Race Reports 2025
NORDEN 6 MILE ROAD RACE - 13th JUNE 2025
"Well, that was a big one!"
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That is exactly what every one of the 27 RRR finishers at the Norden 6 Miler said at the end of the race. They were referring to the incredibly tough start, 2 miles almost right up to the top of 'Owd Betts', which worked out at roughly 200 metres of climb. What were you thinking it meant? This was the 6th race in the 2025 RRR club championship & arguably the toughest yet. It was a sultry - some might say sweaty - late Friday night for such a tough run. Yet, being the hardy souls we are, all the RRR entrants finished with some sense of aplomb. Yes, dragging your knuckles over the finishing line counts!
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After the super-steep first 2 miles the course took a left towards some dazzlingly beautiful countryside. Just over 2 miles were mostly very quick downhill, winding through quiet country lanes. There were a few steeper sections interspersed which allowed you to put your brakes on briefly. Then, after a short passage in & out of some back streets, it was a return on to the main Norden road to complete the loop. The finish itself was a 1st for me as my car (a red Aygo) was used as the finishing line. If any readers can beat that – please write in.
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Onto the results. Mr & Mrs Reading (Shane 38:50, Rochelle 50:39) take the honours in this report - not only were they the 1st male & female RRRs home, but they took the male & female V50 titles too. Let us hope it is some time before their kids start sweeping up the prizes! Well done as well to Barry Greaves (MV65), Gail Shaw (FV60) & Dave Phillips (MV80) who claimed the 'bottle of wine' prize in each of their respective categories. I had to look twice at Dave’s result, as he finished in precisely 100th place & I thought I had his age incorrect initially. Big shout out also to Andy Schofield, who completed his 1st RRR race since 2022, plus Mark Heaney who made his 1st appearance of the year. We also recorded our 2nd palindromic time of the year, the 45:54 achieved by Neil Brock.
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All the RRR finishers: Stacey Carr (1:24:27), Bernadette Ball (1:13:41), Rachel Chadwick (1:07:34), Howard Mills (1:07:15), Elaine Brown (1:06:34), David Phillips (1:04:37), Bryony Jones (1:04:00), Billie Chamberlain (1:03:30), Martina Naismith (1:03:20), Ian Floyd (1:03:00), Bernard Cassidy (1:01:45), Gareth McCaffery (59:03), Gary Smith (58:06), Jason Keast (55:36), Suzanne Darke (53:22), Mark Heaney (51:50), Gail Shaw (51:12), Rochelle Reading (50:39), Andrew Schofield (48:19), Andrew Ingham (46:06), Neil Brock (45:54), Lee Earnshaw (45:14), Barry Greaves (44:14), Elliot Stone (43:33), Bernard Goodwin (43:29), Brett Spivey (40:58) & Shane Reading (38:50).
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As usual, well done to all who took part, plus our loyal supporters; it certainly was well-deserved this time. The next club race is the 1st of the Sale Sizzlers next Thursday 19 June. I can write the report for this one, but we could do with some volunteers for the other 3. Please let Dave E. know if you can spare a few words. Thanks! [Elliot Stone]
RRR TRACK 5K - 5th JUNE 2025
The 5th race of the RRR club championship was, appropriately enough, a 5K event held on Radclyffe School’s running track. As usual there was a stiff breeze around the place, particularly on the home straight. As it is a familiar haunt to us all, I won’t harp on about the setting as I’ll just be going round in circles - or elliptical ovals to be precise!
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There were 49 RRR participants on the night which, as usual, was a great turn-out & similar to last year’s event, which suggests this is now a popular staple of the club championship. As usual the runners were split into 2 groups based on expected times. Many supporters were there to enthusiastically cheer (or bark in one instance!) for both sets of athletes, which is a given whenever this wonderful club stages an event.
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8 of the 1st group managed to score a sub-20-minute time, which is a really high standard. They were led home by a returning Rob James, notching his 2nd club victory of the year. However the real action took place just behind, as Shane Reading & William Wall finished virtually neck-&-neck with Shane just pipping Will on the line. Sarah Tomassi notched 1st female home in an impressive display. Also a big well done to Adam Stirling, who tired himself out pre-race by severely misjudging the walk from Mills Hills Station to the venue. Lastly, a resilient display was put in by Bernie Goodwin, who had to run an 'extra' lap after some confusion by the lap-caller but still managed 19:51. Good running, Bernie!
