The Bank Holiday Monday saw three Bury athletes competing in the Fast 5k races at the Three Sisters Circuit in Wigan.

The cold and very windy conditions made it hard for athletes to produce particularly fast performances but nevertheless all three produced excellent results.

Josh Birmingham took fourth place in the B race in 15.21. The conditions and heavy legs from his Podium 5k race on Saturday hampered him somewhat.

Hot on his heels in sixth place was Lawrence Fairclough. Still developing as an athlete, Fairclough ran very strongly to cross the line in 15.28. In 14th place and finishing as second in the V45 category was Byron Edwards.

His time of 15.55 was the second time he had ducked under the 16 minute barrier and like Birmingham, the effects of the Podium 5k on Saturday were still in his legs.

Last Saturday, 15 members of the club competed in the Tatton Park 10k. Ian McBride ran brilliantly to take second position in 32.11, his fastest time in six years.

Hannah Price was convincing winner in the women’s race setting a new personal best of 36.22, a time which places her in the top 10 nationally for the distance. Ben Coop, returning from injury, was eighth in 33.28. While nearly two minutes slower than his best for the distance the performance is a good indicator that he is on his way back to fitness.

He had to work hard to hold off the challenge from Josh Cole, son of endurance coach Dave Cole, who was up from his home in Bournemouth and took ninth place in 33.30.

Men’s captain Edwards ran a very respectable 34.09 to take 13th place and win the V45 category. Luke Harreld ran well to take 16th place in 34.20. In 24th place was Jack Griffiths in 35.09.

Dominic Nabb recorded a new PB of 35.57 to take 29th place with Matthew Garside running very well to take 32nd in 36.22.

Young Freya Potts took fifth in the women’s race, recording 39.36 in her first outing over the distance. Jenny Pilling set a new lifetime best of 40.59 to cross the line in ninth place.

The other Bury competitors were Paul Johnston (36.50 for 45th); Curtis Simpson (38.55 PB for 64th); Rick Anderson (40.52 PB for 100th); Dan Potts (41.44 for 116th) and Giles Bennett (42.15 for 131st).

Two athletes competed in the Trafford Open event on Saturday. Sam Smyth was fourth under-17 finisher in the 3,000m setting a new best of 9.44.31. Pace judgement cost him a faster time but as this was his first track race of the season there is clearly more to come.

Reilly Carson took second place in the under-17 1,500m in 5.27.76 and then went on to win the javelin competition with a best throw of 27.32.

Further afield, coach Andy Mellor ran out as winner in the Endurance 5k race at Middlesbrough, setting a new personal best of 15.52 in the process.