It’s difficult, even absurd to look forward to the New Year without mentioning COVID.

Almost two years of draconian, damaging restrictions on normal life and relentless propaganda have not stopped the spread. The vaccines, it is agreed, do not prevent infection and transmission. Blaming the unvaccinated is increasingly hollow. Yet there is a sliver of hope. OMICRON is, as is the rule with virus variants, more infectious but milder. If the incredibly expensive and pointless mass testing of the healthy ceases. If the emphasis shifts to treating those, who are seriously ill for all manner of reasons. If society takes a deep breath and calms down, then there’s a goodly chance that Sam Shoebottom can be remembered in style.

Find below the 2022 Fixture List

February 5 Sam Shoebottom 10k at Simister

March 5 Alison Trophy 15k at Chorley

April 2 Macclesfield Shield at Sutton Macclesfield

May 7 Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy 7 miles at Chorley

June 4 Dick and Zena Smith Trophy 5 & 10k at Bury AC Track

June 19 BMAF 5k at Horwich

July 2 Barnard Trophy 10k at Sutton Macclesfield

July 23 Fred Pearce Trophy Relay 3x5k at Simister

August 13 Goodwin Cup 10k at Chorley

September 3 Lambert Trophy One Hour at Bury AC Track

October 1 Albert Rigby Shield 10k at Sutton Macclesfield

November 5 LWC AGM 5k at Simister

December 3 Dick Maxwell and Xmas Handicap 5k at Simister

All the races are held under B category rules and start at 1.00 p.m. except the BMAF event, which is an A category championship, kicking off at 11.00 a.m. Please note the new starting time of 1.00 p.m. as agreed at the AGM

An Important Addition

As I understand the AGM agreed that a January Virtual 5k Time Trial should be added to the fixture list and this would be incorporated into the Annual Handicap Challenge,

Thus we are encouraging everyone to incorporate a 5k ‘bash’ into their January training programme and let Tony at tonymtaylor@gmail.com have your times by midnight, January 31 at the latest.

As ever Dave Evans will be the handicapper extraordinaire.