Despite my enforced absence we held on to our top spot in the Age-Graded team competition – a tribute to our ageing strength in depth! Congratulations all round.
Finally thanks to our dear Fred Pearce and Dave Evans we’ve access to an archive of images from the past, which i’ll explain in a future post. For now I couldn’t resist putting up this group photo from 70 years ago taken outside our grand headquarters at the Midland Hotel, West Didsbury.
Amongst many things note the club’s crest on the wall of the pub and as it happens my dad, Alf is to be seen standing directly behind the little girl. Officials and supporters outnumbering competitors it would appear!
Virtual League Racing Series – Race 54
MENS AGE GRADED TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (78.77%) 2 South West Veterans AC (77.13%) 3 Birchfield Harriers (74.21%) 4 Sarnia Walking Club (72.24%) 5 Maidenhead AC (71.83%) 6 Quickstep Fitness (65.17%) 7 Surrey Walking Club (51.22%)
MENS TEAM 1 Birchfield Harriers (46) 2 Lancashire Walking Club (47) 3= South West Veterans AC (54) 3= Sarnia Walking Club (54) 5= Quickstep Fitness (78) 5= Maidenhead AC (78) 7 Surrey Walking Club (167}
Our team as follows:
Dave Evans 86.05% Lancs WC 11:40.0
Greg Smith M65 77.08% Lancs WC 12:15.0
Roy Gunnett M70 73.19% Lancs WC 13:43.0
Guy Goodair M80 71.02% Lancs WC 16:36.0
Martin Payne M60 69.20% Lancs WC 12:39.0
Tony Bell M55 65.63% Lancs WC 12:57.0
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Meanwhile Tony Bell and I plus our dear friend, Gly Jones submitted times to the Virtual Essex Race Walking League. This month you could kill two birds with one stone and do a 5k this weekend , which could be submiited to the Essex and our own Virtual Series.
David Crane (Surrey WC) 24.50 M40
Tony Taylor (Lancs WC) 27.22 M70 6. Glyn Jones (Coventry Godiva) 33.26 M75 7. Tony Bell (Lancs WC) 33.27 M55
I bring you good tidings of great joy. We have been given the thumbs up from Colin Vesty of the RWA to go ahead with the Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy race over 7 miles on May 8th in Chorley.
Dave Crompton on the shoulder of Guy Goodair and Dave Jones
The venue will be the St Peters Church meeting room, Harper’s Lane, Chorley PR6 0HP. The start at 1.30 p.m. will be from the usual point outside our previous home in the St Peter’s Club. There is a possibility that in fact we will still use the Club itself but we will advise ahead of the day.
However, given the circumstances of our return to live action there are a number of considerations for everyone to bear in mind.
II you intend to race it is necessary to inform either Dave Evans or Tony Taylor in advance by midnight, Wednesday, May 5th at the latest. For this first return to the road there will be no exceptions to this request. We hope you will understand.
It will be expected that masks will be worn by everyone indoors – athletes, officials and supporters.
Sadly, given the usual high standard of our post-race catering this will not be provided at our first event. Thus you are asked to provide your own sustenance for the occasion.
The race itself will be a yacht handicap. Staggered starts the name of the day.
Sincere thanks are due to Roy Gunnett for doing the leg work to ensure the go ahead.
For my part I will be chuffed to bits and suffused with jealousy as you meet one another anew in mortal combat! I look forward to the race report and photos.
MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (84.73%) 2 South West Veterans AC (77.59%) 3 Surrey Walking Club (71.11%) 4 Birchfield Harriers (71.07%) 5 Quickstep Fitness (67.98%) 6 Leicester Walking Club (46.17%) 7 Sarnia Walking Club (45.56%)
MENS 2KM TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (38) 2 South West Veterans AC (41) 3 Surrey Walking Club (48) 4 Birchfield Harriers (52) 5 Quickstep Fitness (74) 6 Leicester Walking Club (193) 7 Sarnia Walking Club (197)
Our team as follows:
Racing at a leafy Hammersley a few years ago. Ta to Linda McDermot
I’m delighted to feature this month Jack Sankey, who in the late 50s and early 60s was a rival to the up and coming Ron Wallwork and a star in my eyes. At the time Leigh Harriers Athletic Club hosted its own race walking section and Jack was the outstanding athlete. A recognition of race walking was embedded in the culture of the club and the annual championships always featured a one mile race on the cinder track.
