The summery weather conditions of last Saturday brought out a record number of runners for the Wallasey Athletic Club's practice run from Leasowe Road.
The course was about seven miles in length, and the extremely heavy nature of some of the going caused several of the older and more canny members to take full advantage of the high temperature prevailing and trot gently along with the minimum expenditure of energy.
The runners were divided into three packs, the slow pack starting first and the fast pack following five minutes later, while the ''super-fast' pack (composed of W. R. Richardson and F. K. Ledward) departed five minutes after the 'fasts.'
The 'slows' were led off the mark by the hon. sec. closely attended by J. B. Graham, but at the end of half a mile, C. Simmonds went to the fore, followed by J. Edwards, while Crompton held a watching brief close behind. Graham declined to be drawn into the battle and fell back to join the hon. sec. who had assumed a dignified position in the
rear, and the remainder of the pack fell in with R. Young who was maintaining a steady pace about 100 yards astern of the leaders, A new member, G. Woods out for the first time, was in this group and appeared to be travelling exceptionally well while Prendergast though not prominent, was obviously moving much better than he had done the previous week.
Of the fast pack W. G. Williams was easily the best, but F. G. Ambrose was not so far behind and was maintaining his position very well at the half distance.
Williams, incidentally, went through the field at a rare pace, and at the finish was a good third to Edwards and Simmonds, who occupied the leading positions in that order, after a great struggle which lasted almost the full length of Leasowe Road. Crompton was fourth.
Richardson and Ledward found that ten minutes was too much to give away to most of the 'slows' and thus were 'not concerned with the finish' as the racing correspondents put it.
G. Woods was running very strongly at the end and was in close attendance on Graham and Young in a one mile burst of speed to the finish.
There will be another practice, run from headquarters this afternoon at 3:15 and members are requested to be in attendance at least a quarter of an hour before this time, to ensure a prompt start.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 21/10/1933
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