Men’s Captain Gareth Doherty was first home for Burnden at the annual Santa Dash 4 mile trail race this year, a notorious toughie which flies runners up the fells of Rivington. ‘Dasher’ Doherty sleighed in 34:05 and secured 2nd overall position in the race.
The hilly course, more aptly named the ‘Santa Slog’ for some, follows the perilous paths from Curly’s Fisheries to the Two Lads and back again and welcomes a Christmassy array of fancy dress. There were no Scrooges to be seen this year - just many Santas, reindeer, the odd present and a pair of candy canes. Season’s greetings awaited the runners at the Two Lads monument - hailed by a grinning Father Christmas bearing a sack full of Curly Wurly chocolate bars.
Stephen ‘Ho-Ho-Ho’ Horsman was second home for the Club in 35:44 followed by Andrew ‘Comet’ Crawford in 36:35.
Three top ladies this year were Vicki ‘Hark the Herald’ Hamer in 40:52, Anne ‘Frost’ Ferguson in 41:07 and Melissa ‘Holly Wreath’ Husbands in 44:36.
Other Winter Wonderful results –
Lawrence ‘Merry’ McDonald – 40:35, Gareth ‘Lapland’ Lowe – 41:53, Ivan ‘Blitzen’ Brown – 42:27, Andy ‘Wise Man’ Warburton – 46:02, Marie ‘Prancer’ Parkinson – 46:10, Jocelyn ‘Cupid’ Chadderton – 47:35, Ged ‘Tinsel’ Turner – 48:02, Steve ‘Herald’ Holt – 48:23, Ravi ‘Present’ Patel – 49:52, Nia ‘Silver’ Bell – 52:59, Jenni ‘Poinsettia’ Partington – 58:28, Kath ‘Bauble’ Baron – 1:06:35, Emma ‘Winter’ Walker – 1:06:35, Anthony ‘Fa-la-la’ Fulop – 1:09:10, David ‘Mistletoe’ Morrison – 1:10:25, Julie ‘Myrrh’ Morrison – 1:10:26, Jennifer ‘Epiphany’ Entwistle – 1:14:40, Jennifer ‘Festive’ Forkin – 1:14:42, Katie ‘Wenceslas’ Walsh – 1:14:44, Sarah ‘Bethlehem’ Brown – 1:14:46, Kathryn ‘Holly’ Berry – 1:14:53.
‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE PARKRUNNING’
Christmas Day parkrun is a special time. Gathering at the local parks in all weathers to run 5K when you could be curled up with presents and a brew is worth a mention to those hardy enough to lace up their trainers at this most wonderful time of the year!
At Bolton, Matt ‘Donner’ Dewhurst was top of the Christmas tree for the Club as he cracked a sub-20 and achieved 2nd overall position in 19:16.
Perfecting their PBs on this Christmas Day were Francesca ‘Candy’ Caine in 24:23 and James Brown in 26:17.
Second home was Mark ‘Cracker’ Cannon in 22:42 followed by Phillip ‘Frankincense’ Fryer in 22:46. First lady for Burnden was Vicki ‘Hark the Herald’ Hamer in 25:58.
Other pudding-tastic results at Bolton – Andrew Crawford – 23:18, Stephen Horsman – 23:19, Lyall Mew – 24:12, Michael Kermode – 24:14, Andrew Norman – 24:33, Andy Dunleavy – 24:55, Michael Caine – 26:04, Verity Harrison – 26:09, Ravi Patel – 27:54, Steven Bate – 28:52, Gayle Gerrard – 29:16, Paul Johnson -29:22, Simon Entwistle – 30:35, Gareth Doherty – 31:44, Tom Stratton – 31:44, Neil Counsell – 31:56, Katherine Baines – 32:02, Linda Doherty – 32:02, Maggie Slamin – 32:50, Andrew Parkinson – 33:25, Chris Worthington – 33:30, Sandra Caine – 34:19, Jennifer Entwistle – 34:59, Emma Walker – 35:55, Steven Snape – 37:06, Cheryl Dunleavy – 40:06, Sarah Brown – 44:02, Jennifer Forkin – 44:04, Justin Bones – 44:04, Joyce Tyldesley – 45:24.
Some club members were tourists even on Christmas Day. Nia Bell was over in Wilmslow and finished the course in 32:08 whilst the Marlands were in Lister Park, Bradford where Simon finished in 24:18 and Sue in 34:56.
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