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In the next group, 1st honours go to Dave Phillips, making his 2nd RRR run-out of the year. Dave is a legend of the club, one of the founding fathers, still racing at 81 years young. Equally legendary is June Allingan, who matches Dave for longevity but whose age we will politely not reveal. An excellent run by Suzanne Darke meant she was 1st home in this group, closely followed by Dave Watt.
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A special mention goes out to Darren Gallagher & Ian Floyd, who both completed their first RRR race. Welcome aboard!
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All the RRR finishing times: Stacey Carr (38:49), June Allingan (38:46), Sharon Leach (32:03), Ronnie Quinn (32:00), Alison Royle (31:31), Angela Rogowskyj (31:27), Diane Johnson (29:46), Paul Cooke (29:42), Elaine Brown (29:41), Nicky Hall (29:36), Billie Chamberlain (29:20), David Phillips (28:55), Howard Mills (28:54), Amanda Richardson (28:51), Dave Bardsley (28:08), Claire Timms (27:22), Ian Floyd (26:28), Bernard Cassidy (25:35), Owen Flage (25:29), Stephen Rogowskyj (25:28), Kirsty Agnew (25:08), Jason Keast (24:43), Dave Watt (24:26), Suzanne Darke (24:23), Simon Howard (24:02), Jonathan Green (23:42), Warren Siddall (22:55), Rochelle Reading (22:51), Gail Shaw (22:37), Mark Phelan (22:06), John Fay (21:41), Adam Stirling (21:30), Neil Brock (21:10), Andrew Ingham (21:10), Oliver Pozegic (20:58), Sarah Tomassi (20:41), Lee Earnshaw (20:38), Francois Clavaud (20:25), Barry Greaves (20:08), Darren Gallagher (20:04), Elliot Stone (20:01), Adrian Brown (19:56), Edward Grimley (19:55), Bernard Goodwin (19:52), Chris Tattersall (19:35), Brett Spivey (18:34), Shane Reading (18:03), William Wall (18:03) & Rob James (17:11).
Finally, as always, remember any finish is a win - so give yourself a big 'well done you' & keep on keepin’ on. See you at Norden! [Elliot Stone]
TREVISO PARKRUN - 17th MAY 2025
It is Friday evening, the night before parkrun. Friday night can be a time for getting our kit ready & maybe going to bed at a reasonable hour. I am in the Anda Hotel talking to one of the guests from India. The young man says, "Surely you must be one of the best runners in Britain to have travelled so far to Italy?" I can't resist telling him my story: "This year I celebrate 40 years as a distance runner. I'm 52 years old now. According to the Power of 10 website, when I was in my 20s I was in the top 100 for most distances. As the years went on I was in the 100s and then the 1000s, until I reached the stage where I don't think I have a ranking at all. At the end of 2024 I went on social media & announced my decision to basically concentrate on 5K & 10K distances. I like to think I'm happier than when I was doing specific training for long events & the longer the race the bigger the disappointment. I must admit I have almost gone back on my word once or twice, but parkrun is a great thing as it can be about quantity & conquering new territories. I have completed parkrun events in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Isle of Man, Germany, Denmark, Poland & now Italy." I can't decide if the man is yawning by now but I would like to share my adventure with you, as this is parkrun Italy.
I travelled with Ryanair from Manchester. The flight was slightly delayed as, would you believe, a 2nd World War bomb had been found at Marco Paulo Airport Venice earlier that Thursday morning. This closed the airport for a few hours. Then somehow I thought luck was on my side; a massive thunderstorm hit Venice on Thursday evening. A magnificent fork lightning storm. The air was cleared & instead of taking off layers when arriving from Manchester, people were putting layers on.
The 1st rule of doing a parkrun overseas is to be prepared - not only to make sure you have your kit & barcode but to travel to the site the day before to be familiar in how you are going to get there in the morning. I was very precise with my plan an early start with alarm set for 6am, I was to catch a train from Venice Mitre station to Treviso & then 1 of 2 bus numbers. When I arrived at just after 8am on Saturday I was greeted by a close-knit group of volunteers who spoke some English. I was having a walk around when Damiano, one of the volunteers, said he would drive me down the road to the start.
There was a course briefing in both Italian & English. The parkrun director said she would like to thank everyone from Britain who was in attendance. Manchester & Leeds were well-represented. There were also visitors from Salisbury & I got on well with a couple from Bristol who I met on the bus on the way over. They were running the Treviso 10K the following day. With all formalities over, we were called to our marks in Italian. I liked the course - it was flat woodland. The 1st long path felt very long; just about everybody admitted that they had started off too fast. Eventually a volunteer came into view & it was through the gate before turning left into woodland. The ground was covered with chippings that can become muddy if there has been a lot of rain, but the going was firm. Damiano came flying past me before the end of the 1st lap. I recognised the start area & knew I had to do it all again. It feels like I've been running on my own for quite some time but I start to hear footsteps behind me. I make a misjudgement, put one foot over the curb and one foot on the chippings & fall over. Luckily the chippings are really soft & I'm soon back into my running, but I lose 2 places.
