LOSTOCK AND TONS OF SMOKING TIMES

Lostock AC’s ‘6 Miles of Smiles’ race is a staple event on the Lancashire race calendar and forms part of the Central Lancashire Grand Prix. Being chosen as part of the Club Championship also promised a huge turnout and Burnden delivered.

A special addition today was the inclusion of three generations of the Marland family all in one race! Sue, Simon, Clair, Alistair and Ciaran all took park and took a family selfie to mark the occasion.

In its 43rd year, the sun shone and the temperature was a Bolton-tropical 9 degrees for the hordes of Burndeners who formed part of the 431 runners. The race is a tarmac adventure around the roads of Lostock and Westhoughton with a tough climb up Regent’s Road.

Mel Goodall warmed up the runners with a fantastic workout to get the hearts pumping and then they were off…

First to arrive back on Hall Lane was rapid Ravi Patel – the only BRR to crack a sub-40 with 39:54.Forty nine seconds later, Gareth Doherty finished in 40:43 and Gary Avison rounded up the top 3 males in 41:50.

First Burnden lady was Gwen Kinloch in 44:25 followed by Gayle Gerrard in 44:49 and Lyndsay Darbyshire in 47:38.

Other results for the 6 Smiles are as follows – Richard Marlton – 42:25, Phillip Fryer – 43:05, Stephen Horsman – 43:51, Alistair Marland – 44:22, Ryan Moore – 45:22, Gregg Beardwell – 45:47, Simon Marland – 45:52, Martin Whitehead – 46:47, Andrew Crawford – 46:48, Marie Parkinson – 48:00, Richard Burnett – 50:05, Anne Ferguson – 50:07, Shirley Staveley – 51:07, Ciaran Marland – 51:27, Richard Blake – 51:30, Craig Philpot – 52:09, Francis Mackin – 52:10, Linda Doherty – 52:18, Andy Warburton – 52:43, Kris Worsley – 52:48, Jitendra Patel – 53:05, Clair Marland – 53:21, Elaine Roper – 53:22, Paul Cox – 54:25, Amy Smith – 56:22, Steve Holt – 57:59, Gillian Morris – 59:08, Mark Butler – 1:00:56, Kelly Johnson-Owen – 1:01:05, Bernie Jones – 1:02:32, Finley Coyne – 1:05:13, Sue Marland – 1:06:48, Jennifer Entwistle – 1:07:12, Rebecca Riley – 1:07:36, Susan Sumner – 1:08:44, Jordan Hulme – 1:12:12, Tony Fulop – 1:15:58,

CROSS COUNTRY SUPERSTARS

Report written by Captain Paul Duke

On Saturday, the National Cross Country Championships took place in Sedgefield, County Durham, providing an exceptional stage for top-tier distance running. The event was held under ideal weather conditions, with the course described as highly "runnable," featuring just enough undulating terrain to test the stamina of the field.

The Senior Men’s race was a particularly impressive spectacle, featuring a massive field of over 1,000 participants. Among them were three members of the Burnden Road Runners, marking the first time this trio has competed at the National level. It was a proud day for the club, filled with camaraderie and landmark performances.

Performance Summary

The Burnden contingent delivered a clinical set of results, with all three runners finishing the demanding course in under 60 minutes:

Michael: Delivered a standout performance. Showing grit throughout the race, he constantly pushed his limits to cross the line in a superb time of 51:56.

Steve Nolan: Our resident "fine wine" veteran proved once again that age is no barrier to speed. Steve clocked an impressive 56:37, continuing his streak of excellent form.

Team Captain Paul Duke rounded off the team’s success with a significant personal milestone. Paul shaved a full two minutes off his recent time at the Northern XC Championships, finishing in 57:53.

A Day to Remember

Beyond the statistics, the day was a resounding success for the club. The experience of competing on the national stage for the first time was a highlight for all involved, leaving the team with lasting memories of a "perfect day" for cross-country running.

Congratulations to Michael, Steve, and Paul on their fantastic achievements!

TRIO’S TRIPLE LOOP

Three Burndeners headed to the seaside to make a splash at the Stanley Park 10K in Blackpool.

Organised by Fylde Coast Runners, the picturesque triple-looped course encircles the park and traces a flat route around its scenic paths. Our trio was led home by Andy Dunleavy in 46:22 with Patrick Filio coming in second with 48:43 and Cheryl Dunleavy reuniniting the group in 1:18:55.

MAMMA MIA – HERE WE RUN AGAIN!

Three Burndeners embraced their inner Abba, grabbed their flares and headed to Heaton Park for a totally fun run with a difference. Powered through with the hits of the iconic Abba, Abbathon runners have the option of 5K, 10K or 1 mile with dancing highly encouraged!

Starting and finishing together, the dancing queens, AKA Ann Butler, Jennifer Entwistle and Julie Riddle crossed the line and took all of the 5K in 34:42.