Jack on his way to winning the club championship. Just look at the crowd!
Looking back as a young Leigh Harrier I never felt that aspiring to be a race walker was looked down upon in the club. The event was respected. And, in turn, lacking any fast-twitch fibres I ran slowly in all the shorter distances, tried the high jump and generally mucked in. Later on I came into my own a bit on the country and road, but that’s another story. As it was Leigh couldn’t muster a team for the Northern and National race walking championships so Jack, highly thought of for his stylish mode of progression, joined Lancashire Walking Club.
This move certainly paid dividends for all concerned in 1961. The LWC team of Ron Wallwork. Mike Jeffreys, Jack and John Todd finished second in the National 10 miles championships at Loughborough, only 5 points behind Sheffield. The Race Walking Record remarked that ” this was a surprising result and much the best performance by Lancashire in a race of this class.” In a race won by Ken Matthews in 74:21 ahead of Eric Hall [ later a 2nd claim LWC member] at 76:54, Ron was 12th in 80:15, Mike Jeffreys 18th in 81:56, Jack 19th in 82:05 and Jack Todd 46th in 85:56, the latter just 3 seconds down on a certain Guy Goodair!
Jack born in 1931 won individual medals as follows:
1950 2nd Northern Junior One Mile ; 1955 3rd Lancs Senior 2 miles; 1958 3rd Northern Senior 10 miles; 1958 3rd Lancs Senior 10 miles; 1959 1st Lancs Senior 10 miles and 1st Lancs Senior 20 miles. He won the Leigh Harriers 1 mile championships in 1952 and from 1955-1960.
Brian Whitfield, number 55 was 3rd in the 1963 Lancashire 1 mile senior championship and played in the pack for the Tyldesley Colleries rugby league team!
It should be noted that Jack’s career was interrupted by the need to do his Nationai Service, 1953-54. Are there any other walkers still out there effected by that requirement of its time?
POSTSCRIPT
As I put together these memories of Jack I was taken aback to realise he would be 90 years of age this year. Sadly I have to relate that Jack died in 2014 in Much Wenlock, where John Taylor, the author of the Leigh Harriers history visited him in 2009.
THE MARCH ‘JACK SANKEY’ VIRTUAL 3 K CLUB SERIES
SCRATCH
Tony Taylor 16:18
Dave Evans 18:39
Mario Bernatzki 18:47 [G]
Graham Jackson 19:15 [G]
Denis Jackson 19:22 [G]
Tony Bell 19:43
Greg Smith 19:56
Pat Evans 20:01
Glyn Jones 20:07 [G]
Martin Payne 20:20
Roy Gunnett 21:16
Joe Hardy 21:30
Ian Hilditch 22:18
Jane Pouncy 25:54
John Pouncy 27:09
Andrea Lennon 27:13
Glyn Jones sends this lovely Easter greeting and anecdote
Firstly best wishes and a Happy Easter to you and all Lancs W.C. colleagues.
This morning turned out to be very good walking wise. Not having the traditional easter egg for breakfast!!! But porridge instead. I decided to do the 3km on my measured 1km lap in the country lanes near me rather than go to the other 1km lap on the Enville Hall Estate thinking probably less people out for the bank holiday morning. Glad to say the local council had this week gone and repaired numerous potholes in the lane which certainly made it look walkable and to the local farmers as well.
It was not what the forecast had said. It was a cool slight Northerly breeze but sunny intervals which were not forecast until this afternoon. (They don’t always get it right!!)
Just under a 1km warm up and then off from the start point.
A buzzard calling overhead (not too low though) kept me company for 2 laps and perhaps my yellow top may have attracted him and luckily that was all!! A pheasant came out of the hedgerow on lap 2 but quickly disappeared as I approached without making any comment. One van and 3 horse riders was all that passed me during my effort.
It must have been one of those days and time (10am ish) when everything seemed to go right with no aches from sitting down too much in this lockdown.
All in all I managed to do a better time than February recording my 3km in 20mins 07 secs.
I was pleased!!!
Signs are that competition is about to begin again for road. Lets hope and providing people are sensible that we don’t have any further spike from this Coronavirus. I am due to have my second vaccination on April 10th next.
