23/24 February 2008: Josh Hughes takes National Indoor 200m title (by Graham Pilkington)

The Indoor season culminated with the highlight this weekend of the England Athletics National Junior Championships down at The National Indoor Arena Birmingham.
This is not a competition that is usually taken too seriously as it is treated as an opportunity for the athletes to see how they are progressing and the coaches to look at technique and what needs to be worked on in the coming season.
That said, our athletes seem to be shining more and more on this national stage over recent years and this year was no exception with Under 15 Josh Hughes coming back with a National Title under his belt.
Josh started the weekend in his less favourite 60m. He managed to progress in to the semi finals of this event setting a new personal best in the heats of 7.56 seconds and then running just outside this in the semi final to finish fifth in his heat, just missing out on the final.
On Sunday Josh was in his favoured 200m. In an easy heat, Josh was just outside his previous best to win with a time of 23.77 seconds. There were two faster qualifiers for the final, so he knew that he had his work well and truly cut out.
In the final, he had a brilliant start, something his coach Tina Pilkington has been working on recently. Coming in to the final bend, Josh was put under pressure by the athlete just inside him. He managed, however, to find another gear and finished extremely strongly in a time of 23.52 seconds which is a great new personal best. This is the first time we can remember an athlete winning a national indoor title, so this is a great performance.
The other finalist from the weekend was Lauren Brennan in the Under 17 women’s 300m. Lauren ran in the event she gained a bronze medal in last year, despite suffering from a long standing cold. She progressed through her heat in a time of 41.49 seconds and qualified in her semi final with a time of 41.71 seconds. This was only good enough to give her an inside lane and that proved decisive in the final. Despite a great start Lauren struggled on the tight indoor bends and after the break was chasing the pack. She finished the final in 6th place with a time of 42.65 seconds. The 300m has become a much stronger event than in recent years and, with some hard work coming into the summer, Lauren will be a force to be reckoned with.
Last Year's Under 15 Silver medallist, James Armstrong, has moved up an age group this year and is finding just what a tough age group the Under 17’s is. This combined with a winter ravaged by injury and illness meant he did well to compete at the level he did. In the Heat of the 60m James ran 7.25 seconds (just outside his previous best), qualifying for the semi final. Due to a back injury James decided to miss this race in order to concentrate on the 200m the next day.
After a large amount of Physiotherapy, James managed to make the start line of the 200m, but unfortunately had drawn lane 1, which was not going to help his chances of qualifying. He ran some way off his best in this event finishing in 23.16 seconds, and to show the class of this athlete he missed qualifying for the final by only 1/100th of a second. With a good run of hard training before the season, hopefully without injury we can expect James back to old form soon.
In the 60m hurdles we had two athletes gaining personal best times from this high level of competition. The first was Lucy Whitehead who finished eighth in her heat with an excellent time of 10.35 seconds. A recent convert to hurdles, Lucy did very well in this, her first major national championships.
Next off was Enrico Dalle-Mulle who is again bottom of his age group and is again finding just how tough this age group is. Despite running a new best time of 8.73 in the heats to finish sixth, this was not quite enough to take him through to the final.
The final athlete of the weekend (quite literally as she was still jumping when all other events had finished!) was Katie McHale. Katie also ran in the 60m Hurdles, in the Under 20 age group, she finished sixth in her heat just outside last season's best time with 9.32 seconds. In an extremely large field in the triple jump Katie finished 12th with a jump of 10.46 metres.
Katie has recently been doing exams and has missed a large amount of training, which told in both these events.
Two athletes were also missing from these Championships due to illness. It is hard to even qualify for major championships, so it is even harder when you have to miss them after reaching the required standard. Our thoughts were, therefore, with both Eleanor Newton and Emma Lyons who were unable to travel down to Birmingham.
Josh was, no doubt, the highlight of the weekend, but all athletes and coaches will have taken something away from the weekend with this providing a platform on which to build for the more important and upcoming outdoor season.

24 February 2008: Girls go Half (by Chris Cutner)

In a field of almost 1200 runners, many using it as part of marathon training, there seem to have been only two SWAC representatives at the Great North Western Half Marathon in Blackpool.  Both were pleased with their times on a course which had to change at the eleventh hour from two laps to three (shorter ones!) in order to accommodate the sightseers of the doomed vessel 'River Dance' at the northern end of the course.   Ann Eggington finished 14th lady out of 363, in 1:31:17, and Chris Cutner 63rd in 1:43:50, an improvement of over seven minutes on her performance in the hilly Liversedge Half two weeks ago.   The Race was won by Garry Dixon  in 1:11:52, with Shona McIntosh from Glasgow Uni in 1:19:04.

