Winning smiles from the ladies XC team, from L-R Mel Koth,
Janice Cobley, Pam Binns, Sylvia Gittens, Dawn Lock, Laura Ashworth.

2013 is going to be a year to remember for the Lytham Runners if the outstanding individual and team performances already produced are anything to go by. The squad returned laden with medals from the Lancashire Cross-Country Championships on Saturday. On a few previous notable occasions, the Club has snapped up one, two or even three medals but never before in its fifteen-year history has it come home with nine county medals. But that is precisely what the sixteen members did when they won three golds, two silvers and four bronzes. Add in the junior selection for Lancashire and it became truly a red letter day for the Club.

Just five days into the new year, the Championships were graced with beautiful weather and ideal running conditions; lucky as Witton Park remains one of the toughest challenges faced by cross-country runners in the northwest. All age categories apart from the under elevens had to face at least one climb up the notorious saucer and for the seniors it was three for the women and four for the men.

Heading for the Inter-Counties
Championships: U13G
Ella Moulding.

Foremost in the medal toll were the seven members of the women's team who took away eight medals between them. Another was added by one of the six-strong men's team and Lytham's only U13 girl won selection to run for the county.

Highest placed Lytham woman was Melanie Koth whose 27th place and 34.10 gave her an individual silver in the WV35 category and with Laura Ashworth and Janice Cobley, bronze in the veteran's team competition. Janice won individual gold in the WV60 category as did Sylvia Gittins in the WV65 category. With team mates Pamela Binns in silver position and Dawn Lock in bronze, it was a clean sweep for Lytham in the WV65 category. Capping the whole experience was having Lytham's reigning champion Susan Samme presenting the medals.

An hour later in the men's race Graham Webster was the first MV60 out of six across the line in an impressive 44.39 to take the individual gold medal and to bring the Club's tally to an all-time record nine medals. First for Lytham was Thomas Howarth who is really getting to grips with cross-country running, finishing 62nd in 42.48 in a high class field led in by local Blackburn star Ben Fish in a searing 33.46 for the 9.9k course. The men's team finished a creditable 10th in the open and 7th in the vets.

Just outside the medals but with the Club's highest placing of the day and automatic selection to the Lancashire team for the junior Inter-Counties Championships in Birmingham was U13G Ella Moulding with a stunning 13.26 in 4th place, 26 seconds behind the leader. Two others represented the LSARRC junior section; Simon Holt in the U11B's and Alexander Stanier in the U17M's

Mel Koth at XC Championships, the first part of her weekend of success. 

At the Central Lancashire New Years Half Marathon Mel Koth’s success story continued, where she won the prize for 3^rd female in race in a speedy 1.33.18 (49^th place overall); also first lady back for the club. Conditions were still, mild and dry for the mostly flat and rural course which started and finished in the small village of Catforth. The race attracted a field of 300+ entrants, amongst them 8 Lytham members. Joe Greenwood was first home for the Club and 16^th overall in a fast 1.22.33. Next was Koth, and then Catherine French, running her 1^st half marathon in 1.52.20 (161^st place) and well within her 2 hour target. Following were Graham Young, 190^th in 1.56.40 and hitting a PB, Pippa Hughes, 214^th in 1.59.30, Janice Cobley 231^st in 2.03.59 (a gold standard run), Rob Goodall, 275^th in 2.08.43 and Pam Binns, 275^th in 2.13.51 and also a PB.

LANCASHIRE CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS + FULL RESULTS: U11Bs 1.8k - Simon Holt, 32nd in 9.49; U13Gs 3.1k - Emma Moulding, 4th in 13.26; U17M 5.4k - Alexander Stanier, 24th in 23.20; SW 6.9k - Melanie Koth, 27th in 34.10, Laura Ashworth, 38th in 38,21, Janice Cobley, 45th in44.03, Fiona Geldard, 46th in 44.40, Sylvia Gittins, 47th in 45.25, Pamela Binns, 48th in 48.36, Dawn Lock, 52nd in 55.55; SM 9.9k - Thomas Howarth, 62nd in 42.48, Graham Webster, 78th in 44.39, Terry Hellings, 94th in 46.04, Kevin Ashworth, 99th in 46.46, Colin Laidlaw, 116th in 50.27, Colin Nelson, 122nd in 52.17.