HANDICAP
Pat Evans 20:01; 5:10; 14:51
Glyn Jones 20:07; 4:25; 15:42 [G]
Jane Pouncy 25:54; 10:00; 15:54
Roy Gunnett 21:16; 5:10; 16:06
Dave Evans 18:39; 2:30; 16:09
Graham Jackson 19:15; 3:00; 16:15 [G]
Tony Taylor 16:18; 0:00; 16:18
Martin Payne 20:20; 4:00; 16:20
Denis Jackson 19:22; 3:00; 16:22 [G]
Tony Bell 19:43; 3:20; 16:23
Marco Bernatzki 18:47; 1:50; 16:57 [G]
Joe Hardy 21:30; 4:00; 17:30
Andrea Lennon 27:13; 9:30; 17:43
John Pouncy 27:09; 9:10; 17:59
Ian Hilditch 22:18; 4:00; 18:18
Greg Smith 19:56; 1:30; 18:26
Once again I am deeply indebted to John Taylor’s remarkable labour of love, ‘A Pictorial History of Leigh Harriers A.C.’ for the photos and information.
The distance for our April Virtual Club Series will be 5 kilometres, preparing thighs crossed for our first real outing in 2021 over 7 miles on May 8 in Chorley, contesting the Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy. Times for the April 5k to be submitted to Tony by midnight on Sunday, May 2. Thanks to everyone for their support. Looking forward enviously to seeing photos of your good selves on the road.
It’s fitting that we should finish the leading Age-Graded team in the Anniversary event, fending off close competition in a field of 13 clubs. Congratulations to all those imvolved across this surreal year. Thanks too must be given to John Constandinou and Helen Elleker for keeping us motivated and our feet on the ground.
Virtual League Racing Series – Race 52 – One Year Anniversary
MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (83.30%) 2 Birchfield Harriers (81.56%) 3 Scotia Race Walking Club (80.61%) 4 South West Veterans AC (80.02%) 5 Maidenhead AC (71.27%) 6 Leicester Walking Club (70.40%) 7 Quickstep Fitness (69.21%) 8 Manx Harriers (65.84%) 9 Steyning AC (61.27%) 10 Surrey Walking Club (52.32%) 11 Sarnia Walking Club (45.89%) 12 Ilford AC (42.84%) 13 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (39.32%)
MENS 2KM TEAM 1 Birchfield Harriers (39) 2 Scotia Race Walking Club (43) 3 Lancashire Walking Club (50) 4 South West Veterans AC (61) 5 Quickstep Fitness (75) 6 Manx Harriers (78) 7 Leicester Walking Club (87) 8 Maidenhead AC (121) 9 Surrey Walking Club (171) 10 Steyning AC (193) 11 Sarnia Walking Club (218) 12 Ilford AC (231) 13 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (247)
Roy leads Mick Entwistle in the Bury 2 hours event a few years ago
As we near the anniversary of the Virtual Series we regained our top spot in the Age-Graded Team competition. Race 52 times to be with Helen by Wednesday at 6.00 p.m.
MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (83.57%) 2 Birchfield Harriers (81.97%) 3 South West Veterans AC (80.05%) 4 Scotia Race Walking Club (79.14%) 5 Manx Harriers (76.71%) 6 Quickstep Fitness (67.31%) 7 Steyning AC (61.69%) 8 Maidenhead AC (54.53%) 9 Surrey Walking Club (52.15%) 10 Leicester Walking Club (48.54%) 11 Sarnia Walking Club (44.53%)
MENS 2KM TEAM 1 Manx Harriers (28) 2 Birchfield Harriers (33) 3 Scotia Race Walking Club (43) 4 Lancashire Walking Club (55) 5 South West Veterans AC (57) 6 Quickstep Fitness (92) 7 Surrey Walking Club (172) 8 Steyning AC (184) 9 Leicester Walking Club (200) 10 Maidenhead AC (211) 11 Sarnia Walking Club (213)
Our team as follows:
Tony Taylor M70 91.96% Lancs WC 10:55.0
Dave Evans M70 85.68% Lancs WC 11:43.0
Guy Goodair M80 73.08% Lancs WC 16:08.0
Roy Gunnett M70 67.60% Lancs WC 14:51.0
Tony Bell M55 65.38% Lancs WC 13:00.0
Martin Payne M60 61.75% Lancs WC 14:02.0
Loking ahead we are hoping against hope that our first club race in reality will be the Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy to be held on May 8 in Chorley. Given the fluctuating situation this will be confirmed towards the end of April. To be on the safe side this initial race will be confined to club members only as we make sure we are on top of all the protocols required. We know our much appreciated and loyal band of guest walkers will understand this caution. Being optimistic this race will pave the way for the resumption of our club fixture list.