24 February 2008: A longer than planned Standish Trail Run (by Rick Bowker)

Warmer, windy weather greeted us for the start of the Standish Hall Trail Race, run over 2 laps with 4 climbs.  This race seems in my mind to be tougher and more intense than even the Parbold Hill race.
On the start line was Richard Carey, a regular top ten finisher in past races.  Richard told me he had been recovering from injury, so when he shot off at the start like a scalded cat I wondered , I pulled Richard back and came alongside him as we reached the summit.  The look of pain etched on his face told its story and Richard waved me past. Next to reach the top was Brian Davey,  back in top form and showing his fell running strength.
Not far behind, Tracey Peters was having the run of her life, showing the selectors that they had made the right decision in picking her to represent Merseyside at the Inter Counties Cross Country champs. Brian O'Rielly was running well until he felt his calf muscle pull as he made his uphill assault. He carried on for another 3 miles until the pain became too much.
Margot Bowker was the next victim to pull out after her shoe cut deep into her heel, reducing her to a painful limp. Liz Stanfield looked strong as she led Carole James, followed shortly by a very confident looking  Sarah Reynolds.  (Sarah has been training hard on the hills of Parbold under the watchful eye of club coach Stormin Norman and it seems to be working wonders.)
After the steep hill, we plunged downwards at speed, heading towards the woods.   I was starting to wish I had road shoes on at this point as my old fell shoes felt like two stiff planks strapped to my feet.  Each uneven surface had me swaying from side to side like a drunken sailor out at sea.
On reaching the woods, we all went off-course taking in a extra long loop of at least 8 tenths of a mile, it seems that some mischievous creature, maybe an elf or an upset fairy had moved the tape!
Somehow we all made it back onto the correct route to finish our first lap.
I was now in 9th place as we made our way up the 1st climb again and feeling pretty good. Over the hill and then back down dale into the woods again.  This time, we all went the correct, shorter loop through the woods and then up a steep ascent, dodging in and out of the trees which really tested the legs to the max.  We then reached the hardest part of the course for me; an uphill track over a muddy field. I lost one place here just before we turned left for the final 600m.
Rob Mcgrath shouts encouragement which gives me renewed energy, and I reel in the guy in front of me and then sit on his shoulder to keep out of the wind.  A sudden gust blows him sideways across the uneven surface.  He stumbles and I take my chance with a rapid acceleration that takes me clean away and gives me 9th place, 14 places improvement on last year and in a bigger entry of runners.  I also won first v45,  proof that high mileage pays off. Next in is a reborn Brian Davey, finishing with a brilliant 15th place in 46.48.   Richard Carey battled on to finish in 30th, 49.23; a brave effort! Tracey Peters did a storming performance to finish 40th in 50.57 and 3rd lady.  A star of the future me thinks! My brother Andy Bowker was next in but does not show on the results.  Maybe he sprinted in too fast for the time keeper to see!  Liz Stanfield had a great race with 58.45 and only one week after completing the Parbold race. Carole James had a solid run with 1.01.27, Sarah Reynolds finished with a glint in her eye and a beaming smile to finish in a very respectable 1.09.07.  Sheila Marshal once again put in a great run to take first lady vet 60 with 1.14.19.
Norman Marshal was full of praise for his girls after the race even breaking out into a smile!
Paul Carrol, race organizer, was more than happy with the second biggest ever turn out for the race with 188 runners finishing the extra long 6.9 mile course.
Afterwarsd, we had a relaxing pint in the Hesketh Arms pub and talked of our day's battles on the Standish trail.  A fantastic fun day out for sure!
Full results.