This is where the locals have an advantage over the tourists. I remember past the allotments, past the cows but how many turnings in the woods to the finish? I am back level with one of the Italian runners who overtook me when I fell. Here goes the sprint finish, but the Italian times it to perfection. There were 58 runners & I finished 15th in 26.51. It seems that 26 minutes is following me everywhere at the moment, in the UK & around the world. It was a good morning battle of England v Italy & I feel all the tourists will have memories to take away. There is no cafe on site; instead flasks of orange, tea & coffee with cakes & biscuits are provided. One of the main conversations is whether anyone could remember the exact route on the 2nd lap.
I feel that parkrun Italy is in a strong place. The organisers said they could only dream of the numbers that are achieved in Britain. Just a week after my run it's the 10th anniversary of when parkrun was introduced to Italy & that just may have been something special. A major difference with the UK is that clubs are not encouraged to take part; it just isn't promoted. It is seen as more of a time-trial or a fitness programme.
So where do I go next? I have been interested in offshore parkruns in the UK; there is so much of the Orient I would like to see; I'm hoping that parkrun France will soon be restored. Who knows...but that is another adventure! [Owen Flage]
GREAT MANCHESTER RUN 10K - 18th MAY 2025
​Typical! Before the race had even started, a motley crew of RRRs had found themselves inside a pub! OK, they were there to use the loo...but I’m sure the temptation was still strong.
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So the day began for the 4th RRR club championship race of the year, the Great Manchester 10K. Surprisingly, it was my 1st time running this race; I had heard many wonderful things about it. I wasn’t disappointed.
The start was packed with rows & rows of runners. Somehow, numerous RRRs had infiltrated the 1st few rows so that it was difficult not to see fellow club members. We chatted through the long wait before the start, but it seemed to go quickly as we watched Luke Lawson-Healey & Chris Tattersall warm-up in the 'elite' paddock. There was also a bit of history as we got to witness (or hear, at least) the only time that the 3 female GB Olympic 800 metres gold medallists had been together at the same time (Ann Packer, Kelly Holmes & Keely Hodgkinson, in case you’re wondering).
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And then we were off. The start was super-quick as it weaved its way through the city centre to meet Chester Road. Then the slog began. It was tough - the heat was just enough to sap your energy quicker than usual & seemed to bounce off the tarmac along the dual carriageway. Next there was a loop around parts of Trafford Park & then a steady, deceptive climb back towards White City. Finally it was a last aching stretch back down Chester Road & onto Deansgate to see the thousands of supporters helping you to hobble over the line.
My first thoughts were how big & loud the support was. Having heard people tell me how the support on marathons is unbelievable, I was a little sceptical until this run. I couldn’t remember a section where it was actually quiet. There was an array of choirs, DJs, brass bands & lots & lots & lots of people just cheering & shouting at the tops of their voices. I’m sure other runs offer similar, but it was a fantastic feeling to run in front of a raucous hometown crowd.
On to the results, then. Let’s start with a big well-done to every one of the 42 RRRs that took part. I usually tack this bit on the end but felt it needed more prominence this time. Every finish is a win; to train, enter & compete for any event is an achievement for which you should give yourself a huge, hearty well done.
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1st dibs go to Ronnie Quinn, who was taking part in his 21st GM10K – guess what, there have only been 21 editions of the event. Ronnie battled through despite recent serious health problems, showing us all the true meaning of resilience.
In the speedsters section, a few new names popped up alongside Luke Lawson-Healey, who finished top dog again. Excellent running by Brett Spivey & Chris Tattersall saw them finish 2nd & 3rd respectively for RRR.
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13 runners finished with a time between 40 & 50 minutes, which is 31% of the club's entrants. Most notable of these was Gail Shaw who finished a remarkable 2nd in the FV60s, our best age category finisher.
I know they were mentioned in the last report, but it’s not every day that RRR gets on the telly! Karen & Bryony Jones managed to do this as well as getting matching times. Another freaky time was set by Martina Naismith, who posted a palindrome of a time (1:00:01) – well done, Martina. Congratulations also to Andy Hall who did a commendable job as pacesetter.