MAY 8 Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy – Chorley
JUNE 5 Dick & Zena Smith Trophy – Bury
JUNE 20 BMAF 5k – Horwich
JULY 3 Barnard Trophy – Sutton
Hoping for better weather for dear Fred’s Relay in July!
JULY 24 Fred Pearce Relay – Simister
AUGUST 14 Goodwin Cup – Chorley
SEPTEMBER 4 Lambert Trophy – Bury
OCTOBER 2 Albert Rigby Trophy – Sutton
NOVEMBER 6 AGM 5k – Simister
DECEMBER 4 Dick Maxwell Trophy – Simister
All being well – surely the orchestrated COVID melodrama will be brought to a close – our races as ever will start at 1.30 p.m. I hope to be with you as soon as is possible with imposed immunity passport in hand, resentful, compromised but chuffed to be seeing you soon.
What a wonderful anecdote, this is! Having raced against these two great blokes in my youth [!] they epitomise all that is best about our sport – its diversity, its integrity and camaraderie.
Guy Goodair writes:
Just had a letter from an old friend, John Eddershaw stating ‘God moves in Mysterious ways – Better late than never’ and enclosing my finishing certificate from the 1965 London to Brighton walking race won by 1964 Olympic 50km champion, Abdon Pamich (7h 37m 8s) some 8 minutes in front of 1960 Olympic 50km champion, Don Thompson. I finished 5th but managed to beat 1956 Olympic 50km champion, Norman Read. After the race I had to dash off and John picked up my certificate. He’s just remembered to post it on 55+ years later!
And, I await with trepidation your times for the March 3k Club Series. They need to be with me by midnight, Good Friday, April 2 at the latest. Seeing all our tavernas are closed, one enterrprising family are doing take-aways, And for the coming Catholic Easter, as the Greeks dub it, we can order specials for this weekend. Ironically, for us, the dog and the cats, it will be lamb in the oven with spinach – little different from Google’s claim that the English desired lamb at Easter. However, for the life of me I can’t remember lamb on Easter Sunday. What I do remember is fish and chips from the ‘chippie’ on Good Friday, hot cross buns and that’s it! I await your memories.
It’s been announced that the race, scheduled for August 7th/8th August on Garon Park Track, is now postponed. Our thoughts go out to any of our members, who had the race in their sights – Adrian and Sailash perhaps?
My apologies for missing this week but pride of place goes to Pat Evans – see below. Great stuff!
Pat pursues Joe
Virtual League Racing Series – Race 50
MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM 1 Birchfield Harriers (81.52%) 2 South West Veterans AC (77.74%) 3 Manx Harriers (74.98%) 4 Lancashire Walking Club (74.91%) 5 Maidenhead AC (70.17%) 6 Quickstep Fitness (65.71%) 7 Steyning AC (60.63%) 8 Scotia Race Walking Club (55.15%) 9 Surrey Walking Club (52.63%) 10 Leicester Walking Club (45.75%) 11 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (41.61%)
MENS 2KM TEAM 1 Birchfield Harriers (27) 2 Manx Harriers (35) 3 South West Veterans AC (59) 4 Lancashire Walking Club (78) 5 Quickstep Fitness (92) 6 Maidenhead AC (102) 7= Scotia Race Walking Club (165) 7= Surrey Walking Club (165) 9 Steyning AC (188) 10 Leicester Walking Club (207) 11 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (217)
As ever a big thanks to the team for keeping us on top in the Age-Graded category. It would be satisfying if we could retain this position in the next few weeks as Week 52 draws closer!
A nostalgic newspaper cutting from 1967! I’m just 20 years old. Ron had won the AAA 2 miles championship the week before. Mike Hatton was an enigma, who never fulfilled his potential.
