LSARRC News 21st May 2013

Graham Webster scoring top points for Lytham in the
Track & Field at Preston.

Lytham St. Annes RRC competed at the second round of the Mid Lancs League's track and field season at Preston on Saturday. In below par weather conditions the three-man team of Thomas Howarth, Graham Webster and Terry Hellings gained the maximum 7 points for their performance in the longest track distances of the day, the 3000 metres.  Other individual performances added another 8 points to consolidate Lytham's standing in Division. Taking the opportunity to do earlier races before the 3000m, club members Howarth, Webster and junior girl Camryn Spector competed in the 800m.  The Senior Men's 800m race was won by the talented Jamaine Coleman of Preston Harriers in a stunning sub-two minute finish of 1:55.6.  Lytham's athletes Howarth and Webster ran 2:28.3 and 2:35.5 for 13th and 16th place respectively.  Under 15 girl Camryn Spector, the club's only junior representative, appeared on the Mid Lancs track for the first time and ran a creditable 2:46.1 for 16th place ahead of eight others.  Her efforts earned the Club 2 points and set a personal best for her.  Howarth and Webster were again in action in the mid-meeting 1500m where they finished in adjacent places 10th and 11th in 5:06.9 and 5:18.3, against a winning time of 4: 17.4, gaining between them a useful 5 points.

In the 3000m Howarth was Lytham's fastest competitor with 10:55.8 and 10th place ahead of Webster, 12th in 11:24.5 and Hellings, 14th in 11:55.0. At the race front was Preston Harriers' Christopher Durney posting a challenging 9:28.4.  

                                 

Fortunately for the 7 Lytham members who took part in the first of the Club’s summer runs on Sunday, the sun was out shining brightly. Runners met up in the centre of the pretty and unspoilt village of Calder Vale for the social run. Climbing at first steeply out of the village, the group followed a scenic and undulating seven-mile route that highlighted the best of this beautiful area and encompassed farm tracks, Grizedale Reservoir, Holme Wood, Harris End Fell road and Okenclough before returning via St. John's Church and the magnificent bluebell wood.  The homemade cakes made a welcome climax to the Lytham runners' day out.

On Sunday Colin Laidlaw took part in the Pilling UK Diabetes 10k Road Race and Fun Run. Approximately 25 runners lined up on the start line for the 10k over a flat two and half lap course. This was a self-timed event and Laidlaw finished 4th, stopping his watch in 45 minutes 11 seconds. The winner was Maria Snell, Lancaster and Morecambe Athletic Club, with a time of 43 minutes 43 seconds.

Richard Storey, Rebecca Willetts, Laura Ashworth and Pam Hardman ran the Howgill Harriers 10k road race at Kirby Stephen on Sunday. Members arrived at a small friendly race and followed a tough course on country lanes, rewarded with tea & cakes to finish. Catherine French has been pursuing more off-road racing experiences, the first of the week at the Shining Tor 4 mile fell race in the dark peak region of Derbyshire. The tough race started from the stunning Errswood Reservoir on an idyllic Wednesday evening and involved 1000ft of ascent. On Sunday French completed the formidable Scafell Pike Trail Marathon; the long distance event challenging runners to 1,800m of ascent set against the breathtaking vistas of the Lake District. Greg Oulton, whilst holidaying in the US, packed his trainers and scheduled in the Brooklyn half marathon. He finished comfortably in the top half of a field of 21,378 competitors.