LSARRC News 31st March 2015

Sylvia Gittins, Pam Binns and Dawn Lock

 LSARRC's most senior ladies certainly made their mark in the Club's 3.45 miles March Handicap race when the oldest competitors filled the first three places; a surprise outcome but nonetheless one showing just how keenly they all retain their competitiveness after many years of running.  In a close finish two WV70s, Pam Binns and Dawn Lock, came 1st and 3rd respectively while WV65 Sylvia Gittins in 2nd place recorded a second successive personal best.

Neil Tate and Jeremy McCandless

Being the last race counting for the annual championship this led to a hard-fought race within the race among the number who could take second place and the silver medal from leader Neil Tate.  Coming closest was Karen Lanigan who gave her all to record her best time of the winter and finish ahead of Neil Tate but it wasn't quite enough to overtake Tate who finishes runner-up.  The undisputed 2015 champion is Jeremy McCandless who has headed the table throughout the past twelve months and finished the year emphatically with not only another personal best but also a record 258 points to be a most deserving winner of the Handicap Plate. Neil Tate with 230 points took the Silver Medal with challenger Karen Lanigan just 5 points adrift in 3rd place.

March Results: 1, Pam Binns, 33.40; 2, Sylvia Gittins, 32.00 PB; 3, Dawn Lock, 44.54; 4, Jeremy McCandless,  30.04 PB; 5, Karen Lanigan, 33.36; 6, Alan Elstone, 25.06 PB; 7, Neil Tate, 21.02; 8, Tom Howarth,  20.36; 9, Justin Allitt, 23.56; 10, Joe Greenwood, 19.30; 11, Colin Laidlaw, 24.38; 12, Alex Wiggins, 27.12; 13, Ian Tate,  25.17; 14, Bec Willetts, 35.33; n/c Sue Hawitt 35.33.

2015 Handicap Championship leading places: Jeremy McCandless 258 points; Neil Tate 230; Karen Lanigan 225; Tom Howarth 221; Joe Greenwood 216; Graham Webster 210; Dawn Lock 208; Alex Wiggins 207.

Felicity Wolohan

Five members of Lytham St Annes made their way south on Saturday 28th to compete amongst the fifty-nine teams entered in the Women's Northern Six Stage Road Relay Championships at Sefton Park, Liverpool.  Incessant heavy rain on the journey down didn't bode well but skies cleared shortly before eleven and warm weak sunshine predominated for the entire time of the relays.

Long legs are the newly introduced feature of this year's relays.  Leg 1 and Leg 4 consisted of 7600m with two laps of the attractive Sefton Park course which made the most of the area winding round the major drives leading competitors to the extreme south of the park and taking in gorgeous swaths of spring flowers, the large lake and its attractive tributaries.  Short Legs 2, 3, 5 and 6 were 3900m and one-lap long.

Fiona Geldard

Long legs were taken by Felicity Wolohan on Leg 1 who finished 55th in 37:34 having found the headwind on some course sections testing and Fiona Geldard on Leg 4 who finished in the team's fastest lapping time of 36:31 to gain one place.  Louisa Ruman, doing her first championship relay, managed a very creditable 19:30, 55th, and handed over to Karen Lanigan, running well for the second time in three days, to finish in 22:54.  Dawn Lock ran Leg 5 in 29:19, maintaining 55th position. 

Runners in the next day's Liverpool Half Marathon were less lucky with the weather and endured continuous heavy rain.  Long-standing club members Roy Stevens joined the 5000 finishers to complete the race in a good-for-age time of 1:47:21, 15th MV60 and 1384th overall.