LSARRC Press Report 24th April 2012

Nearly 36,000 competitors started the London Marathon this year, the third highest number ever. This is the highlight of the year for many athletes and fun-runners alike and they were helped over the 42.195 kilometres by good running conditions of cool weather with only a light breeze.

Andy & Gill

Nigel

Lytham St Annes Road Runners’ Nigel Thompson made a late decision to run here for the twelfth time. Plagued by injury over the last year he did well to finish within three hours. But he wasn’t the club’s fastest this time. That honour went to Andy Draper whose chip time was just eighteen seconds better.

Andy also achieved a “negative split”, that is he ran the second half of the race quicker than the first. Quite an achievement in a marathon but that was nothing compared to what he achieved later. That evening he proposed to his lovely girlfriend and fellow club member, Gill. And, of course, she accepted. Congratulations to both from all at the club

Mel

Someone else with a perfect day was Lytham’s first woman, Mel Koth. Mel smashed her personal best by over eight minutes to ensure automatic qualification for next year.


Seasoned marathon runner Roy Stevens was the 74th vet 60 while marathon debutant Lucinda Prothero also finished in well under four hours. Lucinda put in a massive amount of training in preparation for London but unfortunately contracted bronchitis two weeks ago. She recovered in just in time to thoroughly enjoy her day.

Also running for Lytham were Richard Storey (4:52:19) and ultra runners Mark Willett (3:18:46) and Rob Goodall (5:02:05).

Mark, Rob and Andy

The final mention of London is one of congratulations to Shelley Woods from all at Lytham St Annes Road Runners for her superb performance in the Ladies wheelchair marathon. Shelley won by a country mile; well-deserved after all her hard work, and the disappointments of the last couple of years.


Lytham results for London: Andy Draper 2:53:19, 669th; Nigel Thompson 2:53:37, 686th and 64th vet 45; Mel Koth 3:13:24, 2423rd and 194th woman; Mark Willett 3:18:46, 3033rd; Roy Stevens 3:45:02 , 7234th and 74th vet 60; Lucinda Prothero 3:52:55, 9000th; Richard Storey 4:52:08, 24161 and Rob Goodall 5:02:05, 26291st.


While everyone else was trudging around London Tony Croft was galloping around Garstang in the Garstang Gallop 10k. Tony was 10th overall and the second man over 50 in 39:33. Also there was Trevor Willoughby, a little further down the field in 68th.


Last but not least Sylvia Gittens was the first female vet 65 in 57:06 at the St George’s Day 10k in Great Langdale.