24 February 2008: Three Sportshall medals for SWAC girls

With the Sportshall Athletics League behind us, teams from Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside met up at Wigan's Robin Park Sports Centre for a Regional Final that leads the winning Under 13 and Under 15 teams to the UK Final on 12 April.
Today's event was one of 16 staged across the United Kingdom, giving many young people who have performed well in local and regional sportshall athletics leagues an opportunity to represent their county.  For many, this will have been their first major representational competition.
The Merseyside teams included a number of Southport Waterloo juniors.  In the Under 13 Boys' team we had Gary Clark, Jordan Angell, Alex Roome, Owen Williams and Nathaniel Brown.  The Under 13 Girls included Ellon Hart, and Sally Wareing and in the Under 15 Girls, Beth McBride, Katie Morris and Catherine Hulme.
Overall, Merseyside came 3rd in the Under 13 Girls, and 4th in the Under 15 Girls and the Under 13 Boys.  Merseyside had no Under 15 Boys' team.  Cheshire and Lancashire did best with the Cheshire Under 13 Boys and Girls and the Lancashire Under 15 Boys and Girls making it through to the national Final.
But this meeting is not just about team performance, with medals to be won for individual achievement - and our girls took away three; a silver and two bronze.
Ellon Hart was 2nd in her 6-lap time trial in 83.0 secs and that time was the 2nd fastest overall meaning that she took the silver medal.
Sally Wareing won her 4-lap heat in 50.3 secs making it to the final where she was 3rd in 52.1 secs, just failing to catch the 2nd placed girl who was given the same time of 52.1.  A 3rd place gave Sally the Bronze medal.
Katie Morris did particularly well in the vertical jump, recording a PB 50 cms giving her the 3rd place bronze medal.
The next and final sportshall athletics event is next Sunday, 2nd March, when the youngsters gather again in Wigan for the NW League Final for Under 11s, Under 13s and Under 15s.  Our Under 13 Boys and Under 15 Girls have won through to this final so good luck to them all.

23 February 2008: Spectacular Nationals at Alton Towers

Alton Towers in the Staffordshire Hills was an ideal setting for this year's English National Cross Country Championships.  Built into a hillside with the finish at the highest point and the start on a broad terrace just below, the course did justice to this major championships.  It was undulating in the top field - some would say 'hilly' - with the runners then dropping down to the bottom field where a winding, flattish section allowed some time to steel yourself for the serious hill back up to the top field. The hill made Roundhay Park in Leeds, for this year's Northerns, look like a dawdle as it increased steeply for over 100m, the last 15 to 20 strides being so steep that many runners had to support complaining quads just to make it to the top.
There was little mud initially but by the time the senior women got on the course, the long slow climb to the finish had lost most of its green and had reverted to sticky mud.  Fortunately, despite the many thousands of footfalls, the steep hill from the bottom field managed to keep a climbable surface.
Most runners and spectators agreed it was a great cross country course, by far the best I've seen this season as befits the event.  Unfortunately, there were not many Southport Waterloo runners there to enjoy the experience.
In the junior age groups we had an under 15 girls' team and an under 17 men's team entered but that reduced on the day to just two under 17 lads.  Patrick Vis and Paul Gavan turned out in club colours; Patrick after a hard race on Wednesday in Sefton Park where, in a run-off, he secured his place in the Merseyside Schools' team for the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Liverpool in a couple of weeks.  Both lads started off well in what was a fast race; the pace dropping a little as the hills took their toll.  From 291 finishers, Patrick was 156th in 16:59 for 5.8K and Paul was 209th in 17:40.
Amanda Crook was our only senior women entered for these championships and our highest placed finisher.  She took this challenging course in her stride to finish 72nd of nearly 500 runners in 27:57 for 8K.  An excellent result!
The senior men's race in these championships is one of the most impressive spectacle you will see in athletics.  Over twelve hundred runners line up on a start line over 100m wide and the charge on the gun shows the massive field to great effect, particularly as the lead runners pull the front into a triangular shape.  Running three long laps for 12K, it didn't take long for the leaders to catch the tail-enders to form a continuous snake of runners all the way around the course.
Team manager Steve James had our senior men's team there in good time to inspect the course and absorb the atmosphere.  Rob Berry was first to show and finished 80th in 35:37 for 12K.  Steve Wilkinson was 252nd in 38:22 and then the remaining four runners were never that far apart.  Ray Handley seems to have worked his way through in the latter stages as our 3rd counter, 608th in 43:32, but Stephen McLean, who was lying 3rd counter for most of the race, crossed the line 609th, given the same time.  John Sprackland was 643rd in 43:56 and Mike Cunningham, 749th in 45:30, brought the team home for a 50th place out of 99 teams to finish.
Full results.

