Tasha keeps the Burnden flag flying at the Four Villages Half
After a freezing start to 2025, the race calendar for January was looking a little quiet for Burnden Road Runners athletes.
Peel Parkrun, the first challenge on Burnden’s Club Championship list, was postponed until February and runners are waiting eagerly for the upcoming Blackburn 10K Winter Warmer, set to take place on February 2.
Only one runner could be seen in the Burnden vest this week and it was Tasha Clarke, who was crowned the winner of the Virtual Championship 2024.
Clarke and a friend took on the Four Villages Half Marathon in Cheshire - organised by Helsby Running Club.
The award-winning race, featuring up to 1,700 runners, is in its 41st year and funds raised support the local community.
Starting from Helsby Community Sports Club grounds, runners race along an undulating road route through the villages of Dunham on the Hill, Mouldsworth, Manley, Alvanley and Helsby.
Clarke finished the voyage of villages in a respectable 2hrs 21mins 2secs.
A quiet week in Burnden’s racing world it may have been but parkrun was still busy.
And 57 members visited one of the locations last Saturday morning.
Celebrating a milestone was Tess Riley, who chalked up 100 parkruns in the week of her big birthday, crossing the line in 36:01.
Other parkrun results: Bolton - Tom Stratton 21:57 (fifth), Chris Worthington 22:59, Mark Cannon 23:05, Ryan Moore 24:10, Mike Caine 24:40, David Smith 25:03, Helen Bury 26:00, Lawrence McDonald 26:21, Martin Archer 26:36, Gareth Lowe 26:45, Holly Craggs 28:16, Stephen Roberts-Wardle 28:26, Paul Johnson 29:38, Bernie Jones 29:51, Gareth Doherty 29:57, Marcus Chester 29:57, Ravi Patel 29:59, Phillip Fryer 30:00, Richard Blake 30:28, John Simms 31:44, David Aulton 32:47, Nia Bell 33:19, Emma Walker 33:42, Andrew Parkinson 34:07, Luke Newell 34:29, Sandra Caine 35:05, Ivan Brown 35:53, Kath Berry 36:02, Jen Forkin 37:18, Rick Winnard 37:55, David Allen 38:45, Nicola Halsall 39:25, Gillian McGowan 48:43; Heaton Park - Gayle Gerrard 24:16, Catherine Shield 26:58, Phil Holden 28:19; South Manchester - Steven Walsh 32:16; Nostell - Simon Marland 24:42, Sue Marland 35:22; Haigh Woodland - Michael Kermode 20:38; Fleetwood Promenade - Paul Drew 24:35, Sharon Drew 33:36; Peel - Suleman Badat (fifth) 18:15, Adrian Ashburn 23:13; Philips Park - Ally Marland 22:57, Simon Irving 30:39; Worden - Carol Richardson 31:36, Michelle Livesey 37:59.
