LSARRC News 28th January 2013

XC Team Survivors at Knowsley! From L - R Dawn Lock,
Terry Hellings, Graham Webster, Katharine Hoyland,
Pam Binns, Fiona Geldard, Andy Draper, Colin Nelson,
Greg Oulton, Sylvia Gittens.

The Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships at Knowsley Safari Park on Saturday was the Lytham St Anne’s RRC first snow-bound championship in twelve years of competing. Coming close to cancellation with fresh snowfall and resulting travel chaos, organisers concluded that the competition should go ahead and hundreds of athletes received the benefit of a great event at a new venue. Backed by the gracious Knowsley Hall and the grounds appearing splendid in the morning sunshine, later the weight of the more than 1600 competitors reduced these pristine landscapes to grey slush.

First out were the juniors, and straight from the off the runners were faced with a long climb before beginning a fast decent to the lower ground where conditions underfoot became increasingly mushy. Competitors then turned to come back up the course with an energy sapping climb before a fast decent to the finish line. Ella Moulding lined up with 143 other athletes from the North of England in the U13 girls 3K race and she was off to a great start from the gun. Running a very strong race and conserving enough energy in her legs to pass two runners in the home straight, she finished a very creditable 29^th, in 13:50.

The snow proved a tough challenge especially on the championship-length courses: three laps and 12k for the Senior Men, and two laps and 8k for the Senior Women, which tested runners to the limit. First home for Lytham men was Thomas Howarth, running exceptionally well in spite of conditions, and proving further that he is hitting a vein of form generally in his racing. In a very high-quality field, Howarth finished in 54:42, well above the halfway point. He was followed in by Andy Draper, 270th in 55:10, Graham Webster, 353rd in 58:10, Terry Hellings, 392nd in 59:55 and Captain Colin Nelson, 517th in 1:07:44. Hellings, veteran of many championships described it as the most tiring he could remember. Just one short of a team, Lytham's men put in some creditable performances.

Leading Lytham Lady Mel Koth, in the snowy scene at Knowsley.

In the Senior Women's race Lytham did well to field a full team which finished 22nd out of 27 teams. The Club's foremost runner, Mel Koth ran strongly to make a top 100 finish. Koth was 99th in 40:50. Behind her was fast-improving Katharine Hoyland, 117th in 42:56, who is beginning to find a real talent for cross-country. Fiona Geldard finished 191st in 52:27 for third team place and the team was completed by Pam Binns, 205th in 57:58, who is another with an aptitude for the sport. Not making the team but adding to the spirit with their enthusiasm for this course and cross-country in general, were Sylvia Gittins, 206th in 58:00 and Dawn Lock, 217th in 1:07:18.

Beacon Fell proved to be the location of choice this weekend for club members eager to get out for some trail training and to take in the amazing winter’s panorama from this local vantage point. On Saturday, by car, Debbie Cooper and Pam Hardman only just succeeded making it to the Fell through heavy snowfall, to find the only other vehicles to make it were 4 wheel drives. Once there they had a fantastic run and on some paths found themselves the first across fresh new snow, calf deep in some places and a chilly challenge. Getting back home proved an even bigger test, which involved digging the car out of the car park and a 4 man push to get going. Colin Laidlaw and Catherine French also blitzed the paths and trails of a windswept Beacon Fell on Sunday. On their 7 mile route, there was ice, snow, slush and sunshine aplenty, although it’s fair to say that some significant thawing had occurred since Saturday.