16 February 2008: Up and down the Parbold hills (by Rick Bowker)

The sun shone bright on the Parbold Hill race but after freezing temperatures the night before there was still a chill in the light SW wind.
Setting off in the playing fields, I got hemmed in and had to wait until we got out onto the road to give it full throttle! I made my way though a fast moving pack of runners until we turned left up the quarry climb. I'm not sure if it was the 2 hours sleep after my night shift or the slight chill in the air but my legs seemed to lack a bit of sharpness; the mind was willing but the body was still half asleep.
I made my way up the steep climb among a sea of bobbing runners.  After about 5 mins we reached the top and got ready for the dash down through the Parbold fields. This was great fun, legs flying round at maximum speed. I made up a few places in my downhill plunge, up ahead the runners were well strung out.  I got back onto a group of runners inclinding first lady Katie Ingram as we came off the fields and onto Lancaster Road, ready for the next challenge up the famous Parbold Hill.
As the road steepened I started to drop back.  This was not good! My legs would only go at a steady pace even though my mind screamed at them to go faster.The group just in front slowly pulled away, negative thoughts started to flood my mind, "am I going to get passed?  I'm slowing down".  Then something clicked in my mind and I started thinking positively "come on,  you can do this. Almost at the top now.  Keep driving hard.  Everyone is suffering."
Once over the top there is a short downhill before turning left onto a farm track and the climbing starts in earnest once again. 2 runners pace me, I hang on to the second one and he drags me along. The wind is behind us now and my legs start to warm up. I can feel I am starting to run better as we climb up Harrock Hill, the legs are showing more willing and I climb at a faster cadence. Am closing in on the group in front again and this gives me renewed energy.
Past the old ruined windmill and then turn right, down a dangerous narrow slippery, rocky path, great care is needing here unless you want to take a tumble.  Then out onto the green fields for a very fast downhill gallop, the only thing to slow you down are two fences in the way.  I take the girlie approach and side vault them.  If your name is Andy Hudson you most probably hurdle them straight! Next we go over a wall and run through some trees.  The little guy in front takes a short cut  and I follow only to smash my head on a low branch (they don't call me the tree hugger for nothing!) Shaken but not stirred, I get passed by Andy Eccells of Wigan Phoenix, I grit my teeth and hold onto him for the last mile and come in to the finish neck and neck just missing out on 36th place by a gnats whisker! I finish 4 mins faster than last year and 12 places higher but left pondering what 8 hours of sleep might have reaped
Rob Ashworth had a fantastic run with 20th place 44.06.  I finished second for the club in 46.48
Ray Handley had one of his best ever runs with 48.02, 49th.   Brian Davey was 64th in 49.17 and Mike Cunningham 75th 50.11.  There were some old faces out of the wood work inc Garry Kenny, 50.29, Colin Wolfarth, 57.48, and ex SWAC member Brian Gow was also seen out on the course. Fast improving Brian O'Reilly had a great run for  50.55, 88th, Andy Bowker finished with 55.14 and B Johnson was 283rd in 1.02.
Vicky Harvey was first back for our ladies with 1 hour 16 secs. Carole Handley ran 1.02 for 282 place Liz Stanfield 1.04 for 305th place  Carol James 311th  Rachel Thomas 315th  Mechelle Spencer after running 17 miles the day before ran 1.05 and 316th place very good training for her up coming marathon, and Bev Rothwell finished just ahead of Margot Bowker and Sharon Pardoe.
I think every one came away having enjoyed the challenge and the beautiful Parbold countryside.

11 February 2008: 2008 Seniors' Grand Prix previewed (by Brian Grice)

This year’s Club Grand Prix commences next month with the Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday March 2nd starting at 9.30am. As Liverpool enjoys its status as European Capital of Culture, this year’s race looks set to be even bigger than last year when there were more than 4,000 finishers, including 24 from Southport Waterloo. The race starts and finishes with a 3 mile lap around Sefton Park which sandwiches an exhilarating downhill sprint past the Anglican Cathedral before the climb back up Parliament Street and through Princes Park.
This year’s Club Grand Prix comprises 13 local races (14 for the women) with the best 6 to count – the races are the same as last year apart from the inclusion of an additional race, the Cross Country Challenge at Sefton Park in the autumn. Easter comes early this year and Norman is looking for a bumper turnout in the Victoria Park races which revert to their traditional slot on Good Friday. Meanwhile Mike Wilkinson has had to make a small modification to the Waterloo 15k course for the big May Bank Holiday event.
Provisional Grand Prix Dates: Sun March 2 Liverpool Half Marathon; Friday March 21st Southport Good Friday Races; Sunday April 27th Croxteth Park 10k; Monday May 5th Waterloo 15k; Sunday May 11th Women’s 10k; Tuesday 20th May Walton Park 5; Sunday July 6th Penny Lane 10k; Wednesday July 16th Sefton Park 5; Wednesday August 20th Harrock Hill; Sunday September 7th Rufford 10k; Sunday October 5th Liverpool 10k; Sunday October 19th Southport Seaside 10k; Saturday ?? November Cross Country Challenge; Sunday November 23rd Preston 10.

