LSARRC News 15th April 2013

Team LSARRC at the Interclub Grand Prix held
at Stanley Park in Blackpool. A record turnout of 35! 

There has been no shortage of activity within Lytham St. Annes Road Runners Club as Spring competitions and events get underway.  First-of-the-series fixtures for both the Interclub Fell and Grand-Prix Competitions took place this week; the latter attracting a record number of Club representatives with a tremendous 35 running. At Stanley Park on Wednesday, with Lytham's strongest available runners defending the Club, a good outcome was hoped for. The record 235 entry meant a competitive challenge from the other clubs and Lytham was pleased to hold on to fourth place in the Open, third in the Vet 50s and Vet 60s and fifth in the Women's and Vets categories.  Leading the Lytham contingent home was Joe Greenwood, who fought a tight competition with Andy Draper, finishing in 14th and 15^th  places respectively. In third position for the Club was Sam Banner, showing that his concentration on triathlon had not detracted from his running ability.  Fourth and first Vet 50 was Peter Cruse,  fifth was Thomas Howarth in 23:34 and in sixth, Simon Denye, another setting a course PB even after completing a gruelling marathon three days earlier.  Next in was Graham Webster, 2012 winner of his age category, and again first Vet 60.  Kevin Ashworth and Terry Hellings completed the Open team. The Lytham women were on good form, arriving back in the order Mel Koth, Katherine Hoyland and Laura Ashworth who, with Debbie Cooper and Pippa Hughes made up the team.The Vets' team consisted of Cruse, Webster, Ashworth, Hellings, Upton and Hirsh. Willie Richmond joined Cruse, Webster and Hellings for the Vet 50's and Roy Stevens and Janice Cobley, formed the Vet 60's with Webster.

Joe Greenwood and Andy Draper battle it
out for 1st LSARRC male home.

The Lytham Representatives at the
Wardle Skyline Interclub Fell Race.
L-R Greg Oulton, Dawn Lock, Tery Hellings,
Debbie Cooper. 

The first event in the Inter-Club Fell Racing series attracted five Lytham members to make up the team and attempt the seven-mile, 1300 foot climb around Wardle Skyline.  Boosted by leaders Sam Banner and Terry Hellings, the group achieved the surprising feat of counting in every category. LSARRC reached fifth in the Open, Vets and Vet 50s, fourth in the Women's and third in the Vet 60s. Of notable achievement and performance were members Sam Banner, who finished 6th in the Inter-Club and first Under 23 in 23rd position overall and Debbie Cooper who was 4th women in the Inter-Club, third counter in the Lytham Open team and 159th overall.  Terry Hellings returned to fell running after a break to secure 92nd place.

Roy Stevens competed in the Netherland’s Rotterdam marathon on Saturday in what could be described as Summer conditions – a very warm 21 degrees centigrade. He finished the 26.2 mile course in 4h 12m. Rob Goodall tucked yet another race under his belt as part of his ‘Farewell UK Tour’ as he prepares for life anew in Australia. This week, he ran the Flitwick 10k in Bedfordshire. He clocked a chip time of 53.50 and finished 408^th in a field of 786 runners. Goodall enjoyed the undulating course and is now in preparation for another challenge on the list: a marathon. Pam Hardman entered her 1st duathlon on Sunday - 5k run 20k bike 5k run which consisted of a lovely course in harsh weather conditions. She raced a great race, despite some technical difficulties with bike gears.