Virtual League Racing Series – Race 48 – Don Denoon Memorial Race
MENS AGE GRADED TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (82.53%) 2 Birchfield Harriers (80.27%) 3 South West Veterans AC (79.03%) 4 Maidenhead AC (71.84%) 5 Quickstep Fitness (63.74%) 6 Steyning AC (59.89%) 7 Scotia Race Walking Club (58.39%) 8 Manx Harriers (47.85%) 9 Sarnia Walking Club (45.72%) 10 Leicester Walking Club (45.43%) 11 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (40.36%)
MENS TEAM 1 Birchfield Harriers (29) 2 Lancashire Walking Club (52) 3 South West Veterans AC (55) 4 Maidenhead AC (85) 5 Quickstep Fitness (99) 6 Scotia Race Walking Club (159) 7 Manx Harriers (178) 8 Steyning AC (189) 9 Sarnia Walking Club (198) 10 Leicester Walking Club (206) 11 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (219
Our team as follows:
Tony Taylor M70 93.38% Lancs WC 10:45.0
Dave Evans M70 83.77% Lancs WC 11:59.0
Tony Bell M55 65.54% Lancs WC 12:58.0
Martin Payne M60 63.64% Lancs WC 13:37.0
Roy Gunnett M70 70.45% Lancs WC 14:15.0
Guy Goodair M80 70.11% Lancs WC 16:49.0
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Virtual League Racing Series – Race 49 – Mick Elliott Memorial Race
The Elliotts in full flow. Mick chasing his sons.
MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM 1 Lancashire Walking Club (81.58%) 2 Birchfield Harriers (80.03%) 3 Scotia Race Walking Club (78.09%) 4 South West Veterans AC (77.57%) 5 Quickstep Fitness (75.91%) 6 Manx Harriers (74.94%) 7 Sarnia Walking Club (71.71%) 8 Maidenhead AC (68.23%) 9 Steyning AC (61.11%) 10 Surrey Walking Club (51.22%) 11 Leicester Walking Club (45.06%) 12 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (41.33%)
MENS 2KM TEAM 1= Quickstep Fitness (41) 1= Sarnia Walking Club (41) 3 Birchfield Harriers (45) 4 Manx Harriers (46) 5 Scotia Race Walking Club (59) 6 Lancashire Walking Club (62) 7 South West Veterans AC (70) 8 Maidenhead AC (107) 9 Surrey Walking Club (176) 10 Steyning AC (192) 11 Leicester Walking Club (218) 12 Stratford-upon-Avon AC (230)
This month’s Virtual Club 3 kilometres honours our only Olympic Games medallist, Reg Goodwin. The fascinating material to be found below is taken, with his permission, from John Taylor’s remarkable tour de force, ‘A Pictorial History of Leigh Harriers AC: 1888-1971’. Indeed John sells himself short as, whilst the book contains over 800 remarkable images, the text too is rich in its evocation of an almost innocent amateur past when athletics was not for sale.
A dapper Reg acting as a judge at the 1948 Olympics Thanks to John Taylor
As you will see, although born in London. Reg spent much of his life in Leigh, Lancashire. Indeed, as a young ‘Leyther’ I was proud to know and to be encouraged by him. My memory is that he was a gentle and self-effacing character, far from full of himself.
Reg in the 1950s as I remenber him. Thanks to John Taylor
The start of the 1924 Olympic 10,000 metres final. Reg is second from the right.
THE FEBRUARY REG GOODWIN VIRTUAL 3 KILOMETRES
As ever a genuine vote of thanks to all involved, especially our guests from over the Pennines and beyond. It’s good to see Marco setting a personal best, I think, thus winning the handicap plus a dead-heat in the Jackson family!
As things shift, turning hopefully for the best, we’ll stick with a March 3 kilometres and then take a breath.
