For the second year in a row the Northerns took place at KnowsleySafari Park. This time, however, the blanket of snow was replaced by a blanket of mud, which became worse as the day went on.
The first race of the day was the U17 Women, and Sarah Dewhirst got things off to a fine start with what was surely her best run in Bingley colours in 71st position.
Unfortunately we had no Junior Women running, so our next involvement was in the U13 Girls, in which well over 250 runners were listed. Both Katie Smith and Lucy Miller ran splendidly, the latter after falling and being badly spiked: Katie was 102nd and Lucy 126th.
By this time the mild weather was beginning to change, and after a lack of representation in the U17 Men and U13 Boys, we came to the U15 Girls race.
Vicki Merrick, running in the bottom of this age-group, did not let us down, with the performance of the day in 32nd position. The weather at the end of this race, and at the beginning of the next, the U15 Boys, was appalling, and underfoot conditions were difficult to say the least. After a delayed start, Max Duckett and Matthew Merrick both showed great determination, encouraging each other to keep going, and finishing in 55th and 64th positions respectively in a field of over 200.
Despite the conditions, some of our youngsters stayed on to cheer Emma Green and Lesley Watson in the Senior Women’s race, and Paul Tiffany, Stephen Broadbent, Stephen Bailey and Fred Gibbs, not to mention a certain Jonny Brownlee, in the Senior Men’s.
Great credit is due to all those who ran, and indeed to all those who turned up to support, particularly when the hailstorm arrived!
My particular thanks go to Graham Smith and David Potter for all their help and for keeping my spirits up during what was a most interesting afternoon.
Tony Kingham