LSARRC News 7th April 2015

Two Lytham athletes, Graham Webster and Greg Oulton, joined fellow athletes representing Great Britain including, in their party, members from BWFAC and Wesham RR, to compete in the European Masters Indoor Athletics Championships in Torun, Poland in late March and between them ran seven events.

Competing on the first day in the 3000m Webster in the V60s finished 13th in a field of 25 in 11:11.02 and Oulton, in his first competition indoors, equalled his pb with 13:29.94, 11th in the V45s.  Two days later Webster ran 2:32.97 in a hard-fought 800m semi-final to qualify for the final where he improved on his previous time with 2:32.40 to finish 8th in a top class field, just 7 seconds behind the European Champion.

The following day both ran the hilly 5k Cross Country in their age groups in light rain which aided runners by damping down rising dust and cooling competitors.  Webster completed the course in 16:51.8, finishing 10th out of 32 starters and 2nd counter in the GB team which took silver and Oulton completed the course 18th in 20:52.3.  A few hours later Webster was back on the track running the 1500m final in which he finished 9th out of 15 in 5:15.97, just 15 seconds behind the European Champion.

Webster, a prolific racer, headed south the following weekend to combine the Exeter Fast Friday 10k with a family visit and, on an undulating four-lap course, finished first V60, 25th of 125 in a time of 41.14.

Greg Oulton coming down Pendle Hill

The Pendle Hill Fell Race this weekend served as the Lancashire AA Championship.  Lytham members Oulton and Joanna Goorney made the journey to Barley to take on this notoriously difficult race with two major climbs totalling 1300 feet over 5.6 miles.  Well-known fell runner Tom Addison of Helm Hill Harriers led a field of 291 runners in a time of 32:40.  Goorney won the Championship bronze medal finishing 84th overall, 5th lady and 1st FV40 in 44:11.  Oulton was 252nd in 58:01.

Joanna Goorney  - 3rd Lancashire Lady and 1st vet 40

The high-standard Salford 10K attracts quality athletes from a wide area with the first fifty putting in under 35 minute performances and winner Gareth Raven, an impressive 30:40.  Amongst the 545 competitors were three from Lytham St.Annes RRC.  Simon Denye, MV40, was 50th in 34:59.  Next Lytham runner was Neil Tate, 108th in 37:33 and Louisa Ruman finished 405th in 58:56.  Mark Willett ran the Halewood 5k.

Dawn Lock took the opportunity of the close proximity of the UK's premier orienteering festival, the JK, to compete in the W70 Sprint Championship, won by Nordic ace Torid Kvaal in a superb 15:17, achieving silver standard, 21st in 26:35, at Lancaster University on Day 1 and orange standard on the non-championship course, 16th in 57:28, won in a speedy 32:07 at Biglands Estate, Newby Bridge on Day 3.