The 23rd Great North West Half Marathon is one of the more popular races in the regional calendar and over 1000 eager competitors took part in it on Sunday.
Held again in Blackpool, the race started and finished opposite the Hilton Hotel, using the promenade walkways between Talbot Square and Anchorsholme. Cool and unseasonably calm weather made for excellent running conditions and there were several personal bests recorded.
Lytham St Annes Road Runners had nine members participating including Peter Cruse, who was the second M45. Also finishing in under ninety minutes was Joe Greenwood.
Further along marathon newcomer Kevin Ashworth ran much of the race with fellow member Steve Quarmby. Kevin enjoyed the experience and his good time has given him the confidence to try other races at this distance. Meanwhile rapidly improving Steve clocked up yet another pb.
Stuart Henderson and Rob Goodall also recorded pbs. Stuart found himself near the eight-minute mile pacemaker and managed to stay with him for twelve miles to knock over five minutes off his previous best.
Even in cool conditions hydration is essential for such a distance and several members of Lytham Road Runners unselfishly gave up a large chunk of their Sunday to man a water station. Handing out bottles of water to over 1000 people as they run past is not an easy task but the volunteers cheerfully added plenty of encouragement to boot.
Lytham Results from Great NW Half: Peter Cruse 12th and 2nd M45, 1:18:48; Joe Greenwood 109th, 01:29:39; Willie Richmond 230th, 01:37:04; Mark Willett 240th, 01:37:39; Steve Quarmby 305th, 01:40:13; Kevin Ashworth 307th, 01:40:14; Roy Stevens 332nd and 4th M60, 01:41:34; Stuart Henderson 472nd, 01:46:29 and Rob Goodall 914th, 02:11:32.
Rob Goodall, along with Debbie Copper, also ran in the unusually named “Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un” fell race on Friday night. Held near Darwin at 19:30 this is not for the faint-hearted for, as it title suggests, it is held in darkness. It is only five miles but the climb is 702 feet. And what goes up has to come down, and in the dark that is not easy.
This race was Debbie’s first night race and Rob’s first fell race of any description and they finished ……… last! But it’s the taking part that counts and being last is of no matter to them; this was merely part of the training towards the forthcoming Lakeland 50 ultra marathon in July.
Some club members will travel far and wide to find a race to their liking. Pam Hardman popped over to Malta for a long weekend to run in the Malta half-marathon. Tough but someone has to do it. In warm conditions and with some hill climbs Pam did well to clock a time of approximately 01:55:00.
Finally in the club handicap on Thursday Andy Reid won with a personal best time while junior Nicole Hadlow had a fine run to finish second. After this, the penultimate race in the season, Tony Rudd moved up to second place in the table. However the March race will effectively be a run-off between leader Kevin Ashworth and third placed Rob Goodall for the title.
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