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All the RRR finishing times: Stacey Carr (1:22:35), Ronnie Quinn (1:21:16), Andy Hall (1:15:55), Natali Brown (1:11:24), Peter Boulton (1:10:58), Lisa Wilson (1:10:57), Liz Phillips-Rennie (1:10:51), Samantha Tattersall (1:09:22), Elaine Brown (1:06:29), Diane Johnson (1:05:17), Karen Jones (1:04:43), Bryony Jones (1:04:43), David Phillips (1:02:42), Billie Chamberlain (1:02:10), Martina Naismith (1:00:01), Gareth McCaffery (59:47), Dave Watt (59:01), Janet Jobey (58:43), Neil Brock (57:28), Claire Timms (55:53), Jason Keast (51:54), Suzanne Darke (51:33), Mark Baxendale (51:07), Warren Siddall (50:27), Colin Green (49:44), Dave Peart (48:07), Oliver Pozegic (48:06), John Fay (48:05), Gail Shaw (47:10), Mark Phelan (46:32), Andrew Ingham (45:15), Adam Stirling (44:48), Carl O'Callaghan (44:13), Adrian Brown (42:53), Elliot Stone (41:37), Bernard Goodwin (41:34), James Moulton (41:20), Martin Thompson (39:03), Wesley Henshaw (38:51), Chris Tattersall (38:26), Brett Spivey (38:18) & Luke Lawson-Healey (35:00).
Thanks for reading & see you at the Radclyffe track for the next club race on 4th June. [Elliot Stone]
WILMSLOW HALF MARATHON - 23rd MARCH 2025
Spring had most certainly sprung in Wilmslow. The sky was blue, the weather perfect for racing & a few shoots of colourful flowers by the roadside made it a positive start to the day. That positivity was continued as once again our results, entrants (33) & camaraderie all made for a good old RRR day out. This was the Wilmslow Half , the 3rd race in this year’s calendar.
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It would have been easy to mistake the starting area for Glastonbury, as there were quite literally thousands of people milling about; not unlike Glasto, the queues for the toilets were very long indeed. Once people had got their numbers (not all of us!) & found their starting zone the race set off promptly. It was difficult to locate other RRRs, as all runners were condensed into 1 long block, so it was a case of shouting, "Good luck’!" across of sea of heads.
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The course is a lovely, meandering slither of country roads through East Cheshire, flattish for most of the way, although there was a sneaky rise going through Mobberley which added a few seconds to everyone’s splits. Apparently the locals have given this section the nickname 'Wobberley Mobberley', which may or may not be amusing to you. There was also the notorious sting-in-the-tail hill around the 12-mile mark which sapped whatever energy you had left. I have taken part in the race before, but hats off to the spectators this time as they seemed to surpass previous efforts I had seen. There were a couple of choirs, lots of cowbells & some very enthusiastic young 'high-fivers' dotted along the route - they do have a genuine, energising effect on you.
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Onto the standout performances. First, Maisie Wainwright managed to beat her own previous club record female half marathon time as she finished in 1:25:55, which deserves an awful lot of credit. I feel this record will last at least until the next time Maisie completes a half. Next, the 1st RRR male home was Luke Lawson-Healey in 1:15:54, continuing his fine early season form. His time was the 5th best club championship half marathon! As it was such a strong field, for once we failed to get our usual array of top 3 places in the age groups, with the best being Gail Shaw (2nd in the FV60 category), Neil Brock (6th VM60) & Howard Mills (8th MV70). Well done, you 3; I suppose, it’s about time we gave the other clubs a chance.
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For this report, I thought it was worth reminding people of what a great club we are by focusing on some of the stalwarts. So well done to Nat Brown (2:31:41), who seems to be at every race & RRR event going - indeed she arranges most of them, too. Just in front of her in the race was Claire Timms who has been a member of the club for 10 years & finished in a superb time of 2:14:15. Also a big shout out to Karen & Bryony Jones (2:41:21 & 2:23:23 respectively), a mother & daughter combo who have been at the club for 5 years. Funnily enough, they finished almost 20 minutes apart, which shows the RRR competitive spirit doesn’t stop for family bonds! Extra congratulations to Bryony who completed her 25th club race. There was also an excellent effort full of endurance from Dave Bardsley (2.36.13), who has been a member since 2018 & seems to pop up in his own modest way throughout the year. Finally, a big pat on the back to the rest of you who completed the race; it takes an extraordinary effort to run 13.1 miles & we hope that running for RRR made it just that little bit easier.