10 February 2008: Meols in the mist (by Sarah Reynolds)
 

Some SWAC runners enjoyed a trip over to the Wirral to meet up with Sandra Waters on Sunday.   Unfortunately, Sandra is injured at the moment and was unable to join us on the route she had planned -  a  steady 4½  miler along nature paths, beach and promenade, out around West Kirby Marine Lake and back.  The fog had  finally started to lift by the end of our run to reveal the beautiful scenery of the Dee Estuary in the sunshine and the fact that the tide was coming in and fast ……..  The braver members of the group cast their running shoes and socks and waded through icy cold water back to the start – the rest of us stayed on dry land and scrambled back over the rocks.     Many thanks to Sandra for her hospitality.

10 February 2008: Winter Hill, a cat A race (by Sam Howard)

11. 5 miles they say.  My gps watch said 11.9 miles, 3000ft total climb for all the hills.
I met Rob Ashworth and he updated me on the route.  Sounded daunting. I had already decided this was a training run; time on my feet, with hill work incorporated for strength.
I started slow.  My legs were slightly heavy from the previous xcountry race the day before, and it was all uphill at the start for at least 0.6 miles.
http://www.johnmayall.btinternet.co.uk/winterhill.htm  link to the gps map
I wont go in to detail but the course was a cat A fell race, not for novices it said on the entry form, lots of moors, bogs, muddy sections with walls to climb; and lots of lovely steep steep hills, and much more.
So 196 finnishers in total,  I came 10th lady, 2 hours 14mins 43 secs,  although on the results I am down as a male in 95th position!!  Not sure how that happened.
Rob Ashworth did really well.  He came in 23rd man, and 7th M40, in a time of 1hr 52 mins. Excellent run by Rob considering the course.

10 February 2008: Steve Wilco denied top 10 finish in L&D
  What a difference a day makes!  After yesterday's glorious sunshine, Liverpool was shrouded in fog early today for the Liverpool & District Cross Country Championships.  The course in Croxteth Park, similar to that used for the 2007 county championships, is to be used for the World Firefighter Games in July when it should be much drier underfoot.  Today, the ground was wet, with deep mud in places, even though it hasn't rained for over a week!
The race was won by David Forrester, of St Helens Sutton.  St Helens Sutton's Chairman Phil Thomas tells me that "the last winner from a St Helens club was in 1989 when Steve Anders (St Helens AC) won it. That was the year in which this year's winner was born! David Forrester is the first St Helens-Sutton to have the honour. I suspect the last individual winner of the L&D from Sutton Harriers was  around 1969-1971."
Steve Wilkinson was first home for Southport Waterloo, 15th finisher in 31:29 for approximately 10K.  Steve would have finished in the top 10 but lost a shoe in the thick mud of the back field on the last lap and lost 7 or 8 places putting it back on. Richard Shearer was 18th in 31:44 with David Hamilton just behind, 23rd in 32:10.  Steve McLean was 50th in 35:08, Ray Handley, 55th in 35:40, and Mike Cunningham, 66th in 36:51, was the final team counter.  John Sprackland, only just arriving as the race started, was 68th in 36:57, Chris Dunn, 72nd in 37:43 and team manager Steve James was 73rd in 37:47.  Southport Waterloo finished 5th team.
Full results will appear shortly on the L&D web site.

