Wet weather can't halt busy Buxton runners

The very muddy Mens Team at Boggatt Hole Cross Country: L-R Andy Lidstone, Nat Winfield, Rick Aldred, Pete Bailey, Ben Light and Richard Goff

Saturday morning saw the 46th Pavilion Gardens 5k road race where Buxton AC runners Rob White, Rob Lloyd and Jason Bennett were the first to finish, edging out club mate Steve Watson into fourth.

The first women home were Eleanor Oulsnam and Janet Brereton, with Mel Babington the first Buxton AC woman, finishing third.

On Saturday afternoon men’s and women’s teams travelled to Manchester to take part in the aptly named Boggart Hole cross country race.

The race route included a crossing of a mud-filled trench, on each of two laps.

The women were first to run with Buxtonians Sheila Bradley, Kate Phillips and Ruth Gowers leading the team to a 29th place finish of the 50 competing teams.

Nat Winfield was first Buxton runner to finish the men’s race in 22nd place, closely followed by Ben Light and Richard Bouglas for a team position of 21st out of 52.

On Sunday Nick Jones was the first Buxton finisher in the 15-mile Roaches fell race.

Jones finished several places ahead of Richard Bouglas, who was recovering from cross country the previous day.

However, Nat Winfield, this time running for Pennine Fell Runners, showed no signs of fatigue in taking second place behind Staffordshire Moorland’s Jack Ross.

Also ‘doubling up’ were Roland Meylan and Pete Bailey, who enjoyed clear skies on Sunday for the scenic Leg it Round Lathkil fell race, having taken part in the 5k and the cross country races respectively the day before.