Barrie Roberts reports from the BMAF 5k Road Running Championships – Horwich(near Bolton) Festival of Racing – which took place on Sunday 19th June 2011.
I have just returned home from competing in the British Masters’ 5k Road Running Championships at Horwich. Not my best distance,but part of my stategy to improve core fitness. The standard, as always, was very high and included a wide age-range entry and some remarkable performances.
The Course, apart from a downhill section at the start, consisted of three anti-clockwise triangular circuits (two substantially up-hill and one long down-hill section) around Horwich Town Centre. The roads were traffic-free and very well marshalled. Weather was mild, overcast and slightly windy; in fact reasonable running conditions.
I had had a good night’s sleep,a small cooked breakfast and warmed up prior to the race. Apart from a slight sore throat and eustachial catarrh (my chest was clear), I felt reasonably OK and had hoped to, perhaps, do a SB, but it was not to be.
Well,there is always next time! I did manage to marginally improve my age % for the Course (which I last ran 2 years ago).
Finishing times ranged between 15:48 (M35) and 36:56 (M80).My own AC(M65) was won by Martin Ford from Cheltenham in 18:31. Perhaps the ‘outstanding’ run of the day was by Fiona Matheson, a V50 W runner from Falkirk/Scottish Vets H, who completed the 5k Course in a time of 17:06 (I think a new AC British Record).
Perhaps, next year, there will be ‘a sea of teal’ at this Event, which is only a 2 hour car-journey away. It was a good way to mark Father’s Day and as always, even if it was another ‘failed world record attempt’, it was good to have the support and encouragement of my wife Katie.