LSARRC Press Report 18th October 2011

"How fast?"

The Green Drive Five race is the showpiece event for Lytham St Annes Road Runners. Popular locally with fun runners and serious athletes alike, this five-mile race is well organised and incorporates the Lancashire championships for this distance.


As well as Lytham other local clubs were heavily represented in the race. However over one-third of the 346 finishers were “unattached”, that is not members of a running club and mostly Fylde residents. The flat and fast course attracted a strong field with some good finishing times.

The race was won in 24:09 by England International steeplechaser Stuart Stokes from Sale Harriers.

The winner of the women’s race for the second year running was Lytham’s own Sue Samme. Sue, whose time of 29:58 was just one second slower than last year, is currently enjoying a rich vein of form. She is second in the British and first in the English rankings for her age group. This has led to her selection for the England team at the British & Irish cross-country championships in Glasgow next month.


The winner of the Lancashire championship was Blackpool’s Stuart Robinson, who came second in the race. As well as Sue Samme taking her prizes Lytham club champion Nigel Thompson won the MV45 category. Despite returning from injury Nigel finished seventh in the race with a time of 27:48 and was the second veteran.

Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde AC again took the men’s team prize but the lady’s crown was taken from them by Wesham Road Runners. Lytham’s ladies team of Sue Samme, Barbara Holmes and Pam Hardman were third.