INTREPID member, Anthony Fulop, was the sole representative for Burnden Road Runners at the 3-1-5 Winter 5k, part of the Lancaster Race series, and was on fine form.

This was the third 5k race for Fulop in three weeks and he has showed consistent improvement in his times.

A 5k at Bolton was first on the list and Fulop notched up 34mins 28secs. Heaton Park was up next and the time was down by more than a minute to 33:05.

This third race saw Fulop finish the flattest, but wettest, course at Lancaster in a fantastic time of 32:55.

Meanwhile, Burnden members were out in force to support Matt Smith’s annual charity run in aid of Bolton Hospice.

A favourite among members, the five-mile trail was in no doubt a challenge with the torrential rain conditions of the day proving tricky to navigate, although the run itself is perfect for all fitness levels – Smith’s aim being to welcome everybody and to raise funds.

“The toughest race”, “It felt like a swim” and “I can’t feel my toes” were some of the phrases heard by supporters at the Egerton Cricket Club finish line.

Descriptions of drenched paths, hidden potholes and more made the race a mixed bag of tricks but runners came back challenged and invigorated with a welcome triple award of a bottle of beer, a t-shirt and a medal awaiting them.

Andy Dunleavy was first back to the club in a brisk 43:49, followed by Gareth Lowe in 45:11 and Marcus Hamer in 45:27.

Maggie Slamin won her category of V55 in a superb soaked time of 1:00:45.

Other results: Sarah Watton 46:23, Gary Aylett 47:31, Martin Whitehead 47:33, David Smith 48:35, Paul Drew 52:16, Vicki Hamer 53:27, Gillian Morris 1:05:00, Emma Walker 1:05:00, Shirley Robinson 1:15:07, Cheryl Dunleavy 1:18:22, Sarah Brown 1:18:23, Gillian McGowan 1:25:15, Sarah McConnell 1:25:15.

Saturday also brought parkrun and Burnden members were out and about again – travelling as far as Gloucester.

Burnden Beginners’ graduate, Francesca Caine, represented the club at Ormskirk Parkrun and smashed it in a speedy time of 27:57, first in her age group and seventh female overall in a field of 135 runners.

Ormskirk’s course is located around the campus at Edge Hill University and includes a mixture of trail paths, pavement and rubber surface.

Gloucester City Parkrun welcomed avid parkrun tourists, Simon Marland and Sue Blackman. The clockwise route, located in Gloucester Park, follows a perimeter path in a four-lap course taking in varied terrain and the bridleway and allowing a sprint finish just past the aviary and fountains.

Marland finished in a fantastic time of 25:00 and Blackman followed in 35:14.

Steven Bate and Gayle Gerrard visited the tough course at Heaton Park along with 529 runners.

Bate finished in a swift 24:38 and Gayle in a quick 26:10. Heaton Park’s two-lap course is run on wide tarmac paths through the parkland and woods and includes a run around the lake and plenty of hills

Haigh Woodland, usually a popular alternative to Bolton for Burnden, just had the one entrant this week as Liz Hopley completed Wigan’s hilly, woodland trail, near Haigh Hall, in a wonderful 33:30.

Bolton’s Parkrun was a little quieter this week – welcoming 179 runners.

The two-lap, recently revised course features two encounters with the locally infamous ‘Cruella De Hill’.

Mark Jackson was first home in a super-quick 21:19 and in ninth overall position with Chris Worthington not far behind in a speedy 26:00. Paul Johnson was next in 30:43 followed by Gareth Doherty in 31:37, Philip Glassbrook in 32:06, Nia Bell in 32:35 and Linda O’Byrne in 34:20.