Burnden Road Runners have been supporting Bolton Wanderers in the Community to put on a 10K running event and last weekend saw the hours of planning come to fruition.

With more than 1,100 runners, in a brilliant Bolton-based community event which saw BWFC legend John McGinlay starting the race and Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, taking part and congratulating runners, it was a race to remember.

Credit must go to Sarah Walton, club member, who reconnected Bolton Wanderers with Burnden and recommended Road Runners to Bolton Wanderers in the Community when they were setting up the race.

A big shout out also to chair Andy Dunleavy, Lawrence McDonald and Trotters’s Trail events team rep, Alyson Cullen, for their excellent organisational skills in supporting the race.

Wanderers and Road Runners have long been linked.

In 1983, Vince Regan, a former international runner approached John McGovern (manager of Bolton Wanderers) to run in Bolton’s own Adidas British Marathon - McGovern rose to the challenge and invited others to join him.

Many responded and completed the marathon as members of the Wanderers Lifeline Team. Following the event, a small nucleus decided that the group should continue to run and raise money for local charities, thus the Lifeline Running Group began.

In 1985, the group became a fully-fledged athletics club whose name was a nod to the then home of Bolton Wanderers, Burnden Park; the ‘road runners’ part being inspired by one of its early members, Jimmy Goodinson, renowned for his participation in events dressed as the original roadrunner with feathered tail flowing and klaxon blaring.

Fast forward to last Sunday, and it was a special day to see more than 1,000 runners gathered at the Toughsheet Stadium to run a 10K race in aid of lots of different charities.

The route itself was well supported by lots of BWitC marshals and members of the public lining Chorley New Road while runners were kept on track with a host of pacers from Burnden who kept an eye on their watches to make sure every runner met their goals.

Epitomising Burnden is all about in terms of friendliness and support, one pacer, Aidy Ashburn, said: “There is no better feeling than helping others..2km to go I met a guy called Ashley. I’m not sure of his story but I knew he was running for a charity. He was struggling when I met him but, unfortunately, I had to leave him behind.

“As I crossed the line something just took over me and I did a u-turn. I had to find Ashley and bring him home. He managed to get under one hour and never thought he would. I know he’ll be so proud now.”

Ashburn was also there to cheer every runner home as they approached the finish line.

With a whopping turnout of 81 Burndeners, there were some fine results with three Burnden ladies in the first 10 finishers and seven in the first 20 ladies home.

The New Starters’ group has been training for the 10K on 12 dark, cold and wet Monday nights since January and Run Leaders are proud of their accomplishments.

Megan Lord completed her first 10K in 59mins 32secs ahead of Rachel Mitchell-Denson (1:04:41), Cherelle Giles (1:06:09), Hazel Price (1:07:47), Jeanette Robinson (1:13:12), Katie Bewley (1:24:07), Susanna Smith (1:24:08) and Suzanne Walmsley (1:51:41.

Mark Whittington finished in 37:43 for first MV50 out of 98, while Suleman Badat was second BRR in 38:16 and Lyall Mew rounded up the trio with a PB in 38:58.

For the ladies, Sarah Watton clocked 42:08 and was also second senior lady out of 176. Lyndsay Darbyshire was first FV50 out of 97 in 45:58 and Gwen Kinloch took home first FV60 out of 22 in 46:21.

Vet categories featured some more Burndeners in the shape of Ed Ashton (third MV60 - 43:51PB), Shirley Staveley (second FV60 - 48:27), Anne Ferguson (third FV60 - 49:10) and Philip Glassbrook (first MV70 - 57:33).

Results: PBs - Paul Willan 43:06, Martin Archer 45:08, Rick Winnard 51:22, Bernie Jones 53:26, Julia Hall 53:29, Nicola Halsall 56:10, Louise Righini 57:33, Natasha Clarke 1:00:30, Joanne Eddleston 1:06:52; Other times - Andrew Norman 41:44, Michael Kermode 41:59, Martin Fielding 42:11, Samuel Ashton 43:55, Paul Duke 44:58 (pacer), Steven Walton 45:29, Marcus Hamer 46:10, David Smith 46:22, Andrew Crawford 46:33, Francesca Caine 46:41, Martin Cullen 47:15, Dean Covill 47:16, Colm O’Brien 47:32, Simon Marland 48:28, Vicki Hamer 48:41, Jonathan Sangster 49:13, Paul Christie 49:30, Harrison Riley 49:41, Gayle Gerrard 49:41, Martin Whitehead 49:49 (pacer), Tim Taylor 50:42, Jitendra Patel 51:09, Mark Charlton 53:12, Alistair Marland 52:59, Andy Warburton 53:30, Steven Bate 55:31, Teresa Riley 55:53, Aidy Ashburn 56:00 (pacer), Ravi Patel 57:08, Jason Attwood 57:53, Lisa Berry 57:58, Sarah Walton 58:01, Nia Bell 58:46, Josh Palmer 59:42 (pacer), Don Taylor 59:58, Carolyn Edwards 1:00:13, Nicola Hardy 1:01:06, Carol Richardson 1:01:38, Luke Newell 1:03:04, Melissa Husbands 1:04:24 (pacer), Susan Wood 1:04:48, Joanna Warburton 1:04:51, Anthony Fulop 1:07:27, David Allen 1:07:41, Jenni Partington 1:09:34 (pacer), Jen Forkin 1:11:48, Shirley Robinson 1:11:49, Ian Mann 1:14:03, Debra Hennessey 1:14:53, Gillian McGowan 1:15:45, Sue Marland 1:17:42, Cheryl Dunleavy 1:18:20, Jennifer Entwistle 1:18:36 (pacer).