Press Report 18/12/2012

Catherine French, Rob Goodall and Debbie Cooper complete
a Christmas scene at the Hurst Green Turkey Trot.

As we sprint towards Christmas, December races often adopt a festive theme and Lytham runners were out working up a Yule appetite at a few of these events this weekend. You’ll spot a festive race by the fast moving field of runners in fancy dress – spurred on by the prizes on offer for best costumes. At Sundays ‘Hurst Green Turkey Trot’ - a 5 mile trail race held out near Clitheroe, LSARRC’s very own Rob Goodall, dressed as a very convincing reindeer, was awarded best costume in race and went home happy with an armful of Christmas goodies. The race attracted a festively charged field of 145 entrants and took place on a perfectly crisp, sunny and still day: a real bonus after the recent icy snap and some heavy rainfall. The course was largely trail – mostly ascent for the first half and descent for the last, going through a dark, interesting and very muddy wooded section on the return. Club members Debbie Cooper and Catherine French, also in full festive attire, completed the scenic and good humoured race. Finishing times: Catherine French 1:01:52, Rob Goodall 1:01:53 and Debbie Cooper 1:01:54.

Andy Sneddon and John Wild took part in The Lakeland Trails first staging of the ‘10k Sticky Chocolate Trail Run’ at Cartmel on Saturday, in what could be described as a ‘Beauty and Beast’ of a course. The event promised mud and it did not disappoint! An undulating course starting and finishing at Carmel Racecourse gave the 340 racers mud, deep mud and even deeper mud, knee deep and beyond in places, with a number of hills thrown in for good measure. Although very testing the race proved to be enormous fun and expertly organised, as usual, by Lakeland Trail. There was the welcome reward of a Cartmel Sticky Chocolate pudding for all finishers. John Wild finished in 72m20 212/340 and Andy Sneddon in 74m25 221/340.

Andy Sneddon sprints home at the 10k Sticky Chocolate Trail Run .

At the Great Langdale Christmas Pudding 10k on Sunday, Club high achiever Andy Draper had his sights set on a new Personal Best, and did not come home disappointed. The scenic course is an out and back slightly undulating route following the Great Langdale Road, Starting at the New Dungeon Ghyll, running to The Langdale Estate in Elterwater and returning to the New Dungeon Ghyll. Draper ran a superb race, finishing 5^th overall of a field of 268,  in 34:56 and taking almost a minute off his previous personal best. His efforts were also rewarded with a prize Christmas pudding, as were all race finishers, including the elves, santas and reindeers!

LSARRC News 12th December 2012

U11 Boys Simon Holt and Harry Booth at Kendal for XC

Competition spirit warmed up the cold winters day which greeted Lytham runners at the beautiful Crooklands, Kendal, on Saturday for the third fixture of the Mid Lancs Cross Country series. A short hilly course was the order of the day, the number of laps varying according to category.  Three junior members of the club ran the event. In the U11 boys race 8yr olds Simon Holt and Harry Booth both gave good accounts of themselves with Simon finishing 32^nd in 7:48 and Harry 40^th in 8:16. In the U13 Girls race Emma Moulding produced a fantastic run to finish 7^th in 11:14.  The senior ladies were out to make their mark and defend their place in the 1^st division, following a 6k, 3 lap course. Katharine Hoyland was home first for the Women’s team (29:37), followed by Felicity Wolohan (31:29), and Catherine French (33:50). In close pursuit were Julia Rolfe (34:55), Fiona Geldard (35:39), Janice Cobley (36:18), Pamela Binns (38:10),Sylvia Gittens (38:13) and Dawn Lock (in under 60 min). LSARRC now proudly top the VF55 category in this competition. The senior men's team, following a 10k four lap course, was lead by the usual suspects of Andy Draper (38:17), Tom Howarth (39:54), Graham Webster (40:55), Terry Hellings (42:20), closely followed by Steve Quarmby (45:40) and Mark Selby (46:11) completing the 6 team members to count. Squad performances also came from Stan Greenhalgh (47:19), Colin Nelson (47:52) and cross country debutante Andy Sneddon (1:03:49). Greg Oulton started but was disappointingly unable to finish due to injury. In finishing 12th out of 22 teams and with early success in Burnley, the men’s team has every chance of moving out of the top of division 4 and gaining promotion back into division 3. In summary, another fantastic day for LSARRC XC.

The Senior LSARRC XC Squad

Colin Laidlaw strides the Longridge  7

On Sunday Lytham club members Colin Laidlaw, Sylvia Gittens and Vicki Cummings took part in the Longridge 7 mile race. The event followed a tough hilly course, but one which affords great views over the valleys. Laidlaw put in a pleasing performance, passing 5 or 6 runners on mile 4 up Jeffery Hill and maintaining his position to the finish. He completed the race in 52:05, 58^th place in a field of 213. Vicki Cummings was 152^nd overall, finishing in 1:04:32 and Sylvia Gittens was 171^st to complete in 1:08:15.

