NWFPAC ‘Michael Page’ Championship 2025 – Race 8: Tawd Valley Parkrun

Despite the trip out West for most of us and 2 participant’s cars out of action (1 clamped!), Saturday 18^th October saw 18 NWFPAC members head to Tawd Valley (aka Skem) Parkrun for the final race of the NWFPAC 2025 Championship.  Conditions were good for running with dry paths, middling October temperatures and light winds.

We were welcomed by a well-marked course and a friendly group of volunteers and witnessed the 10 year anniversary celebrations of local Primary School based running group ‘The Woodland Whippets’.  Tawd Valley is typically a smaller Parkrun with less than 150 runners but this week saw 257 taking part with Ormskirk Parkrun off and NWFPAC / Woodland Whippets in.

The Concourse Shopping Centre offered a slightly unusual start and finish line though it was exceptionally convenient for parking, toilets and post run retail opportunities.  As the race started, pavement quickly changed to rubbery cycle path and a bit of trail through autumnal woodland and, looking at my watch, I was either running the race of my life or we were running downhill.  Given this weekend’s excuses (primarily Friday night beers and still being a bit soon after Berlin marathon), it seemed we were running downhill and I’d gone off a bit too fast.

In terms of the Championship, I was starting the day in 2^nd place on 73 points with Mike ahead on 91 = so I needed 19-20 points for a chance of NWFPAC Glory.  With Mike still recovering from injury I had a chance though this was halved with Steven H on the start list who was immediately ahead of me and I was inevitably fighting for 2^nd place in the Gender position rankings.

By c. 1km in, we settled into the race and, following some uphill to the course’s urban section, I was alarmed to learn that Mike was still hot on my heels.  Heading through several underpasses, I eventually repelled the threat but was subsequently passed so easily by Tom Grime it was like we were running different events.

With a lack of oxygen, the Championship permeations were too much to process and heading back through woodland on a variety of paths, I was holding on.  Seemingly uphill for the final 1k, the course certainly had a sting in its tail, though I managed to hold onto 5^th spot overall despite a late charge from Charles which kept me looking behind until pretty much the end.

Drama unfolded for other NWFPAC members with a number of us finishing in consecutive overall positions and close finishes, including Adrian and Ralph and Alex and Dave; the closest being Mike’s sprint finish to pass Dan into 7^th spot.  NWFPAC members made up 8 of the top 11 finishers including 1^st place overall (Steven H, which included a wrong turning!) and 2^nd Lady (Alex) which looked to have consigned me to a still very pleasing 2^nd place in the Championship.

Overall it was an enjoyable, varied and challenging run, particularly back uphill towards the finish and we were in high spirits as we retired to a café in the Concourse.