Rosemary blooms to fast times

ROSEMARY ROGERS has celebrated a year to remember.

The 66-year-old, who joined West Cheshire Athletic Club two years ago, has produced a number of outstanding road race performances which include new age-group Cheshire records at four distances.

Rogers broke the Cheshire 5km record for over 65 women on three occasions and also holds age group best times for five miles, 10km, and for the marathon in which she beat her previous best by 21 minutes.

Rogers clocked 24 minutes one second to win the over 65 age group prize at the Peter Lowe Memorial Hollins Green 5k Race in June on the back of age group category victories in April at the Mid Cheshire 5k at Kingsley (24:27), the Birchwood Brook 5k at Warrington (24:38) and Dunham Massey Park 5k at Altrincham (24:02) in May, and the Dunham Massey Park 5k (24:51) on June 11.

Her best time for five miles was registered at the Hale Village Race in April, where she posted 38:33, preceding age group victories in July at the Tour of Merseyside Halton Five (40:27), and Tony Barnes Sefton Park Five (39:14), and the Whistle Stop Tour of Wirral Five at Birkenhead in September (40:41).

Rogers impressed at the 10k distance during the last 12 months, with no fewer than seven age group victories at the Port Sunlight Race (48:17), Cheshire Warrington Race (49:10), Liverpool Spring Race (49:40), Penny Lane Striders Race (50:22), Birchwood Warrington Race (50:31), and Wigan Race (48:45).

And the purple-vested race ace clocked a new personal best in October at the Chester Marathon when she covered the 26.2 miles course in 4:07:23.

Rogers has ended the year ranked eighth for her age in the UK for the 5k, fifth in the five miles, 16th for the 10k, and 13th for the marathon.

West Cheshire AC trio Anest Muller, Mark Davies and Phil Woodley have also experienced a memorable year in road racing.

Muller ran a time of 69:23 at the Wrexham 10 miles event in April is the fastest time recorded by a Cheshire club female member during the last 12 months.

Davies headed the over 35 mens age group for 10 miles after clocking 66:07 at Wrexham in April, and Woodley posted the fastest time this year by a Cheshire club member in the over 25 age group at the Rhyl 10 miles event of 66:45.

WEST CHESHIRE AC duo Su Baird and Ellie Robinson achieved top-50 places in the UK age group ranking lists in helping secure their club promotion to Division One of the North of England Track and Field League.

Baird is fourth FV50 in the 400m hurdles and 21st in the FV50 400m hurdles and 21st FV50 in the 400m, while Robinson is 24th FV40 in the 800m, and just outside the top 50 for 400m and 3000m.

ROB FREEMAN was the first West Cheshire AC finisher at the latest Ellesmere Port 5k Park Run at Whitby Park, posting 21:39 for fifth position, ahead of Isla Shillington (fifth lady in 30:36), and Imogen Pughe (sixth lady in 30:37).

Steve Hillier was the first West Cheshire AC man home at the Delamere 5k parkrun, posting 21:59 for 40th position, ahead of Andrew Carter (57th in 23:33), Peter Smith (95th in 25:23), Daniel Craig (127th in 27:03), and Rory Willson (128th in 27:06).

FORTHCOMING fixtures include the Cheshire Cross Country Championships, at Reaseheath, Nantwich, on Saturday, January 9, (11.30am start), and the Sale Harriers Indoor Open Track and Field Meeting at Sportcity, Manchester, on Sunday, January 10, (10.30am start).