The National Cross-Country Championships were held at Blackpool last Saturday over a course of undulating grassland. These championships are the climax of the season for every
cross-country runner, worthy of the name, and although the Wallasey Athletic Club was unable to enter a team because of the last minute injury to John Wright, Club supporters were privileged to see Brian Woolford run his best ever race.
Seven hundred and forty runners started in the nine mile senior race and Brian, after moving steadily through the field eventually finished in 36th position, just behind and thirteen places in front of Martin Hyman winner of the 'Round the Houses' race in South America in the New Year.
Woolford has been wonderfully consistent this last season, and besides his 36th position he was 17th in the Northern Cross-Country Championships, 43rd in the Inter-county Race, 3rd in the West Lancashire Championships, 2nd in the Liverpool & District Championships and 2nd in the Cheshire Championships. He was the first local runner to finish in the National Race and decisively beat Warriner (Pembroke) and Cranny (Wirral) who scored narrow victories over him in the Liverpool & District and Cheshire Championships respectively. This fine record is a direct result of the tough training programme which Brian carried out- he runs every day and covers seventy miles or more every week. Any aspiring athlete would do well to take as an example this modest unassuming runner.
Ron Barlow also ran well to finish in 87th position. This has been a rather erratic season for Ron and it was good to see him, running with something like his old form. Kevin Mather was the next man home in 280th position, followed by Brian Chalton in 383rd place, Hugh Pritchard was the last club runner to finish in 619th place. A little training would undoubtedly result in an improvement for this runner.
In the youth championship Peter Meldrum and David Martin both ran well and only lack of experience prevented them from achieving a much higher placing in the race. Peter finished in 182nd place and David in 266th place.
On the following day a track meeting was held at Warrington. Kevin Mather finished 3rd in the 880 yards after a tactical error. His time was one minute 59.2 seconds. Ron Barlow also ran in the two mile race, but was tired after his previous day's effort and finished fifth in 9 minutes 56 seconds.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 17/03/1962 by P.W.C.
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