Hi everyone
Wednesday saw our annual Xmas Handicap race and it was great to see a good mix of old and new faces making this a big event on the night. Well done to Ellen Harris for storming around for the win and thank you to Jackie for taking the time to organise this and all our volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly. Also big thank you to Dave & Lesley for coordinating the soup and mince pies for our supper. For those who missed Jackies original email please see her race report and results below:
“Our tightly contested annual Xmas Handicap followed by a Soup Supper and Secret Santa took place last Wednesday with 35 runners fighting it out along to the High School and back. Thanks to the timing marshals and Joe & Mario for turning runners around at Godscroft Lane. Congratulations to winner Ellen Harris, who has joined us as a result of Jane’s recent 16-23 taster sessions. Lots of banter about allocated handicaps, but in the middle of the field there were a lot of very close packed finishing times with plenty of runners to chase down on the final chip shop straight. Colin ran at the back most of the race due to a rather adverse handicap! He still did the fastest time though! Well done to everyone who took part. Best Santa prezzie of the evening has to be the turkey hat!!”
Full results below:
| XMAS 2014 HANDICAP START TIMES | HANDICAP TIMES | ||||||
| Rounded | Starting Time | Position | Handicap | Actual | |||
| FirstName | LastName | 00:08:00 | Time | Time | |||
| Ellen | Harris | 00:00 | 1 | 25:53 | 25:53 | ||
| Michelle | Hardwick | 02:30 | 2 | 27:26 | 24:56 | ||
| Jake | Oldfield-Connor | 04:30 | 3 | 31:03 | 26:33 | ||
| Donna | Geer | 03:00 | 4 | 31:42 | 28:42 | ||
| Alison | Butler | 00:30 | 5 | 31:43 | 31:13 | ||
| Graham | Lloyd | 05:30 | 6 | 31:50 | 26:20 | ||
| Tim | Igoe | 09:30 | 7 | 31:59 | 22:29 | ||
| Adam | Gordon | 12:00 | 8 | 32:59 | 20:59 | ||
| Benjamin | Williams | 07:30 | 9 | 33:06 | 25:36 | ||
| Charlie | Close | 10:00 | 10 | 33:10 | 23:10 | ||
| Adrian | Jackson | 11:00 | 11 | 33:12 | 22:12 | ||
| Shan | McCarthy | 05:00 | 12 | 33:21 | 28:21 | ||
| Emma | Barnes | 02:30 | 13 | 33:28 | 30:58 | ||
| Chris | Ashbrook | 07:00 | 14 | 33:31 | 26:31 | ||
| John | Gallon | 04:30 | 15 | 33:43 | 29:13 | ||
| Jenny | O’Hare | 04:30 | 16 | 33:47 | 29:17 | ||
| Rachel | Arnold | 08:00 | 17 | 33:48 | 25:48 | ||
| Joanne | Lacking | 11:00 | 18 | 33:49 | 22:49 | ||
| Phil | Gillard | 11:00 | 19 | 33:52 | 22:52 | ||
| Christopher | Igoe | 05:30 | 20 | 33:53 | 28:23 | ||
| Carol | Shaw | 09:30 | 21 | 33:54 | 24:24 | ||
| Mike | Searle | 09:30 | 22 | 33:57 | 24:27 | ||
| Andy | Robinson | 10:30 | 23 | 33:59 | 23:29 | ||
| James | Higgins | 12:30 | 24 | 34:01 | 21:31 | ||
| Janet | Robertson | 09:00 | 25 | 34:04 | 25:04 | ||
| Gareth | Boyd | 12:30 | 26 | 34:06 | 21:36 | ||
| Roy | Gaskill | 12:00 | 27 | 34:33 | 22:33 | ||
| Jane | Ashbrook | 11:30 | 28 | 34:47 | 23:17 | ||
| Vanessa | Griffiths | 10:00 | 29 | 34:53 | 24:53 | ||
| Mike | McShane | 03:00 | 30 | 35:02 | 32:02 | ||
| Stephen | Wiggins | 09:30 | 31 | 35:10 | 25:40 | ||
| Carl | Pratt | 10:00 | 32 | 35:14 | 25:14 | ||
| Colin | Thompson | 14:45 | 33 | 35:32 | 20:47 | ||