 

‘Team Ashworth’ were away to Bradford for a weekender at the start of December and whilst away they competed in the inaugural Bradford City 10k run. It took place on a glorious cold and crisp winter morning, with both Laura and Kev enjoying the course (despite all entrants running about 1k short of the ‘10k’ distance due to a marshalling error). Laura did exceptionally well to scoop the prize for first lady V35 (chip time of 38:58), whilst Kev too had a decent run to finish 61^st out of the total 538 competitors with a chip time of 35:41.

Rob G and Debbie C gaining their lead on the bikes!

Rob Goodall and Debbie Cooper set up a race challenge with pals around the Tocholes and Darwen Moor area on Sunday. It involved a 5.2 mile trail/fell route with about 700ft of climb, Debbie and Rob running, the other 2 competitors on mountain bikes. The bikers took an early lead with the downhill start but by the first mile the runners caught them on the hill out of Tocholes wood and then extended the lead on the climb up to Darwen Moor. The runners knew the hills would favour them but anticipated that once on the moor, the bikes would chase them down. However, the recent weather made conditions difficult atop the moor, particularly for the bikes, forcing them to dismount and push for for good sections. The runners, oblivious to their advantage, still pushed hard, and with the last mile mostly downhill, made it their quickest mile of the day to finish in just over an hour. The bikers had had it hard over the tops and approached the finish about 20 minutes later. The biking contingent have requested a re-match next year, hoping that fairer weather might swing the result a little closer!

LSARRC News 5th December 2012

The Lytham St Annes runners have been taking wintry conditions in their stride and displaying their usual zest in a range of events this week. On Sunday seven members took on the Guy’s 10 mile challenge starting from Bilsborrow near Garstang, hosted by Garstang RC. The course followed one flat, fast scenic lap progressing along St Michaels Road, Pinfold Lane, Preston Road, and returning through Woods Lane/Sowerby Road back to St Michael’s Road. In a field of 318, Peter Cruse’s performance won him first place back for both the club and his MV50 age category, finishing in 23^rd position overall in 1:01:43. Tom Haworth was next home, 29^th finisher overall in 1:03:01, followed by Steve Quarmby, 124^th in 1:36:37 and Trevor Willoughby 198^th, 1:22:15.  Andy Sneddon hit a good PB with his 1:36:37 time, 286^th finisher, which concluded a remarkable fortnight for him in which he achieved four personal bests including a 10k, a half-marathon and the club handicap. Janice Cobley and Bec Willetts ran for the women, Willetts as 225^th finisher in 1:25:46 and Cobley finishing in a creditable 1:36:30 in 282^nd place achieving her a high silver in Lady’s race standards.

                                 A line-up of the first 5 finishers in the November club handicap, from left,

                                 Jeremy McCandless, Janice Cobley, Derek Caborn,Pam Binns, and Andy Sneddon.

Also on Sunday Colin Laidlaw and Graham Webster travelled to Leigh for the Northern Veterans Athletics Club annual time prediction race. Distinguishing this event is that prior to racing, runners declare their predicted finishing time and the winner is the person whose actual time is closest to their predicted time. The 35 entrants ran either a 5k or a 10k course, almost entirely along parkland trails. Webster opted for the 10k and was first over the finish line in 38:50, positioning him 15th in the competition finishing 50 seconds quicker than his predicted time. Laidlaw also running completed the course in 42:40, 60 seconds quicker than his predicted time for 16th place.

Club member Greg Oulton made his half marathon debut in Las Vegas this weekend, finishing in a good time of 2:03:58.

Thursday’s frosty November evening brought out a number of good performances amongst regulars at the clubs monthly handicap fixture, seven of them running PB’s. Of particular note were those of Andy Sneddon, who won the race, and Laura Ashworth. Records show Laura’s previous best to have been set way back in November 2006 and, as she has competed in almost every handicap since, it was a remarkable run.  Another PB for Rob Goodall keeps him at the top of table with an increased his lead over nearest challengers Alex Wiggins and Joe Greenwood.

Two new runners took part, Carla Robinson and Barbara Holmes, along with Derek Caborn returning after a long absence.  

 
Lytham's mature ladies are topping the Mid Lancs League cross country tables after last week's event at Liverpool. Finishing second to Southport Waterloo AC and Red Rose Runners in the first round, they now head the WV55's table with 18 points and stand in good stead for a medal at the April Presentation. Pleasing results also for the gents, who find themselves top of the Mid Lancs cross country table (Division 4) after 2 fixtures. Club members are preparing to produce more inspired performances at the next stage of the competition on Saturday at Kendal.