Wallasey's three leading road runners, Ron Barlow, Brian Woolford and John Wright, visited Lakeland last Saturday for the annual 10-mile road race, and gained one of the best victories of their running careers.
In a class field that included many international and county representatives, they excelled themselves by winning the team race, and also by all three finishing in the first six runners. The race, run in cold and wet conditions, was held over a course designed to test the endurance and stamina of every runner. From the start Ron Barlow and John Wright were in the leading group with D Hopkinson of Clayton-le-Moors, Fred Howe of Blackpool, P Montague of Manchester A.C. and Martin Cranny of Wirral A.C., Brian Woolford was moving through slowly to join the leading group, while Kevin Mather, in his first 10-mile road race was in the middle of the field.
The hills, however, soon began to 'sort the men from the boys' and Ron Barlow took the lead with Martin Cranny of Wirral, Brian Woolford meanwhile moved up into 3rd position and John Wright was hanging on in 6th place.
Over the lest couple of miles Cranny, running better than ever before, escaped from Barlow's clutches to come in a good winner in a new record time of 49 mins. 52 secs. Brian Woolford was third in 50 mins. 21 secs. and John Wright 6th in 50 mins. 48 secs. completed Wallasey's scoring three. Kevin Mather ran well to finish 21st in 53 mins. 38 secs. Wallasey won the team race with Barrow 2nd and Blackpool 3rd.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 03/11/1962 by LYDUTTY
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