LSARRC News 22nd April 2013

Lytham Club members Andy Draper, Wille Richmond, Emily Hargreaves and Steve Hargreaves were in the sunny capital on Sunday competing in the celebrated London Marathon. They were amongst a massive 36,000 other athletes, fun-runners and fund-raisers all ready to race at 10am. Andy Draper finished in a great time of 2.41.27, just outside of his target of 2.40, but still knocking a significant chunk of three minutes off his previous personal best, ran at the Preston Guild marathon last year. Willie Richmond crossed the finish line in 3.44.11. The London Marathon runners fell silent on the start line on Sunday in memory of those who died in the Boston bomb attacks. There was a 30-second silence just before the start of the men's elite race and mass start at 10am. Many there wore black ribbons in a show of solidarity to those affected by the terror strikes at the finish of the Boston Marathon last Monday. The men's race was won by Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede in a time of 2:06:04 whilst Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo won the women's race in 2:20:15.

Five Lytham Road Runners turned out for the ‘Garstang Gallop’ 10k road race on Sunday, hosted by Garstang Running Club. A sunny start to the weekend, including the early hours of Sunday, had looked promising for the race however the clouds rolled in bringing rain and a cool breeze with them. The field of 138 competitors on the starting line at 11am were undeterred however, among them 5 sporting the green Lytham vest.  The course was rural, hilly and scenic, including the toughest stretches of climb in the first section of the race. Club high achiever Peter Cruse finished first for LSARRC, finishing in 9^th place overall in 39.40 and collecting the prize for 1^st MV50. Colin Laidlaw was next in, 42^nd overall in 46.38, followed by Steve Quarmby, 53^rd in 47.37 and Trevor Willoughby crossing the finish line in 79^th position, clocking 52.48. Catherine French was Lytham’s only female runner, finishing in 104^th place overall in 57.00. The race was won by John Lloyd, MV35, of Todmorden Harriers who finished the race in 36.07, and the female winner was Rebecca Sheffield (unattached), clocking in at 39.58.