LSARRC News 15th March 2015

LSARRC runners at the Lytham Hall parkrun

Lytham St Annes RRC took over the organising of the Lytham Hall Park run this week and were out in force. There was something for everyone with Lytham providing 20 helpers and 21 competitors from age 9 to over 70 and from complete beginners to former GB internationals athletes.

Colin Laidlaw

First home for Lytham was new recruit Chris McCarthy in 17:39 for 3rd place, Andy Unsworth , Neil Roberts and Ian Tate were next in 19:19, 21:09 and 21:17 respectively (10th, 17th and 18th) all recording personal best times for the Lytham Hall parkrun. Others competing for Lytham were Alan Elstone (24th, 22:00), Mark Selby (32nd, 22:51) and Graham Webster (42nd, 23:32) running with Morgan Pritchard in his first ever 5k race. Morgan ran exceptionally well to record a time of 23:3 for 41st place overall and first under 11 boy. John Wild was next home in 28>22 (95th), 10 year old girls Keira Van Bogerijen and Amara Thorpe also in their first 5ks were next home for Lytham in 31:29 and 32:12 with Rebecca Willets keeping Amara company in (131st, 32:13) closely followed by Louise Charnock (32:19, 134th). Neil Tate ran with his 7 year old daughter Sophie who ran very well finishing in 35.44 for 163rd place. Other Lytham juniors were under 11 siblings Clemmie and Hebe Tierney finishing in 37:34 and 37:35 for 171st and 172nd place.

LSARRC marshalls at the Lytham Hall parkrun

Vicky Wylie (32:25), Michelle Theobald (34:09), Sarah Bagshaw (35:38), Katie Newton (35:36), Vicky Benson (35:37)Jenny Lewandowski (36:03) and Nina Dyer from the Lytham St Annes Road Runners beginners group were accompanied by experienced runners Sue Samme and Nigel Simpkin and did well to complete their first parkrun after just a few weeks of training. Jeremy Mcandless accompanied by his dog Ella in a Lytham club vest acted as sweep.

Over in Liverpool, Felicity Wolohan ran the Princes parkrun whwew there were 209 finishers.  She finished in 47th and 2nd lady in a time of 23:35

On Saturday, Debbie Cooper ran the Howarth Hobble which traverses gritstone moors around Haworth, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge.  The course if 34 miles with 4400 feet of ascent/descent.  She completed the course in 6:27:30 in167th place.

Andy Draper

Claire England

The Sweatshop 10 was the big local race on Sunday morning attracting a large contingent of LSARRC runners.  The 10 mile race from Bispham, Blackpool takes in 2 laps of the north promenade.  The race was won by James Kevan of Horwich RMI Harriers in 53:04 whilst Sharon Johnstone of Wilmslow RC was first lady in 1:03:35.  Andy Draper was first home for the club in 15th place just missing sub 1 hour in 1:00:25.  Just behind in 19th place was Tom Howarth in 1:01:19.  Graham Webster showing his current excellent form was 65th and 1st vet 60 in 1:09:31.  Dave Dunn was 109th in 1:16:26, Claire England was 141st in 1:21:51,  Sue Hawitt was 166th in 1:27:17 LC, Sylvia Gittins was 190th and 1st vet70 1:33:25 which was also a club record, Jeremy McCandless was 191st in 1:33:28 and Pamela Hardman was 201st in 1:35:43.

The Don Morrison Memorial Edale Skyline Fell Race was held on Sunday.  Weather conditions for this tough 21.1 mile race with 4505 feet of ascent in the heart of the Peak District were nearly perfect although the previous weekend's snowfall had left the second half of the course on the southern edge of the Kinder plateau difficult underfoot with slushy snow covering much of the terrain.  Joanna Goorney was pleased to complete the course in 4:22:00 finishing in 114th place.

Greg Oulton ran the Roddlesworth Roller 5.5 trail race from Abbey Village finishing in 199th place in 58:42   He found it a great race in beautiful surroundings (Roddlesworth reservoir / Tockholes woodland) with lots of hills included.

After the Roller there was a junior race, the Daffodil Doddle which went along the road alongside the reservoir and then into the woods.  Eleven year old Max Talbert represented the club doing really well, with a brilliant sprint finish at the end to pass another runner and pip him at the post.  Max finished in 24th place in 8:57 for the 2.2km course out of 183 finishers.

Als and Rachael

Racheal Wignall and Alex Everest completed the Vitality Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday.  For Racheal, this run was treated as a training run to help prepare her for the London Marathon this year whilst for Alex, it  was her first half marathon.

The race began with very mild conditions, which became very sunnier as the race progressed, with Rachel getting sunburnt whilst running!  The race started at the Albert Docks, through Princes Road, Devonshire Road, Belvidere Road and onto Sefton Park.  It then went round Sefton park and back along the Liverpool Leeds Canal, eventually finishing back at the Albert Docks.

As runners from the the Fylde coast, the girls don't encounter many hills so when they had to run up and down 4 before the 5th mile, they were a little worried about the ‘undulating’ Sefton Park part of the race.  By the time they got to Sefton Park, the course had settled down though and they we were only faced with very slight undulation.  Around eight miles, Alex started to feel her body crash but was spurred on by a friendly face, fellow LSARRC Felicity Wolohon.  The last three miles were very picturesque, running along the Liverpool, Leeds canal!  All in all, Alex found it a very hard course, with a few more hills than she was used to, very hot towards the end and thoroughly enjoyable.

Alex finished in 2061st place in an excellent first half marathon time of 1:53:53 whilst Racheal was 3294th  in a time of 2:07:34.