STOCKPORT DAFFODIL 10K - 25th JANUARY 2026

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

​

Welcome to you if you are a new member of Royton Road Runners. Welcome to you if this was your 1st time running the 'Daffodil' 10K (it’s the club’s 3rd time). Plus, of course, welcome back to you if you are one of those crazy people who turn up year-in, year-out!

​

It was great to see so many RRRs at the 1st race of our 2026 Club Championship. 84 entrants started the race & 83 made it over the finishing line (bad luck Neil). This is an incredible start to the season, our best total since we had the same number at the Dewsbury 10K in 2020 – just before Covid. Dave E found that 31 of our finishers at the 'Daff' also finished that race at Dewsbury 6 years ago. In addition, Neil Brock was also running yesterday but pulled out with an injury, Mark Kelly (having relocated across the Welsh border) was here running for Denbigh Harriers & Stewart Jones was supporting Karen & Bryony. All these repeat appearances show the enjoyment being a member of such a fine team brings.

​

The Stockport Daffodil 10K takes place in the salubrious suburb of Hazel Grove. It was known as Bullock Smithy until 1836, when the villagers wisely adopted Hazel Grove as a more poetic name. The race itself is perhaps most notable for mostly taking place on the A555 Airport Link Road. For drivers this road being temporarily closed is quite the norm, but for runners it makes for an unusual chance to race on what is normally a busy stretch of road closed to pedestrians. Talking of pedestrians, there certainly was a lack of any 'pedestrian pace' in the RRR performances as everyone seemed eager to get the year off to a flying start. As it’s the 1st race of the year we will go through the results in chronological order. However, I do try to cover as many RRRs as I can throughout the year regardless of times. So, if you have any stories or landmarks that you feel are worth mentioning in a report, please let me know.

​

The 1st 3 RRRs home were Rob James (35:40), Jack Millar (36:38) & James Henderson (37:00), good enough to claim 2nd place in the men’s team event behind Stockport Harriers. Additionally, James picked up the MV50 individual prize. A very notable mention for the 4th placed RRR, Shane Reading, who completed his 200th RRR club race – some feat indeed.

​

Our 1st female finisher was Maisie Wainwright in 39:24, just 7 seconds outside the PB she set at the Hale 10K last year & good enough for 3rd place female overall. A fantastic achievement considering the size of the field (1800+). It was also Maisie’s 25th club race. Even better though, Maisie was part of the 1st-placed female team along with Rochelle Reading (47:56) and Gail Shaw (48:42). Well done all!

​

For those unfamiliar with these race reports you will become familiar with seeing the name of a club legend, June Allingan, popping up regularly throughout the year. Continuing last year’s theme, she once again claimed the FV80 prize in a time of (1:24:51). Spectacular.

 

All the RRR finishers: Dave Leyland (1:31:53), June Allingan (1:24:51), Stacey Douglas (1:18:35), Bernadette Ball (1:17:04), Gill Bardsley (1:13:11), Chris Sharp (1:12:19), Alison Cresswell (1:11:20), Lisa Wilson (1:09:16), Samantha Tattersall (1:08:24), Richard Douglas (1:06:25), Joanne Lawton (1:06:19), Jason Keast (1:05:44), Dave Bardsley (1:05:22), Howard Mills (1:05:14), Natali Brown (1:05:08), Paul Cooke (1:04:28), Elaine Brown (1:04:16), Billie Chamberlain (1:04:10), Karen Jones (1:04:07), Christopher Eavers (1:03:41), Lauren Lewis (1:03:37), Alison Royle (1:02:58), Nicky Hall (1:02:44), Martina Naismith (1:02:33), Claire Timms (1:02:19), Gareth McCaffery (1:01:53), Amanda Richardson (1:01:16), Bryony Jones (1:00:42), Rebecca Owen (1:00:23), Kirsty Agnew (58:06), Susan Levins (58:04), Sam Wright (58:00), Rachel Chadwick (57:56), Kevin Hutchings (57:21), James Wright (56:23), Owen Flage (56:20), Anne Marie Lord (55:27), Matthew Cartner (54:44), Stephen Rogowskyj (54:42), Katherine Brierley (54:24), Jonathan Green (53:06), Simon Howard (52:50), Suzanne Darke (52:44), Bernard Cassidy (52:43), Scarlet Wheeldon (52:34), Gary Smith (51:38), Dave Peart (51:19), Mark Foran (50:18), Bryony Rogers (50:12), Martin Kent (49:23), Trish Callan (49:20), John Hendrick (49:04), Bryan Lawton (48:57), Gail Shaw (48:42), Rochelle Reading (47:56), Ray Williams (47:44), Mark Duncan (47:02), Mark Phelan (46:51), John Fay (46:37), James Bowling (46:17), Andy Hall (46:01), Adrian Brown (45:43), Mark Baxendale (45:13), David Emanuel (45:06), Oliver Pozegic (44:50), Will Lewis (44:43), Carl O'Callaghan (44:41), Bernard Goodwin (43:46), Andrew Ingham (43:22), Francois Clavaud (42:21), James Moulton (41:40), Elliot Stone (41:18), Luke Lawson-Healey (41:02), William Wall (40:27), Andrew Rogers (39:49), Maisie Wainwright (39:24), Martin Thompson (39:15), Brett Spivey (38:53), Michael Fleming (37:50), Shane Reading (37:31), James Henderson (37:00), Jack Millar (36:38) & Rob James (35:40).

 

Well done to Samantha Tattersall & Mark Foran for reaching their 25th RRR race. Johnathan Green also deserves a pat on the back for reaching his 10th. Last, but not least, congratulations to the large number who completed their 1st club race with us, namely Will Lewis, John Hendrick, Martin Kent, Scarlet Wheeldon, Susan Levins, Rebecca Owen, Lauren Lewis & Chris Sharp. Welcome all & good luck for the future.

​

Sadly, there were no palindromic times in this race (fingers crossed for Hale) but Bryan Lawton & John Hendrick both finished with the synchronous chip time of 48:57 despite finishing 1min 44secs apart at the finishing line!

​

Our next club race is the Hale 10K – a good one for PBs. See you there!  [Elliot Stone]