LSARRC News 22nd December 2015

Barbara Holmes at the Lytham Hall parkrun

Thursday night saw the club's monthly handicap race.  There was an exciting chase to the line for first place with Steve Ashton, running a PB, just overtaking Dawn Lock, running her best race for almost two years, over the final 50 metres.  There were some quick times overall this month with five competitors earning bonus points for recording PBs.  Fastest on the night was newcomer Alex Vazquez who recorded an impressive 20:08 for his very first run on the 3.45 miles course.

Sue Hawitt with 179 points retains her lead on the annual points table and as she has completed one or two races less than her closest rivals is now a strong favourite to win the Handicap Plate.  Only two points behind are Dawn Lock and Neil Tate but probably the best placed of her challengers is Debbie Cooper who after a good run of high places holds sixth spot with 139 points from only five races.

December full results: 1 Steve Ashton, 28.15 PB; 2 Dawn Lock, 44.26; 3 Julia Rolfe, 28.57; 4, Debbie Cooper, 27.08; 5 Alan Elstone,23.17 PB; 6, Neil Tate,  20.29 PB; 7 Barbara Holmes, 26.07 PB; 8 Sue Hawitt, 28.38 PB; 9 Jeremy McCandless 32.02; 10 Tom Haworth,  22.43; 11 Sylvia Gittins, 32.25; 12 Pam Binns, 35.56; n/c Tony Holt, 41.49; Alex Vazquez, 20.08; Dawn Bloor, 27.23; Gerry Brown, 26.20.

Instead of the usual Jacob's Join afterwards at the Lytham YMCA, participants instead retired to the Ship and Royal in Lytham for food and drink and an excellent Xmas themed quiz provided by Bill Lock.

Debbie Cooper

 

Neil Bayton-Roberts

On Saturday morning, Lytham St Annes were well represented at different parkruns.

The 3rd running of Lytham Hall park took place on a substitute four lap “B” route w instead of the normal route due to the amount of mud.  The run attracted 68 runners with 9 from LSARRC.  Ben Everson of Trafford AC was first home in 17:23 whilst Neil Tate was first home for the club in 3rd place in 19:03.  Terry Hellings was 14th in 21:27, Richard Storey was 15th in 21:38 and Neil Bayton-Roberts was 15th in 21:38.  Barbara Holmes was 2nd female and 20th overall in 23:07, Dawn Bloor was 27th in 24:04, Debbie Cooper was 31st in 25:02, Bob Clough was 46th in 29:28 and Jeremy McCandless, with his dog Ella in tow, was 47th in 30:04.

Jeremy McCandless and Ella the dog

Joanna Goorney headed to Avenham Park for the Preston parkrun.  In balmy December conditions, she finished 1st  female and 14th overall with a time of 20:07.  There were 200 finishers.

Over in  Liverpool, Felicity Wolohan ran the Princes Park parkrun which had 142 finishers.  She finished 3rd female and 28th overall in 21:43.

And over on the other side of the world, Roy Stevens ran the Torrens parkrun at Torrens Lake Weir near North Adelaide, South Australia, finishing 46th out of 125 runners in 26:58.

Sylvia Gittins and Fiona Geldard

Father Xmas' galore could be seen running round Heron's Reach on Sunday morning for the annual Rudolph's Red Nose Race starting from the back of Blackpool Zoo.  The 5 mile race is organised by Blackpool Fire Station and Wesham Road Runners and runners are encouraged to join in the Christmas spirit by wearing fancy dress. Only 2 Lytham St Annes runners made it to the start line for the race, probably due to with many members recovering from the club's Xmas party the previous night at the St Ives Hotel in St Annes!  The race was won by Joe Monk of Blackburn Harriers in 27:52  with Bev Wright taking 1st female in 34:44.  Fiona Geldard was first home for the LSARRC in 88th place and 41:48 whilst Sylvia Gittins was 122nd in 45:46.  There were 209 finishers. 

Greg Oulton at The Stoop

Greg Oulton was back out on the fells in his first race in over three months running ran The Stoop, an 8km fell race with 250m of ascent from Penistone Hill Country Park, near Haworth.  The race was won by Rob Hope of Pudsey and Bramley whilst Nichola Jackson of Preston Harriers was 1st lady.  Greg finished in 445th place in a time of 74:58.