End of an Era? I hope not.

When and how did it all start? To answer these questions I will have to give some of my running background. I know I run the risk of creating mass boredom and so I will try to be careful.

I started road running in 1983 and after being unattached for a couple of years I joined Bolton United Harriers. In about 1986 I came to my senses and started fell running. I joined Horwich RMI Harriers in 1988. I went out on my own on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During my outings I kept seeing another runner on the moors who turned out to be Roy Edwards. We eventually did our runs jointly and this is when the Thursday run started. As Roy lived next door to Gary Harold (both in Snowden Drive, higher up than Norman's) he soon joined us. The three of us started running on a Saturday morning in about 1987. This is the Saturday run that we still do. As Gary worked with Steve Botrill Steve started to come with us and eventually on Thursdays also. EtU, who came to know Gary through the Harriers joined us, as he says, in 1989, though I would have guessed earlier.

Whilst outlining all of this, it's perhaps worth mentioning that in the early to mid 90s Etu and I took up the idea of track running with Norman. (EtU might be able to put a date on it.) The Tuesday night session was started at Robin Park in Wigan and continued there until the area was demolished to provide the site for the JJB Stadium. In those days EtU, YJ, Norman's son Nathan, Wilf Brindle and I used to attend. After Robin Park it was sometimes Whitton Park, Blackburn and sometimes the playing field in front of Rivington and Blackrod School, and then, of course, the Arena.

I've gone on for far too long.