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All the RRR finishing times: Karen Jones (2:41:21), Dave Bardsley (2:36:13), Natali Brown (2:31:41), Elaine Brown (2:27:41), Bryony Jones (2:23:23), Howard Mills (2:20:50), Amanda Richardson (2:17:49), Claire Timms (2:14:15), Gary Smith (2:10:03), Jonathan Green (1:55:07), Karen Price (1:54:33), Warren Siddall (1:50:00), Bryony Rogers (1:48:00), Gail Shaw (1:45:39), Andrew Ingham (1:41:02), John Fay (1:40:51), Neil Brock (1:37:36), James Moulton (1:36:35), Ryan Frost (1:36:30), Bernard Goodwin (1:33:41), Adrian Brown (1:33:32), Elliot Stone (1:32:27), Francois Clavaud (1:30:46), Brett Spivey (1:30:32), Maisie Wainwright (1:25:55), Martin Thompson (1:25:51), Wesley Henshaw (1:24:54), Chris Tattersall (1:24:51), Andrew Rogers (1:24:12), William Wall (1:22:13), James Henderson (1:22:06), Rob James (1:19:31) & Luke Lawson-Healey (1:15:54).
See you at the Manchester 10K! [Elliot Stone]
TAMESIDE 5K - 8th MARCH 2025
"Right, just let me check again. So, that over there is a running track?" Yes. "With no one on it?" Yes. "But we’re over here on a cycle track?" Yes. "And this is where we run our race?" Yes. So began the 2nd RRR race of the year. You may have guessed by now that it took place on a cycling track at the home of East Cheshire Harriers. The weather was lovely, all late afternoon sunshine with a gentle, shimmering breeze.
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The event was organised into 4 heats A-D, with a children’s race added on before the main events. It was interesting to note Shane Reading severely restraining himself from wanting to win the junior race in which his 2 sons were running. You could almost read the thoughts ("If I just put in a burst now I could still win!") etched across his face. If it wasn’t for those pesky kids...
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Having all 4 heats reasonably close together meant lots of RRRs were in attendance, runners & non-runners both. This served as a reminder that the club is not just for running & that much of the enjoyment comes from just having a good old chinwag with fellow members.
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Onto the races themselves, then.1st up, Heat D. These hearty pioneers were the 1st to bear the brunt of an unusually-shaped course & the by now stiff breeze. To complete 5K each runner had to do 5-&-a-bit circuits. This meant the spectators could see the slow deterioration of each runner’s positivity & energy as each lap went by. It also meant, however, that the runners received oodles of claps & cheers from several points around the track as they completed each circuit. On the final lap, Gary Smith shouted, "Just one more lap!" to Ronnie Quinn, to which he received short shrift in the form of a most ungentlemanly reply. Notable performances in this heat came from Bernie Cassidy (1st RRR home in 25:38, claiming the MV65 prize - though I’m sure his shorts are older!) & Steve Rogowskyj (completing his 75th RRR club race with a strong performance in 26:34). We also welcomed back Lisa Wilson, who has rejoined the club after a 'little bit' of time away.
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As it was International Women’s Day, I thought I would take the opportunity to ask some of our established female RRRs how they felt after Heat D in the hope of extending the word count of this piece. 1st up was women’s captain Mandy Richardson, who concisely stated the course was 'alright'. Next I moved onto Nat Brown, RRR Social Secretary, who succinctly told me the course was, again, 'alright'. Finally, Angela Rogowskyj, club 'ledge', who could hardly be contained in her enthusiastic response: "It was alright – bit windy." Thanks then, women!
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Next was Heat C & this was for the 20-25 minute finishers. I was involved in this one & I felt like a Formula 1 driver must feel at the start of a Grand Prix. Unfortunately I quickly realised that that driver I felt most like was Nigel Mansell in his retirement years rather than the currently-active, much-younger Max Verstappen. The route was slick, though, & there were ample corners that allowed for some sharp overtaking & manoeuvring. I tried to keep count of the number of circuits but that soon vanished after lap 2. Completing the race made me realise there are 5 stages to a 5K. 1st kilometre: "I’m feeling good, let’s keep this up." 2nd: "Oooh, this is getting tough!" 3rd" "There is no way I am finishing this." 4th: "Where the hell are my legs & lungs?" 5th (in 2 parts): "Please ground open up & swallow me whole!" followed by, about 2 minutes after the finish,"That was great, when’s the next race?" Some exceptional performances came from Brett Spivey (19:28, which meant he finished top MV40 in this heat) & a brilliant effort by Ed Grimley, posting a sub-20 5K; definitely one to keep an eye on for the rest of the season.