| Mike | Farwell | 10:00 | 34 | 36:08 | 26:08 | ||
| Claire Louise | Miller | 07:00 | 35 | 38:59 | 31:59 | ||
| XMAS 2014 HANDICAP START TIMES | ABSOLUTE TIMES | ||||||
| Rounded | Starting Time | Position | Handicap | Actual | |||
| FirstName | LastName | 00:08:00 | Time | Time | |||
| Colin | Thompson | 14:45 | 33 | 35:32 | 20:47 | ||
| Adam | Gordon | 12:00 | 8 | 32:59 | 20:59 | ||
| James | Higgins | 12:30 | 24 | 34:01 | 21:31 | ||
| Gareth | Boyd | 12:30 | 26 | 34:06 | 21:36 | ||
| Adrian | Jackson | 11:00 | 11 | 33:12 | 22:12 | ||
| Tim | Igoe | 09:30 | 7 | 31:59 | 22:29 | ||
| Roy | Gaskill | 12:00 | 27 | 34:33 | 22:33 | ||
| Joanne | Lacking | 11:00 | 18 | 33:49 | 22:49 | ||
| Phil | Gillard | 11:00 | 19 | 33:52 | 22:52 | ||
| Charlie | Close | 10:00 | 10 | 33:10 | 23:10 | ||
| Jane | Ashbrook | 11:30 | 28 | 34:47 | 23:17 | ||
| Andy | Robinson | 10:30 | 23 | 33:59 | 23:29 | ||
| Carol | Shaw | 09:30 | 21 | 33:54 | 24:24 | ||
| Mike | Searle | 09:30 | 22 | 33:57 | 24:27 | ||
| Vanessa | Griffiths | 10:00 | 29 | 34:53 | 24:53 | ||
| Michelle | Hardwick | 02:30 | 2 | 27:26 | 24:56 | ||
| Janet | Robertson | 09:00 | 25 | 34:04 | 25:04 | ||
| Carl | Pratt | 10:00 | 32 | 35:14 | 25:14 | ||
| Benjamin | Williams | 07:30 | 9 | 33:06 | 25:36 | ||
| Stephen | Wiggins | 09:30 | 31 | 35:10 | 25:40 | ||
| Rachel | Arnold | 08:00 | 17 | 33:48 | 25:48 | ||
| Ellen | Harris | 00:00 | 1 | 25:53 | 25:53 | ||
| Mike | Farwell | 10:00 | 34 | 36:08 | 26:08 | ||
| Graham | Lloyd | 05:30 | 6 | 31:50 | 26:20 | ||
| Chris | Ashbrook | 07:00 | 14 | 33:31 | 26:31 | ||
| Jake | Oldfield-Connor | 04:30 | 3 | 31:03 | 26:33 | ||
| Shan | McCarthy | 05:00 | 12 | 33:21 | 28:21 | ||
| Christopher | Igoe | 05:30 | 20 | 33:53 | 28:23 | ||
| Donna | Geer | 03:00 | 4 | 31:42 | 28:42 | ||
| John | Gallon | 04:30 | 15 | 33:43 | 29:13 | ||
| Jenny | O’Hare | 04:30 | 16 | 33:47 | 29:17 | ||
| Emma | Barnes | 02:30 | 13 | 33:28 | 30:58 | ||
| Alison | Butler | 00:30 | 5 | 31:43 | 31:13 | ||
| Claire Louise | Miller | 07:00 | 35 | 38:59 | 31:59 | ||
| Mike | McShane | 03:00 | 30 | 35:02 | 32:02 | ||
A festive themed parkrun on Saturday saw a good turn out from Helsby at Delamere and Ben flying solo at Ellesmere Port. Colin Bishop had a great run for sub 18 minutes and first back for Helsby whilst Ellen Harris, fresh from her victory at the Handicap race, saw her first lady home. Also congratulations to Phil Gillard for setting a new PB on the day! Well done everyone.
Delamere parkrun
A total of 207 runners took part.
View full results for Delamere parkrun event #90
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Club | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Jacob BROWN | Vale Royal AC | 00:16:40 |
| 7 | 1 | Tessa MCCORMICK | Vale Royal AC | 00:17:40 |
| 10 | 9 | Colin BISHOP | Helsby RC | 00:17:48 |
| 39 | 35 | Phil GILLARD | Helsby RC | 00:21:27 |
| 115 | 25 | Ellen HARRIS | Helsby RC | 00:26:26 |
| 151 | 41 | Jane ASHBROOK | Helsby RC | 00:29:52 |
| 188 | 127 | Ivor JOHNSTONE | Helsby RC | 00:35:09 |
| 200 | 130 | Paul BULMER | Helsby RC | 00:39:24 |
| 201 | 71 | Louise MCEVELEY | Helsby RC | 00:39:25 |
| 202 | 131 | Stephen WIGGINS | Helsby RC | 00:39:26 |
Ellesmere Port parkrun
A total of 54 runners took part.