Lytham Juniors Report

Eight junior members of the club competed in Wigan Harriers track and field open meeting on Sunday. The first event was the U11 boys Long Jump and Simon Holt did well to finish 3^rd overall with a jump of 3.11m and Farron O’Higgins jumped 2.4m to finish 11^th. In the U11 girls Long Jump Rebecca Tate jumped 2.33m to finish 15^th. Chloe Norman was Lytham’s only U13 girl and she started with the 100m in which she ran 18.3 to finish 20^th and then later in the 200m she ran a great race to finish 9^th overall in 37.00. The Sprint event for the U11 age group was the 75m and in the boys races Simon Holt had a superb run to finish 1^st in 12.4. James Nichols was 7^th in 13.1 and Farron O’Higgins 15^th in 14.5. In the Girls races Georgia Norman finished 1^st in her heat and 11^th overall in 13.6, Hollie Winstanley was 15^th in 14.5, Rosie Taylor 24^th in 15.5 and Rebecca Tate 25^th in 15.6. In the 600m the wind played its part in slowing runners down and Simon Holt was the first Lytham runner across the line to finish 4^th in 2:11.4. James Nichols had a fantastic run to record a PB finishing 7^th in 2:17.8 and close on his heals was Farron O’Higgins in 8^th (2:18.6). Hollie Winstanley, who finished 9^th, was the first Lytham girl to finish in 2:32.2 with Rosie Taylor just a few seconds behind in 2:34.2. Rebecca Tate ran well to finish 12^th in 2:40.9 as to did Georgia Norman who finished 15^th in 2:50.7.

The club staged the first of its series of junior summer handicap races last week, in which eighteen young athletes contested the race and, running his first ever handicap race, Ari Diedrichs, was the winner with Stephan Matinousky finishing a close second. Simon Holt recorded the fastest time of 4:04 and Rebecca Tate was the fastest girl in 4:38.

LSARRC News 8th April 2013

All the hard work paying off: Simon Denye at the Blackpool
Marathon, on his way to a PB and Sub 3 hour finish.

Runners in the Blackpool marathon and half marathons on Sunday were given a timely burst of spring-time sunshine and the crisp and cool temperatures contributed to favourable racing conditions. Both races started and finished at the Bloomfield Road Football Stadium, fuelling a ceremonious atmosphere, and the 13.1 mile and 26.2 mile courses followed sections of the promenade. There was cause for celebration amongst the Lytham Road Runners competing. Simon Denye, the only Lytham member running the marathon, was the first local runner to finish in a highly creditable 22^nd place, out of 636 finishers. He successfully broke the three hour barrier finishing in 2:59:29, knocking 12 minutes off his PB in the process. Denye has now achieved silver standard in the U40 category - a goal successfully achieved before his 40^th Birthday in September. In the half marathon, Joe Greenwood strode home first for the club, finishing in 16^th place in a field of 1048, in 1:21:23. Mark Selby shaved a pleasing 21 minutes off his previous half marathon time by finishing in 1:40:40, completing the race in 188^th position. Lytham Lady Sylvia Gittens produced a great result with her 2:04:07 finishing time   

Awards night: The Lytham Ladies celebrate their success
at the Mid Lancs League Presentation.

A good season for Lytham was concluded fittingly with two of the Club's teams receiving awards at the Mid Lancs League's Cross-Country Presentation at Bamber Bridge Club on Friday. Silver medals were awarded to members of the Senior Men's Team, represented by Terry Hellings, Thomas Howarth, Greg Oulton and Graham Webster and the Veteran 55 Women's Team, of whom Janice Cobley, Pam Binns, Sylvia Gittins and Dawn Lock were in attendance at the ceremony. There was an additional honour for Graham Webster.  As strongest in his age group he had been first Veteran 60 Man in four of the six races - an excellent result for this outstanding athlete.  Webster was presented with an individual trophy to add to his silver team medal. 

Webster amasses the silver. Champion V60 and Team silver medallist
in the Mid Lancs XC League.

As club member Rob Goodall counts down his remaining weeks in the UK and gets ready for life in Oz, racing still has a firm place in his agenda. Goodall tied in the Lincoln 10k whilst visiting friends, and alongside fellow LSARRC member Mark Willett, joined 5000 entrants on the start line on Sunday. Bright and brisk weather conditions brought out a great support contingent for the two laps of Lincoln City, the race concluding with a stunning finish around the cathedral and into the Castle. Willett was first home in 157th with a chip time of 39:15 and a 27sec PB. Goodall clocked in with a chip time of 51:35, 1582^nd finisher, and netting 42sec PB.