Then the fast kids arrived in Heat B. By now they had had plenty of feedback on conditions & strategy; superb performances followed accordingly. Shane Reading, still bitter from his demoralising defeat in the kids' race, reclaimed some pride with a sterling 18:01. Congratulations also to Chris Tattersall, completing his 25th RRR race in a superb time of 18:44. Maisie Wainwright posted a stunning time of 18:47, in keeping with her outstanding recent results. Adrian Brown also posted a sub-20 time; this after doing 4 laps of Heartbreak Hill, a parkrun & saving the world from near-destruction earlier on in the morning (probably).
Last, but not least, the streaks of lightning group (Heat A) set off at around 6pm on a dusk-tinged Saturday evening. Naturally, they lived up to their billing & provided us with wonderful displays of athleticism. Hats off to Luke Lawson-Healey, who came out top of the pile overall for RRR in a time of 16:45 that seems almost too unreal to type. An extra well done for being our sole representative in this heat, too.
All the RRR finishing times: June Allingan (37:35), Stacey Carr (37:35), Bernadette Ball (34:56), Samantha Tattersall (34:25), Karen Jones (32:30), Angela Rogowskyj (31:12), Ronnie Quinn (30:47), Lisa Wilson (30:35), Natali Brown (30:27), Nicky Hall (30:03), Dave Bardsley (29:51), Martina Naismith (28:38), Amanda Richardson (28:32), Stephen Rogowskyj (26:34), Gary Smith (26:18), Jillian Hickson (25:55), Lucy Schindler (25:48), Bernard Cassidy (25:38), Suzanne Darke (25:12), Rochelle Reading (23:13), Trish Callan (23:12), Dave Peart (23:12), Warren Siddall (23:05), Andrew Ingham (21:16), John Fay (20:57), Andy Hall (20:51), Sarah Tomassi (20:35), Barry Greaves (20:31), Oliver Pozegic (20:28), Ryan Frost (20:18), Bernard Goodwin (20:03), James Moulton (20:01), Elliot Stone (20:00), Adrian Brown (19:54), Edward Grimley (19:47), Francois Clavaud (19:31), Brett Spivey (19:28), Maisie Wainwright (18:47), Chris Tattersall (18:44), Shane Reading (18:01) & Luke Lawson-Healey (16:45).
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Overall, it was a good day out & the feedback seemed mostly positive apart from the 'chip saga' earlier on - unfortunately there weren't enough timing chips available before Heat D, which meant some unnecessary delay & frustration. As always, well done to everyone. Remember it is a magnificent accomplishment to complete any race, so make sure you give yourself a big 'well done, you'. See you at Wilmslow. [Elliot Stone]
ENGLISH NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS - 22nd FEBRUARY 2025
I made up my mind last December to run the English National Cross-Country Championships, when I found out that the event would take place at Parliament Hill, London. I have run there previously in the South of England Championship, previous nationals & the London League of Colleges.
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I thought this year I might try a marathon, as I don’t have one to my name yet, but I have a lot of busy commitments on weekends to get good long runs in. I once remember Athletics Weekly stating that the nationals could be compared to "the Super Bowl of the sport & cross country". The 1st national was held in 1876 & just featured a Senior Men’s race. Sadly there was no inaugural winner, as all the men went off-course together. I can imagine what 1876 might have been like; this was the early golden age of the steam railway, people used a stagecoach or coach & horses to travel across the country. One thing is certain from then until now is that the numbers have swelled.
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I think about the words of running historian Tony Barbat of Wallasey AC: "Anyone who has competed in the 'National' will understand the wonder of this cross-country race. Pitching yourself against the best runners in the country, from clubs far & wide. The stampede at the start, the kaleidoscope of club vest colours as far as the eye can see." Nowadays there are other age categories as well as the Senior Men - Senior Women, Under-13 boys, Under-15 boys, Under-17 boys, junior men & the same categories for girls. I can almost hear a gasp that the seniors run with veterans of all ages.
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I woke up on Saturday morning at St Christopher’s Inn at Greenwich. It had been raining all Friday night; I am normally lucky with the weather whenever I go to London in the winter for snooker. The pavements were still a bit damp on Saturday morning. A woman asked me what brings me to London. I answer, "Sport". She then asked me if I have come to see the football. I say, "No, I’ve come for athletics." I explain about the nationals & she wishes me the best of luck.
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Normally when I go to London for snooker, or something else, I get up early for a parkrun & then it’s over for the day. Now my race is at 3pm & is the last event of the day. It’s almost like I am made to sweat it out. Before heading to the course I had a short walk around where I was staying. There is the iconic Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, Docklands & Greenwich Park close by.
