was also very strong and gusty, and seems likely to have cost us a 10% time penalty. You have to pick something positive out of a poor result!
Trevor
But Trevor I looked at the whole results last night, including the ladies’. Have another look at their times.
I know that the top fifty or so get away quickly but they ran 5 miles in the same wind and still proved their class. Even better runners would, of course, have gone faster.
The problem with Alsager is that it can’t handle the numbers they allow to enter, and the large majority of entrants won’t do themselves justice. (Early February is not a good date either.)
BTW on Monday morning I almost got blown over several times. Quite dangerous and tiring at times.