Brothers star in Championship
IT’S a family affair for fleet-footed young farmers Peter and Philip Goodfellow who starred in the Cheshire Schools’ Cross Country Championships.
King’s School Year 7 pupil Philip, aged 11, beat a 50 strong field to win this year’s group race on a rain soaked, mud splattered day in Delamere Forest.
Older brother Peter, a Year 11 pupil at King’s aged 16, then finished fourth over a tough 5.1km race in the Year 10 and 11 race again along the muddy forest tracks against a larger and more competitive field.
However, modest youngster Philip was not about to to boast in front of his older brother, “Peter is much better than me. We run together sometimes but it’s not much point for him because he’s so much quicker and I just hope I am as quick as he is when I’m older.”
Peter added: “There is no sibling rivalry. We support each other and enjoy training together at Macclesfield Harriers and Philip is about to get even quicker and then we’ll see if I still win.”
The boys come from a hard-working farming background and as well as training, Peter for some 40 miles a week and Philip around 10 miles a week, they keep fit by helping out on their dairy farm in Siddington.
Philip said: “I love farming and definitely want to be a farmer. You’re outdoors and it’s good for you.”
Peter said: “I haven’t decided what I want to do yet, but modern day farming is a fantastic challenge and there are so many different avenues you could pursue alongside the core business.”
They are also following in their family’s footsteps with grandfather Stan Winterton, a former England runner in the 50-year-old category, and father Chris, a veteran Macc’ Harrier and accomplished long distance runner, who now puts both young men through their paces.
Peter’s fourth place means he now runs for Cheshire in the England Schools’ event on March 15, while Philip will be in the Cheshire team for the forthcoming inter counties meetings.
Both boys want to continue to develop as runners with Peter saying: “I just want to be a good as I can be and continue what I am doing,” while Philip had a more definite goal,
“I want to run in the Commonwealth Games.”