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​My relationship with the race goes so far back. Just like those runners in 1876, I got disqualified from my first national in North Shields for picking up a junior’s number & not a senior's when I ran for Wycombe Phoenix Harriers at the age of 20 (the hovercraft from North to South Shields was interesting). I then had a few years at Wycombe where my position climbed steadily. I moved to Oldham when I was 25 & ran quite a few times representing Oldham & Royton Harriers. As an MV40, knowing I was past my running career best, I had the ambition of going back at least 1 more time. I ran at Nottingham & finished 635th. If someone had told me I would be going back in my MV50 years I don’t think I would have believed them; how did I get to 52?
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’ve had an 11-year absence from the event & I realise technology has advanced. There was electronic timing the last few times I ran, but now you can view every race on the big screen next to the running track without getting your feet wet. Friends & family can also track your run through internet streaming.
Barbet’s words are certainly correct - what a sea of coloured vests! - but could anything have prepared me for the mud-bath ahead? Could someone from a good fell running background be prepared, or maybe Tough Mudder? At 3pm the Senior Men’s race began. The surge of runners & the thunder of feet didn’t disappoint. My aim was not to get too mixed-up with the field. I certainly agree with the nationals own race report that "by the time the senior men raced, the course was cut to pieces". The 1st long straight was incredible muddy. The 1st major hill looms & you reach the top then a steady downhill to the cheer of the roaring crowd. By now the leaders have disappeared into the big blue yonder. I know I have to do 3 full laps round. There is eventually a section on the course where I can do some overtaking, in the drier conditions, but the same runners would overtake me on the mud. I’m still wondering, when I’m lapped by the leaders, how anyone can run in these conditions. I finished 1,767th, in the home straight when there was an announcement for the prize-giving.
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The clear winner was Richard Slade of Chiltern Athletics Club, who decided to hit the front late. The 1st Senior Men's team was Bristol & West, who also qualified for the 9-men prize. I was glad to see my old club Wycombe Phoenix finish 38th in the team results; the top-20 list was dominated by London clubs. Greater Manchester's 1st club home was Sale Harriers in 17th position, followed by Salford in 23rd. Looking at the complete race results, it was good to see Jake Ireland of Macclesfield win the under-15s title. I raced against Jake when he was 11 at Lyme parkrun; he definitely would have beaten me if he could have seen in the fog that day. When interviewed he said that he had been working on a sprint finish after losing the North of England Championships & it definitely paid off.
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In 2026 this event moves to Tatton Park. The championship does a rotation between south, north then midlands. I watched the North of England Cross-Country Championships at Tatton this season & I think it helped me to watch both of the senior races to see how fast their legs were moving. It was as dry as a bone, conditions literally suitable for road trainers. Another day another dawn! [Owen Flage]
HALE 10K - 16th FEBRUARY 2025
According to the dictionary the word 'hale' means "in strong health and vigour", as in the phrase 'hale & hearty'. Was I feeling like that for the 1st race of season? Would I feel like that by the end? Well the bungee jump on offer at the start line certainly gave me food for thought.
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My journey to Hale (the place) was made in the company of our erstwhile president, Ronnie Quinn. Anyone who had heard about our capers at Oldham parkrun a few weeks ago ("Check the Facebook page, Ronnie!") will know that this doesn’t always go as planned. However, as we left behind the metropolis of Manchester & arrived in Hale, tree-lined avenues & salubrious-looking houses greeted us as we reached the parking spot at the rather bleak-looking Ashley Hall.
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The weather? What else but bitterly cold. However a quick scan around showed the surrounding area to be flat & that cheered me up no end. As much as I appreciate the benefits of hill training, if I ever win the lottery I will be moving to Flatsville, Pancake City as soon as possible.
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Slowly but surely the RRR green, white & yellow began to appear around the start line. Of course, it being the 1st race of the year, excuses for below-par performances were in abundance. I had pre-prepared a Run Excuse Bingo Card & managed to get a ‘HOUSE’ relatively easily. "Tight hamstring", "Bit of a sniffle", "Not got the miles in yet" & "It’s bloody freezing" were all to be heard. To be fair, no-one could have argued with the last one.
The start line was a 1K trot away from race HQ. Ronnie had to wear his balaclava & was heckled (not for the 1st time – read on) by the official photographer. A fun warm-up at the start line was completed before the race got underway. The squat section was a bit awkward, as 2000 runners were packed into a narrow funnel. However it felt like the season was on & we’d never been away.
