Conroy Top of the World in Meduno

The World Masters Mountain Running Championships took place in Meduno, north-eastern Italy, and saw Horwich represented on an international stage. Ian Conroy showed his enduring class by winning the V40 category for Ireland and coming 4th overall out of over 500 finishers on a 5km course that featured a mighty 2400ft of ascent, and also putting Ireland’s V40 line-up on the podium. James Kevan came 32nd in the same race in a fine 38:30, also helping his Ireland V35 team to third place in the team rankings. It spoke volumes that Lake District races are on more forgiving terrain, and at the almost 10km Whittle Pike race with around 1650 ft of ascent, Luke Foley continued apace, coming in the top 20 of well over 200 runners in a time of 40:43 and Graham Schofield also took part, crossing the line in just 17 seconds over the hour.

Ian Conroy in Meduno, Italy

Away from fells and mountains, Rob Hope decided to take his track spikes for the senior men’s 1500m at Stanley Park, Blackpool in the Mid Lancs Track & Field League, dominating his heat to win in 4:31. Chris Charnley decided that four laps of Media City’s bridges and paths for the 10K was more to his liking and he scooted around in 45:36. Also on the track, some of the juniors saw action at the Trafford Medal Meeting in Stretford as Lily Mort won her heat of the U15 100m in a fine 14.03 seconds as well as achieving 46.69 over 300m. Joel Ige was the only U17 in a heat consisting otherwise of seniors and U20s but came fourth out of six in 11.62 seconds over the same distance, then came third out of four under similar conditions in the 200m with a time of 23.41. Amelia Green was 0.08 seconds off winning her 100m heat but had to settle for second in 13.85 seconds. Beatrice Green took on the 75m in the U11s and came out with 12.4 seconds, then did 24.91 over 150m. Winnie Lancaster came fifth in a keenly competed mixed U13 heat over 800m and stopped the clock in 2.30.81, whilst in the same age group Louis Yates came second in 2.35.17.

Some Harriers were scattered around the various parkruns, Paul Murray being the most distant this week at Vogrie near Edinburgh, doing it in 42:37, whilst Lynn Smith went to Watermead in Leicester to finish in 36:34. The Taylors, Abigail and Florence, went to Birmingham and Cannon Hill where they ran 32:35 and 33:55 respectively. Janet Middleton took on Alderley Park and handed over her barcode in 34:01. The more local parkruns saw Michael Salmon and Linda Webb both clock 25:21 at Worden, where Gordon Stone got around in 30:33. Louis Yates did 20:50 at Peel, where Steve Jackson finished in 33:01. Rob Jackson was not at his usual Peel haunt and went to Sale Water to clock a fast 19:09. Gillian Smith and Ed Swift took on Haigh Woodland, finishing in 35:40 and 50:36 respectively and Tony Hesketh did 28:38 at Heaton Park.