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Blackburn Winter Warmer

BARRY BROCK 10 FEB 2013

This race kickstarts the road runner’s season, and anyone who has done it before knows that it’s definitely not a PB course. On the morning of the race, the weather outlook for Blackburn wasn’t good as snow was forecast to go with the freezing cold temperature.

Nine brave souls from Trawden AC turned up to try to master this tough cookie. I heard that Nicola and Ken had a run round the course yesterday looking for some short-cuts within the course to carry on from last week at the Witton Park Relay!

It was nice to see the other members of Team TAC on the track warming up and Trawden getting a mention from the race announcer Mr Andy O'Sullivan saying what a friendly club we were.

At 11.00am the race started and there was no surprise when Ben Fish of Blackburn was leading after the first 400 metres of the track. The course then goes through Witton Park and climbs out onto Buncer Lane.

For anyone who isn't familiar with the Winter Warmer, this is where the race starts to hurt as you’re heading uphill for about three-quarters of a mile before the course takes a left turn and you’re faced with another sharp 200m climb. I won’t lie, I did have a walking break up here, but was spotted by a marshal who is an old friend of mine (Jason Harbour) who gave me some words of encouragement which can’t be repeated here!

At about the 2-mile mark it started to snow and we all thought ”Oh no!” but it was only a shower and soon stopped again. At this point the course drops over a two-mile stretch, and along here I managed to overtake all those who passed me on the hill and more. There was another short hill around the 4-mile mark then it was back through the park and along the path next to the football pitches.

We finished on the track and it was great hearing your name being shouted by the crowd and the race announcer Andy. I was the first Trawden runner home followed by Nicola Nuttall, who I must say is running very well and improving all the time.

This was my first road race in a Trawden vest and it was so nice to be made so welcomed from the other team members.

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