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The route took us through some early, traffic-free roads that went past the grammar schools of Altrincham (jolly hockey sticks & all that!) & the main street of Hale. There were lots of supporters lining the route & they were a lovely sight to see. You forget how much difference a shout & a cheer make on race day, compared to the low rumble of traffic during the dark training nights of December & January. Also, I’d never spotted so many people in dry-robes before! After the high street, the course meandered through some windy & winding country roads. Naturally the biting chill seemed to attack you from all sides. There were also a few bridges to run over, but they were not quite steep enough to be classed as 'hills' – Oldham hills, anyway. Ronnie mentioned that after one of the bridges someone had heckled him, "Great hair, Ronnie!", although he wasn’t too sure if they might have instead said 'grey hair'. The very same heckler shouted a similar jibe at me, "Great face, Elliot!". Now, he either meant it (unlikely!) or he thought my face resembled a demented duvet; as it was about 7K into the race, I’ll let you decide which one was the most accurate.
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The race seemed to whizz by & the cobbled end was soon in sight. I fell prey to the decoy finish line & had to dig out another 50 yards to get to the real finish. The DJ was calling out all the finishers' names, but despite having no-one around me, he didn’t mention mine. Perhaps it was the intimidating demented duvet face that made him think twice.
At the end it was good to be able to watch the sprint finish of other RRRs & as always the camaraderie was fantastic. Solid medals & protein snacks were efficiently handed out & everyone seemed happy with their efforts. Personally, I thought the race was an excellent choice for 1st race of the season & I definitely felt hale & hearty about the whole kit & caboodle. For the warm-down I queued for a coffee whilst waiting for Ronnie to finish. The queue took so long to die down that he actually finished before I ordered the brews. It was also the coldest wait for coffee I’d ever had in my life.
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Some notable achievements were to be had, even this early in the season. Congratulations to Stacey Carr, Alison Royle, Suzanne Darke & Francois Clavaud, all completing their 1st race in RRR colours. Gail Shaw & Neil Brock both came 1st in their respective FV60 & MV60 categories, super efforts in such a strong field. June Allingan beat off some tough competition (tee-hee!) to win the FV80 category. Well done to Sarah Tomassi for being 3rd in the FV40 category, continuing her startling improvement from last year. Maisie Wainwright put in an excellent effort to finish sub-40 & 1st female for the club as well as 6th female overall. Starting strong in the men’s section (in order to defend his title?) was Rob James, 1st RRR finisher & 23rd overall. But don’t forget, your time & finish was brilliant, too.
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All the RRR finishing times: Stacey Carr (1:23:45), June Allingan (1:21:19), Samantha Tattersall (1:12:23), Hasna Budsworth (1:11:55), Joanne Lawton (1:09:44), Dave Bardsley (1:09:16), Ronnie Quinn (1:08:26), Angela Rogowskyj (1:05:16), Natali Brown (1:03:51), Alison Royle (1:03:37), Howard Mills (1:03:15), Billie Chamberlain (1:02:39), Elaine Brown (1:00:55), Martina Naismith (1:00:39), Rachel Chadwick (58:30), Sharon Dracup (58:05), Amanda Richardson (58:02), Claire Timms (57:27), Lucy Schindler (56:54), Stephen Rogowskyj (56:28), Owen Flage (55:22), Kirsty Agnew (54:52), James Wright (54:37), Matthew Cartner (53:18), Karen Price (53:17), Suzanne Darke (53:14), Dave Watt (52:41), Andrew Naismith (52:40), Jason Keast (52:36), Mark Foran (51:49), Dave Peart (50:51), Bernard Cassidy (50:16), Jonathan Green (49:55), Mark Baxendale (49:03), Gail Shaw (47:53), Trish Callan (47:06), Adam Stirling (47:00), Andrew Ingham (44:30), James Moulton (43:17), Lee Earnshaw (43:03), Neil Brock (42:11), Edward Grimley (42:08), Elliot Stone (41:45), Sarah Tomassi (41:35), Adrian Brown (41:30), Francois Clavaud (40:50), Wesley Henshaw (39:57), Brett Spivey (39:42), Maisie Wainwright (39:17), Andrew Rogers (38:58), Chris Tattersall (37:50), Luke Lawson-Healey (35:19) & Rob James (34:08).
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Finally, a short footnote if I may. This was my 150th championship race with the club & I would just like to say a huge, heartfelt thanks to everyone who has made each & every one of those runs special. Running - we sometimes forget this - is a great privilege & a wonderful pleasure (yes, even those last, long miles) & to be able to share those moments with friendly, like-minded people is a beautiful bonus. See you at the Tameside 5K, if not before. [Elliot Stone]
