Wed 8 August 2018
There was another very warm evening for the Chorley inter club race, which takes place in and around Astley Park. The course has a first lap that comes back into the park, then two laps involving a long incline up Southport Road before entering the park at the Queens Road car park, opposite the war memorial.
Once again, Rob Affleck took 2nd place behind a supremely dominant Rob Danson of Wesham, who won by 2 minutes 11 over the approx. 4 ¾ mile course. Richard Smith continued his good form, coming home in 3rd place in 27.02. Karl Hodgson was 9th in 28.12, whilst Simon Collins finished in 12th place. With Dave Watson 16th, Jon Green 17th, Andy Whaley 27th and Neil McDonald 30th, there was the good packing-in that is needed to register a competitive team placing for the open title. With Mark Lee in 33rd and Ben Read 43rd, a team win was registered ahead of a Lytham team who did actually get all their ten counters home in the first 42 places. The ladies were more competitive in this race, with Emma Hargreaves and Jenny Wren finishing 7th and 8th respectively in the ladies’ field; both had run together in the Northern senior league the previous weekend over 5k on the track at Preston. Victoria Cowling, Kate Lakeland, and Vicky Sherrington were the other team counters. The vet 60s were more competitive too, recording their first win of the season, with Carl Hogarth finishing 3rd vet 60, and Ken Beazley was not far behind as 4th vet 60. Alan Appleby was the third team counter finishing 8th vet 60.