9 February 2008: Amanda Crook 2nd, Sam Howard 4th at Hyndburn XC

A glorious Spring day awaited runners at the penultimate Mid Lancs cross country fixture at Hyndburn.  The ground was nonetheless very muddy in places and very 'clingy' in the woods, requiring tightly tied spikes.  But what a difference from the last time we were there - in the snow in March 2006 and previously in torrential, horizontal, rain in February 2005 when seniors queued up after their race to have the accumulated mud hosed off them!
With a muddy down hill start, runners needed to keep their wits about them, running carefully in the more treacherous areas and working hard on the firmer ground.
Numbers were down, as they usually are in February and March, but there were still some good sized fields and an excellent standard of cross country running.  We had fewer teams in the various age groups but the Under 13 Boys, Under 17 Women and Senior Women all took 3rd team spots.  At individual level, Amanda Crook and Sam Howard finished 2nd and 4th in the senior women's race and Alice Cribb, Liam Ellis and Rhea Ellis all took 4th in their races.
In the Under 11 Girls' race, Alice Cribb ran her first cross country of the season; and what a start!  She was always well up with the leaders and finished an excellent 4th in 9:03 for the 2K course around the football pitches and through the woods alongside the main road.  Alice is a strong runner but often plays football on a Saturday.  Hopefully we will have the pleasure of seeing her at the final fixture in Blackburn!
In the Under 11 Boys' race, we almost had a team - if there were teams in this age group!  Luke Spencer, Dylan Howard and Christopher Rimmer turned out in Southport Waterloo vests.  In his first outing for the club, Christopher Rimmer was the first home, in 9:51 for the 2K with Luke 27th in 10:37 and Dylan Howard 31st in 12:55.
In the Under 13 Girls' race, Ellon Hart, Sally Wareing, Patsy Irizar and Lauren Clarehugh toed the line for the Club.  I've said before that there is little between Ellon, Sally and Patsy and that was demonstrated again today with Ellon and Sally getting past Patsy in the final stages, Ellon finishing 14th in 10:07, Sally 15th in 10:07 and Patsy 16th in 10:08.  All three girls know each other well  which is great as they work well together in training and races.  The final team counter was Lauren Clarehugh, finishing 44th in 11:11; and a much better runner than the 28 places behind Patsy suggests.  The team were 5th.
5 of our Under 13 Boys ran today.  Liam Ellis was again first to show and finished 4th in 11:38 for 3K.  Gary Clark was again well up in the field finishing 15th in 12:55 with Sean Vis 24th (13:55), Graham Boreham 25th (14:03) and Alex Rooms 32nd (15:58).  I understand Graham was tripped going up the first hill and lost valuable seconds as 4 or 5 runners picked themselves up and carried on!  We missed Christopher Lawson today who pulled a muscle at football training but the lads still finished 3rd team.  With Liverpool Harriers failing to field a team today, I think our Under 13s are now assured of at least a bronze medal, with a silver still a mathematical possibility.
In the Under 15 Girls' race, regulars Jane Ingram, Sophie Kelly and Jenny Girdler were all unwell and so only Katie Morris and Catherine Hulme competed, with no hope of a team result.  Katie has proved the stronger in all this season's championships but Catherine is a fine distance runner and was first home at Lancaster and again today.  Catherine was 12th in 13:06 for 3K and Katie 19th in 13:46.  It now looks fairly certain the girls will be outside the medals this season.
Jai Vernon-McGuigan was again our only Under 15 Boy.  No prospect of a team medal for Jai but a 7th place today in 15:23 for 4K was Jai's lowest finish this season having taken 2nd spot at Burnley and a 3rd at Sefton Park.
In the Under 17 Women's race, we had a team with Rhea Ellis, Stephanie James and Louise Leek.  Rhea was again our first counter, 4th overall in 16:32, Stephanie James, well on her way to recovery, was 10th in 18:26 and Louise Leek was 16th in 20:04.  Our girls drop to silver medal position on equal points with Rossendale but if Lancaster & Morecambe field another winning team at Blackburn they will take the title and our girls bronze.  In passing, this race was won by an incredibly talented 16 year-old called Laura Park from Ellenborough: a name worth remembering!
Our Under 17 Men's team was also depleted today with just Patrick and Joe Vis running.  Patrick missed training with a turned ankle on Thursday - another football injury! - but was recovered today and again got the better of brother Joe.  Patrick was 6th in 22:10 for 6K with Joe 10th in 22:58.  The absence of a team today means our lads drop into 2nd place behind LPS with all the medals up for grabs at the final fixture in Blackburn!
An excellent turnout by our Senior Women gave us a strong presence today. Great runs from Amanda Crook and a much recovered Sam Howard gave them 2nd and 4th places in 24:00 and 24:17 for the 6K, leading the team to a 3rd place finish, our best this season.  Tracy Peters sprinted home in 38th in 28:00, Angela Delany was 44th in 29:20, Michelle Spencer 53rd in 30:51 and Carole James - running much better on the road than in cross country - 64th in 32:39. Today's result lifts our ladies out of the Division 1 relegation zone but staying safe will require another good showing at the final Blackburn fixture.
With the L&D championships tomorrow, we didn't have a Senior Men's team but Peter Roome and Carlos Irizar were there with Alex and Patsy so took the opportunity to enjoy this excellent and challenging course.  Peter was 48th in 39:51 and Carlos 127th in 48:32.  A good team performance at Blackburn should still see our seniors promoted up to Div'n 1.
Thanks to all the team managers, Carlos for the photographs and the runners who never fail to give their best!
Full results.

