Ta to Greg Smith for the piccie

You will find below the results of the Sam Shoebottom 10k held at Simister on February 13, but first a few words about Sam himself, confined sadly simply to what I’ve been told and remember – any other memories and especially a good photo gratefully received.

As a young lad joining the club my abiding memory is of his cheeky face as he offered everyone a boiled sweet in the changing room before a race, the proposal delivered in a delicious Mancunian accent. To be honest I was quite taken aback.  Having a nervous stomach at the best of times, I was always forced to decline, much to Sam’s amusement. Clearly Sam never gave up this gambit as Greg Smith can attest. He tells a lovely tale of Sam offering him the inevitable sweet back in 1987. The difference here was that Greg was race walking the Bolton Marathon and  was passing through Little Hulton on the A6. To his astonishment Sam leapt from the pavement in encouragement with the inevitable toffee in hand. It’s a wonder Greg retained his composure and contact!

Sam also was often the training companion of Chris Bolton and he tells a likely story, which reveals further Sam’s impish sense of humour. Out training together they were subject to the usual barracking from a group of lads – ‘up 1, 2, 3′ plus comments on the elegant gyrations of their posteriors. On this occasion, though, Sam decided enough was enough. Like lightning he jumped on one of the lads’ bikes, propped against a street lamp, and hastened down the road, chased forlornly by its owner. Half a mile or so later Sam relented, stopped and handed the bike back with a few choice words to his breathless pursuer. Of course today the episode would  have been captured on a smartphone. As it is we have no record of the young lad’s reaction or whether he accepted the offer of  one of Sam’s boiled sweets.

SAM SHOEBOTTOM 10 KILOMETRES
1 Adrian Edwards Lancs WC M50 56.37
2 Greg Smith Lancs WC M60 63.06
3 Roy Gunnett Lancs WC M65 63.38
4 Glyn Jones Coventry Godiva M70 63.49
5 Mark Byrne Redcar RWC 66.14
6 Joe Hardy Lancs WC M70 66.35
7 Dave Crompton Lancs WC M50 67.01
8 Pat Evans Lady Lancs WC W60 67.04
9 Alastair Shand Lancs WC M50 68.06
10 Stuart Edgar Dudley & Stourbridge M45 68.14
11 Ian Hilditch Lancs WC M70 70.00
12 David Hoben Surrey WC 71.35
13 Salish Shah Lancs WC M50 71.47
14 Claire Goulden Lady Lancs WC W50 72.24

5K
1 Chris Bolton Lancs WC M75 33.43
2 John Pouncy Lancs WC M65 39.43
3 John Payn Lancs WC M80 39.43
4 Andrea Lennon Lady Lancs WC W70 40.27

The winner of the Sam Shoebottom Handicap Trophy was in fact Pat Evans,showing excellent form, proving yet again her ability to multi-task, having also prepared the post-race sandwiches and cakes, not to mention pulling the wool over the eyes of her husband, Dave, the club handicapper.

Adrian Edwards was well ahead of the field in the scratch race on a bitter afternoon, showing welcome signs that he’s over the hamstring injury that blighted his efforts last year.  I think he is on his way back to recording 55 minutes or better this season.

Thanks as ever to all those, who turned out, from as afar as Brighton, Coventry and Dudley.