View full results for Ellesmere Port parkrun event #9
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Club | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Richard FARLEY | West Cheshire AC | 00:20:04 |
| 10 | 1 | Anest MÜLLER | West Cheshire AC | 00:22:21 |
| 24 | 20 | Benjamin John WILLIAMS | Helsby RC | 00:25:39 |
Saturday also saw our long trail specialist Andy Robinson run the epic Tour de Helvellyn, full report from Andy below:
“On Saturday I ran the Tour de Helvellyn: 38 miles and 8000ft of climbing in the Lake District. It’s a great event, starting from Askham, south of Penrith. It goes over the moors to Ullswater, then over Boredale Hause (399m) to Patterdale, over Sticks Pass (749m) to the north end of Thirlmere. This year we then had to run on the back road along Thirlmere, as the usual route in forestry was temporarily closed. I didn’t enjoy that bit much. The it was back to paths & tracks from Dunmail Raise steeply up Raise Beck to cross the pass (574m), skirt Grisedale Tarn & yomp down the valley to Patterdale. Then we retraced the outward route over Boredale Hause & back to Askham. Conditions were great: wet underfoot of course, but cool and with the wind against us in the first half, making the return feel a lot easier. It was certainly a lot easier than when I ran it in 2011 when there was deep snow on Sticks Pass. I had a really good run, finishing in 8:06:04, 37th of 154 finishers. I was first V60 by 90 minutes, and 6th V50. I’d have been 4th V50 if I hadn’t started off too early & had to wait 10 minutes for the first checkpoint to open. No idea how I managed to run so well – I wasn’t expecting it. If anyone wants a good challenging winter ultra in the mountains, this is the race to do!”
Full results are here.
Excellent running Andy and well done for your age category win!
Reminders from Jackie:
There will be no more 2014 Monday night training sessions; the next one is Jan 5th. A big thank-you to Joe, Mario and Jane et al for putting everyone through their rigorous weekly training sessions at both Helsby High School and Castle Park in 2014. Here’s a reminder of what’s going on over the Xmas period into the start of 2015 on the running front:-
Thu 25th Dec Xmas Day Delamere Park Run 9.00 am to work up an appetite for your turkey dinner! Xmas costumes welcome! (NOTE – No club run Xmas Eve!!).
Fri 26th Dec Goshawk Run 12:00 pm;an informal 3 mile run from the Goshawk pub in Mouldsworth. Just turn up and run. It’s also the Race the Walls in Chester.
Sun 28th Dec Cross Country Counter No 6, North West Sunday League, Stadt Moers, 10:00 am. To lift share please meet at the club ready to leave at 9am. It would be great to see the Green Army out in force for this to run off all the turkey and mince pies. Our flag and tent will be there.
10K Time Trail to see the New Year out in style! Colin Thompson is organising a final time trail of the year, meet at the club at 6:30pm.
Sat 3rd Jan Cross Country Counter No 7, Cheshire Cross Country Championships, Bolesworth Castle, near Tattenhall. 1 pm ladies, 2 pm men, junior races from 11 am. Show case XC of the year for runners & spectators! A chance to see and run with Cheshire’s best and to try and qualify for a Cheshire vest and the Nationals. Pre –entry which is now closed. As a club we are expected to marshal a spot on the course. Please can we have a number of volunteers to help out whilst watching. Please let Janet Robinson know asap Janetmrobertson@gmail.com Mon 5th Jan Last date for entering the Northern XC Championship in Yorkshire, please let Paul know mooeyf@hotmail.com
Mon 5th Jan First Monday Night Training session of the New Year at Castle Park, 6.30pm.
Wed 7th Jan First Club Night of the New Year, our usual training run followed by a talk by Andy Robinson on “Ultra Running”, hopefully to inspire us to do even longer runs in 2105!. Chip Barm supper.
Sun 11th Jan Cross Country Counter No 8, North West Sunday League, Runcorn Town Park, 10 am. We need to support Warrington Road Runners in organising this race., If any one can help marshal this race please let Janet Robinson know in advance Janetmrobertson@gmail.com
Sun 11th Jan Border League No 3, Birkenhead Park, 11 am.
Please note the Runcorn Town Park Sunday League Cross Country on the 11th Jan actually clashes with the Border League at Birkenhead. Thus that day we need a good turn out at BOTH races plus volunteer marshals for the XC, to emphasise : if you can help marshal please at this and/or the Cheshire Championships on 3rd Jan please let Janet know asap.
Cheers Jackie
Your Chair
That’s all this week, if I have missed any results or races please email me col808@hotmail.com and I will update the blog. If I don’t see you before have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Cheers
Colin T