7 February 2008: New interval training in Birkdale (by Rick Bowker)

With a career in fitness instructing, Rob McGrath has started a new club interval training session for senior road runners that are not only professionally run but also great fun!  Rob runs these sessions each Thursday night at 6.30 pm, meeting outside the physiotherapists shop in Birkdale village.
Tonight we ran 12 x 400m on a well thought out loop, using some quite well lit streets and the session caters for runners of all abilities.   Having taken part in tonight's session I can highly recommend that runners make it down next week .
Also, Brian Davey's speed sessions are now getting very popular with up to 20 runners turning up, starting from the Spar shop next to Ainsdale Station every Monday at 6.30pm.
Brian and Rob will be working in conjunction with each other to alternate long and short intervals.

Ed:  Senior road runners should also be aware that Richard Shearer runs a senior runners' interval session on the track at Litherland.  I would say there is no better place to run 400m intervals than on a measured track but Rob's sessions ensure that quality interval training is available for those who can't get to a track.

6 February 2008: 11 juniors take 19 Power of 10 awards

The Power of 10 exists to raise standards in athletics and sets targets at regional and national level for athletes and coaches to aim for.  If you're not familiar with Power of 10, their web site at http://www.powerof10.info/ is a must for all aspiring athletes and their families.  James Armstrong has reached national standard but no fewer than 11 of our juniors have reached the Power of 10 regional standards in 19 events in 2007. This is a clear indication of the success being achieved by our junior track & field athletes and their coaches.
Thanks to sponsorship from Norwich Union, each club has been supplied with special Power of 10 Performance Award certificates and these will be presented at the Litherland club house after training on Thursday 14th February.
The successful athletes are: Katie McHale for 100m hurdles and triple jump; Jemma Wright for 400m hurdles; Adam Davies for hammer (2 weights); Alex Martland for javelin; Stephanie James for 800m; Lauren Brennan for 300m; James Armstrong for 100m, 200m, 400m and long jump; Rico Dalle Mulle for 80m hurdles and long jump; Jordan Kelly for high jump, long jump and triple jump; Andrew Starkey for 400m; and Jai Vernon McGuigan for 1500m.

6 February 2008: Club members called up to represent Merseyside

With the county and county schools' cross country championships now over and the Merseyside selectors having met, I can reveal who has received a call up for the televised Inter-Counties at Nottingham and the English School Championships at Sefton Park.
For Nottingham, the Merseyside female team will include senior Amanda Crook, Under 17 Rhea Ellis and Under 15 Katie Morris.  No fewer than 8 others are on the reserve list and may yet get a call-up for this great event.  The Merseyside male team includes senior Rob Berry, Under 17s Harry Boyd, Joe Vis and Patrick Vis, Under 15 Jai Vernon-McGuigan and Under 13 Liam Ellis.
The selection for English Schools is a bit more complicated and the Boys' team is not yet finally decided.  In the Girls, Rhea Ellis, the 2008 Senior Girls' champion, is our only selection.  In the Boys, Harry Boyd, the Senior Boys' champion, is selected.  In the Junior and Inter Boys, the first four have been decided but the other selections will be based on a run-off on Wednesday 20th February at Sefton Park.  Part of the reason for this is the difficulty of assessing runners in different age-groups - see 2 February report.  Southport Waterloo's Patrick Vis, Joe Vis and Jai Vernon-McGuigan are all involved in the run-off for a place in the Inter Boys' team.

3 February 2008: U13 Boys and U15 Girls qualify for Sportshall Regional Final

With the final scores now in for the last round of Sportshall Athletics league fixtures, the teams in the North West Regional Final have now been announced.  And Southport Waterloo's Under 13 Boys and Under 15 Girls have made it!  With the top 6 in each age group qualifying, final league placings were U11 Girls 9th; U11 Boys 9th; U13 Girls 10th; U13 Boys 3rd; U15 Girls 4th; U15 Boys - no team.
The final is at Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan on Sunday 2nd March, the U13/U15 matches starting at 2 PM.  Congratulations to the qualifying teams and to team managers Brian Kelly and Robbie Clark.
Results for Southport Waterloo athletes from the last round at Kingsway Leisure Centre are now on the web site.  You can see all this season's results here: Round 1 7th October | Round 2 28th October | Round 3 18th November | Round 4 27th January.