SCRATCH
Tony Taylor 16:21
Marco Bernatzki 18:15 [G]
Dave Evans 18:50
= Denis Jackson 19:15 [G]
= Graham Jackson 19:15 [G]
Tony Bell 19:43
Atamaram Dahal 20:07 [G]
Martin Payne 20:28
Ian Hilditch 20:46
Glyn Jones 20:47
Grace Gilpin 21:01 [G]
Joe Hardy 21:20
Roy Gunnett 21:33
Pat Evans 21:51
Sarah Circo 22:39 [G]
Val Mitchell 24:32 [G]
John Pouncy 25:39
Jane Pouncy 26:32
HANDICAP
Marco Bernatzki 18:15; 2:40 ; 15:25 [G]
Glyn Jones 20:47; 4:45; 16:02 [G]
Denis Jackson 19:15; 3:00; 16:15 [G]
Val Mitchell 24:32; 8:15; 16:17 [G]
Tony Taylor 16:21; 0:00; 16:21
Sarah Circo 22:39; 6:15; 16:24 [G]
Grace Gilpin 21:01; 4:35; 16:26 [G]
Dave Evans 18:50; 2:11; 16:39
Atmaram Dahal 20:07; 3:25; 16:42 [G]
Ian Hilditch 20:46; 4:00; 16:46
Tony Bell 19:43; 2:55; 16:58
Joe Hardy 21:20; 4:15; 17:05
Martin Payne 20:28; 3:15; 17:13
Roy Gunnett 21:33; 4:10; 17:23
Graham Jackson 19:15; 1:45; 17:30 [G]
John Pouncy 25:39; 7:45; 17:54
Pat Evans 21:51; 3:50; 18:01
Jane Pouncy 26:22; 7:45; 18:37
In closing I want to thank John Taylor again for his generosity in allowing access to his magnificent History of Leigh Harriers. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in athletics as a whole and in the central role that local clubs played in the lives of their communities. If by chance you are interested, let me know as there are a few copies left.
Sadly the Sarnia stalwart, Mick Elliott has died. Many of the old hands at our club will have raced against Mick in the 1970s. Rob Elliott, his son, an outstanding race walker in his own right, has penned these touching thoughts.
Mick Elliott
It saddens me to report that my dad and race walker Mick Elliott passed away peacefully after a short illness this weekend at the age of 83 years. A race walker at his best in the 1970s he was my training companion, amongst others in my early years. He supported me in my race walking from when I started as an 11 year old. He was also a competitor in my races and then a supporter as I hit my best, feeding me in races and holding me when I needed it at the end of races and always ready with the stopwatch for split times. Rest in Peace, Dad.
Mick Elliott 1937 – 2021
The Elliott surname has long been associated with race walking in Guernsey and the Sarnia Walking Club and I am saddened to report that Mick Elliott, who started it all off in 1969 has passed away peacefully after a short illness in York at the age of 83 years old.
Micks first race was in the 1969 Church to Church walk over 19.4 miles when he finished the course in over 4 hours. He was a late starter to the sport at the age of 32 years when he progressed to Sarnia Walking Club novice events and the Inter Firms 3 miles walk where he finished second.
Within a few years he achieved 7 miles per hour with a 57 minute clocking and reduced his Church time to 3 hours 1 minute when finishing 3rd in 1972. With hard work improvement came quickly and within another two years was Sarnia number one, taking the Club Championship in 1974 and leading the club to victory at the popular Chippenham to Calne 6 miles road walk in 7th place overall in a high quality race. A further two years as Club Champion followed.
Happier at distances up to 20 kilometres and Mick was hard to beat for those years, but came unstuck at anything longer and although able to hold the leader to halfway faltered over the final stages in anything longer, such as the Church and West Show 20 miles walk.
He achieved personal best times of 1 mile 7.00, 2 miles 14.24, 3 miles 22.16, 6 miles 45.26, 7 miles 53.30, 10 miles 76.57, 20 kms 101.10, 19.4 miles Church to Church 2.56.25, 20 miles 3.03.08.
Despite a personal best time of 2.56.25 for the Church Walk he has never won it and had to settle for a best position of 2nd.
In 1976 the Sarnia Walking Club went back to England for the “Garnet” 10 miles walk. The team finished 4th with Mick Elliott finishing third individually in a time of just over 80 minutes.
Racing until his early 50s he walked on and off over the following years, helping out his son Rob and taking up the judging of local walks.
A wonderful family photo of Mick [1] in pursuit of Rob [67] and Mark[3]
Son Rob continues in the sport this present day. Youngest son Mark also raced for many years. His other children Ian and Kate have also raced at times in their younger days as well as some of his grandchildren.
Lancashire Walking Club : Health The First Wealth 