LSARRC News 23rd July 2013

Lytham competitors get ready to run for their supper at the
Caldervale village race. Pictured from L-R
Dawn Lock, Thomas Haworth, Graham Webster, Colin Laidlaw,
Julia Rolfe, Jim Whitworth, Bec Willett, Pamela Hardman,
Richard Story. 

The Calder Vale Supper Run on Thursday was an evening of running which had it all: held in perfect conditions, a scenic course with a challenge of three major climbs and hardly a level stretch anywhere followed by pie and peas for hungry finishers. 

It was a surprisingly high quality field for this modest 3.8 mile run. Three-quarters of the eighty-one contestants were club runners and several clubs, including Lytham, had turned out in large numbers.  At the front end one minute separated the first three with Blackpool Wyre & Fylde's Malcolm Eadie, to win in 20:50 ahead of Preston Harriers' Jason Parker, 21:30, and Paul Muller of Horwich, 21:51.

The race climbs from the village centre in its deep valley to the main road, heads north on a rolling course before turning east to climb to a view point from which tail-enders can look across to watch the leaders on the next climb.  It then descends to Oakenclough Mill to climb for a third and final time and lose the height in the last 0.8 miles back to the village centre. Fifteen members of the Club took on the big climbs in this short but testing event: hot and sweaty after another blistering day. 

Thomas Howarth was first of the Lytham contingent home in 6th place and 23:45.  Graham Webster came in two places later in 24:51 and first Vet60.  Colin Laidlaw was next, 22nd in 27:42 with Richard Storey fourth in 27th place and 29:09.  Brian Porter was 40th in 31:24.

A strong team from Lancaster & Morecambe took all the women's prizes: Helen Booth, 7th in 24:10, Maria Snell, 11th in 25:26 and Hannah Fleet, 15th in 26:24. Lytham's women were led in by Pamela Hardman, in good form with 31:27 in 31st position.  Rebecca Willetts was 46th in 32:09 one place ahead of Julia Rolfe in 32:32:19.

FULL RESULTS:  6th Thomas Howarth, SM, 23:45; 8th Graham Webster, MV60, 24:51; 22nd Colin Laidlaw, MV55, 27:42; 27th Richard Storey, MV40, 29:09;  40th Brian Porter, MV40, 31:24; 41st Pamela Hardman, 31:27; 46th Rebecca Willetts, WV40, 32:09; 47th Julia Rolfe, WV50, 32:19; 49th Greg Oulton, MV45, 32:29; 56th Jim Whitworth, MV65, 35:24; 60th Bill Lock, MV70, 35:42; 63rd Fiona Geldard, WV45, 37:15; 64th Janice Cobley, WV60, 37:36; 65th Pam Binns, WV65, 37:36; 76th 
Dawn Lock, WV65, 41:47.

It was a productive trip for the five Lytham men to Ormskirk Athletics Stadium on Sunday for the Mid Lancs League Track and Field. Thomas Howarth, Graham Webster, Terry Hellings, Greg Oulton and Jeremy McCandless brought back 40 points, many of them from the Clubs two throwers McCandless and Oulton. With today's points Lytham St. Annes RRC has moved up to 8th place in Senior Men's Div.2 with a total of 144. 

On a day when there was a break from the intense heat, Lytham members headed to Ormskirk to compete at the University's stadium for the first time at this newly introduced venue. Lytham scored points in the relays, 3000m, hammer throw, shot, discus and javelin. Biggest individual scorer was McCandless who scored 5 points for his hammer throw of 13.84. 

Pamela Hardman had a busy weekend running, starting with the Elswick 10miler on Saturday. She completed the race in 1.32.40 in pleasant rural surroundings. She had enough energy left on Sunday to run the Blackpool Summer 10k in a field of 389 competitors. She finished in 52.06, 176^th finisher. Brian Porter was also running in this event, crossing the line in 51.15, 162^nd place overall.