2 February 2008: Ellis duo wins in M'side Schools XC Champs

After the fog of Clarke Gardens last year, this year's Merseyside Schools' Cross Country Championships returned to Arrowe Park on the Wirral.  Despite some parts of the country suffering cold, wintry conditions, the severe winds of last week moderated, the sun came out and the course was bathed in warm (well, relatively!), Spring sunshine.
The course was more compact that in previous years and some of the distances were reduced to take account of the expected muddy conditions.  There were some muddy patches but overall the conditions were good to soft.
Southport Waterloo juniors were in action, Year 7s running for their schools and the others representing Sefton on this occasion.  Liam Ellis won his Year 7 race, Rhea Ellis won the Senior Girls and Harry Boyd was 2nd in the Senior Boys.  A good placing in this competition is important in that it carries with it selection for the English Schools National Cross Country Champs being held this year in Sefton Park, Liverpool.
These championships produce the annual oddity where schools' competitions are run with different age groups than in races under UKA Rules.  So, for example, Ellon Hart, who runs in the league and Northern Champs as an Under 13, ran in the Year 8/9 race which is Under 14s or Junior Girls, which equates to UKA under 15s for the track & field season.
(Confused?  It could get even worse with proposals being considered by UKA to change the UKA age groups to Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, Under 18 and Under 20 with options on the qualifying age date of 31st December (rather than the current 31st August) or 31st December for Under 18 and Under 20 with 31st August for the other age groups.  UKA is consulting clubs on these proposals and Southport Waterloo's view is that UKA are trying to address a nonexistent problem and should leave the age groups alone.  If they are changed, it will be effective from April 2009.)
The only Club interest in the Year 7 Girls'race was Sally Wareing, running for Formby High, who was soon up with the leading group and was finally placed 4th.  As has happened so often this season, Sally found herself losing out in a group finish with only three tenths separating 2nd to 5th places.
In the Year 7 Boys' race, Liam Ellis and Gary Clark represented the Club interest. Both boys had a good start but it was Liam who once again forged ahead to win the race by a clear margin of 9 secs or about 30m.  Gary Clark ran well too to finish 9th of 40 runners.  Both Liam and Gary ran for Chesterfield but didn't feature in the team results as their school - a sports college - had no other runners!
In the Year 8/9 Junior Girls' race, UKA Under 15s Katie Morris and Catherine Hulme were joined by Under 13 Ellon Hart.  There was little between Katie and Catherine on this occasion, Katie being 9th and Catherine 10th, just two tenths of a second behind.  Katie was pleased on the day to receive her invitation to the Inter Counties in Nottingham.  Ellon did well having moved up an age group to finish in 18th.  There were insufficient girls for a Sefton team.
In the Year 8/9 Junior Boys' race we continue to be short of runners with Sean Vis the sole Club interest.  Sean was 34th. Sefton did manage a team in this age group but Sean was just out of it.
Jenny Girdler, Sophie Kelly and Louise Leek provided the Club interest in the Year 10/11 Inter Girls' race where Jenny and Sophie were moving up.  Unfortunately, Sophie struggled with back pain and had to retire.  Jenny finished 15th, only a tenth of a second ahead of Louise Leek, 18th.  Louise arrived in Arrowe Park in just enough time to make the start line without any warm-up!  I think Hannah Riley also started in this race but didn't finish.
The Inter Girls ran with the Year 12/13 Senior Girls - two races in one - which featured the Under 17 County Champion Rhea Ellis.  Rhea easily won the Senior Girls' race but was beaten home on this occasion by Inter Girls Rebecca Linney (Liverpool Harrier) and Gemma Astin (from the Isle of Man).
In the Year 10/11 Inter Boys' race, Patrick Vis led his brother home to take 5th place with Joe in 12th.  Jai Vernon-McGuigan moved up to join Patrick and Joe and ran a creditable 14th, just keeping ahead of David Gough in 16th place.  Patrick and Joe featured in the Sefton team taking 2nd place.
Finally, Harry Boyd moved up to the Year 12/13 Senior Boys' race and finished an excellent 2nd behind Harry Harper.
There's a cross country almost every weekend at this time of year and the competition continues next weekend with a Mid Lancs fixture at Wilson Playing Fields, Hyndburn.
Full results.

And Carlos Irizar reports from the Lancs Schools XC  The morning started with excitement and fun, as Blackburn was covered in snow, and Patsy could not resist the temptation of a snow ball fight. Today Patsy was representing West Lancashire team. The Junior Girls ran over a distance of 2.8 km and Patsy said that running on snow was very hard, despite using long spikes, she could not get a good grip. The official results were unavailable to the public as they had a problem with the printer. Unofficially, I think that Patsy was 3rd team counter and finished 23rd overall, pending confirmation. Taking into account that she is in first year Junior Girls, I think she should be pleased with her performance.
Ed:  And click here for a photo of the Blackburn track as you've never seen it!