Catherine French dropping down from
Mow Cop Castle at the annual fell race.

Catherine French crossed the Lancashire border into Staffordshire on Sunday to take part in the Mow Cop spring fell dash. The annual 6.5 mile race, involving 1300ft of climb, starts and finishes at the village hall. This year’s event had it all: climb, scramble, exciting decent, woods and trail, sunshine and snow, mud and boggy bits and amazing vistas on the tops. 100 runners competed in the event, with French finishing 92^nd in 1:19:42.

LSARRC News 1st April 2013

First three finishers in the March handicap, from L - R
Pam Binns, Bob Clough and Dawn Lock.

For keen Lytham runners Easter weekend's cool crisp sunshine provided ideal running conditions, in a range of events and races, in contrast to the extreme winter weather of last weekend which forced several north-western running events to be cancelled.

The Easter period was preceded by the end-of-month Club Handicap on Thursday with nineteen taking part.  The three fastest men finished just two seconds apart in a hard fought battle particularly between Thomas Howarth in eighth place and Joe Greenwood ninth, timed in at 42:10 and 42:11 and both setting PBs. The third fastest time was recorded by Sam Banner finishing a second ahead of Howarth.  The trio's times were Banner 20:39, Howarth 20:10 and Greenwood 19:26. Topping the competition for the first three finishing places were winner Bob Clough, followed closely by Pam Binns and Dawn Lock. Rob Goodall in 4^th place ran a PB to finish clear of runner-up Alex Wiggins in the annual competition for the Roy Stevens Plate.  These two have been heading the points table for some months and their awards are well-deserved.

Charming Caldervale Village in the heart of Bowland Forest on Good Friday was the site of

A power start, with a smile, for club visitor Emily Hargreaves

the Caldervale 10 mile race. Emily Hargreaves, a visiting member from her usual residence in Austria, took advantage of the ideal weather to complete the 10 tough hilly miles in an excellent 69:33 to finish second woman and fourth overall in a field 187.  Also challenging herself at the hills was Vet 65 Sylvia Gittins who was second in her age category and 160th overall.  She finished in 1:37:24.  Dawn Lock did the 4 mile fun run, part of the same event, in 43:29, 42nd out of 57.

Still Smiling! Emily in a sprint finish, first Lytham  lady home, 2nd lady finisher
and 4th place overall.

On Saturday Salford Harriers hosted the popular Salford 10k, starting from Salford sports village. 539 entrants ran and finished a fast, flat two lap course in bright conditions. Visiting club member Steve Hargreaves led the Lytham men home finishing 34^th in 34.03. Andy Draper followed closely, just missing out on a PB but still finishing a creditable 43^rd in 35.04. Peter Cruse came in next, 74^th in 36.35, and then Simon Denye in 82^nd place, breaking 37 minutes in 36.56 and achieving his 3^rd silver standard qualifying time. Graham Webster, coming in at 39.18 for 140^th place won the 2^nd V60 and Fiona Geldard made a commendable finish for the ladies, completing the race in 56.15, 492^nd finisher.

Four club members competed in the ‘Run the Bridge’ 5 mile race at Halton on Sunday. Janice Cobley netted a tremendous finish, easily clearing her gold standard target of 45 minutes in 44.11. Graham Webster took the prize for first V60 with his 31.32 finish, and Fiona Geldard and Greg Oulton finished in similar times around the 42 minute mark.

Dawn Lock raced the 9 mile ‘Muddy Bottoms’ which covers scenic countryside to the east of the M61, starting and finishing at Bamber Bridge leisure centre. She finished in 2hrs 19min.

Rob Goodall, Debbie Cooper, Pam Hardman and Bec Willetts spent Easter running sections of the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William. Hardman and Cooper managed 80 miles from a total of 96 – with daylight and logistical issues only preventing them from completing the whole 96. Runners and supporters enjoyed the perfect crisp, clear conditions needed to enjoy the spectacular scenery.