LSARRC News 16th February 2016

Lytham Ladies at Rossall XC

Under 11 Girls team

There was a tremendous turnout from Lytham St Annes Road Runners at the 5th fixture in the Mid Lancs Cross-Country League on Saturday with the club providing 11 marshals, 2 officials and 29 runners which included 2 junior team, 5 senior teams and 5 veteran teams.

The fixture was held at Rossall  School, Fleetwood and used variations on the the school's permanent cross country courses which are marked out on the surrounding fields with wooden posts.  The event was hosted by Thornton Cleveleys Running Club with assistance with marshalling from Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde AC, Wesham RR and Lytham St Anne RRC.  Although cold and a slight wind, the blue skies provided very pleasant running conditions around the grassy fields.

Morgan Pritchard

In the under 11 junior boys, first home for LSARRC was Louis Eunson who despite going the wrong way at one point still managed to finish in sixth place.  George Denye was 15th in 7:31 and Morgan Pritchard was 33rd in 8:23 enabling the lads to finish as 3rd team overall – a great result.  Not to be outdone, the under 11 girls also had 3 runners out with Sydney Ramsden first back for the club in 19th place in 8:23.  Keira Vanbogerigen and Jessica Ramsden both made their debut at cross country, Keira finishing in 29th place and Jessica in 40th place in 9:59.  The girls finished in 6th place in the team event.  Rebecca Tate was in action in the under 13 girls race finishing 29th in 10:25.

Rebecca Tate

With 135 runners in the senior women's race, Emily Japp of Blackpool Wyre and Fylde consolidated her position as Mid Lancs Champion with another excellent win in 24:22.  First home for the club was Joanna Goorney in 11th position and 1st vet 45 in 27:18.  Having another excellent run, was the ever improving Felicity Wolohan in 25th place and 29:06 whilst Barbara Holmes was 41st and first vet 55 in 30:47.  Dawn Bloor was 60th in 32:50, Julia Rolfe was 63rd in 33:07, Alex Everest was 67th in 33:25, Fiona Geldard was 82nd in 35:14, Sylvia Gittins having just turned 70 was 111th in 40:00 and Dawn Lock was 125th in 51:45

Nigel Simpkin

The men's race consisted of a 3 large laps of the Rossall fields with Phil Waite of Barrow and Furness Striders completing them in 37:02 to be first back.  Neil Tate had an good run to finish in 60th place and 43:00 whilst Terry Hellings was next in 143rd and 2nd vet 60 in 48:54.  Justin Allitt made his debut for the club at cross country having last run this type of event 30 years.  He finished in 164 in 50:38.  Just behind him was another debutee, Will McAllister who has only recently joined the club.  Will was 167th in 50:55.  Mark Selby was 171st in 51:25, Willie Richmond was 186th in 52:37, Dave Dunn was 192nd in 53:09, Steven Ashton was 221st  in 58:37, Nigel Simpkin was 222nd in  59:09 and Bob Clough was 228th in 1:01:42.  Another runner making his debut at cross country for the club was Jeremy McCandless who last ran it 43 years ago.  Jeremy finished in 233rd in 1:05:14.  After running the Lytham Hall parkrun in the morning, Greg Oulton was 234th in 1:07:24 enabling the club to finish with 2 complete men's teams.

Bob Clough

On Sunday morning the Village Bakery Wrexham Half Marathon took place. Although cold, the weather conditions were perfect.  With a fast flat course, the race had over 800 finishers with the first 2 men both sub 1:10, the winner Joe Bailey of Salford Harriers recording 1:08:24.  Tom Howarth was the club's sole representative but the journey there was well rewarded as he smashed his PB by a minute and a half to finish in a time of 1:20:13 in 46th place.

Not content with running one half marathon in a weekend, Graham Webster went for the double.  The Exeter Half Marathon was run twice over the weekend, Saturday for runners expecting to run a time under 2 hours whilst Sunday's race was for those expecting to run a time under 3 hours.  The course is flat along the side of Exeter canal.  Saturday's conditions were wet, cold and windy with the winner coming in in 1:15:31.  Graham finished 60th in 1:34:48 and was 1st vet 60.  On Sunday, the weather was similar but due to a “crime scene” (a body in the canal) incident halfway along the course, there was a diversion which meant that the course was 300m shorter.  Graham still managed to run 1:35:26 and was again first vet 60 in 31st place.

Max Talbot smashing his PB at the Lytham Hall parkrun

On Saturday morning, under sunny conditions, the 11th Lytham Hall parkrun took place attracting 169 runners.  Alan Elstone was first home for the club in yet another PB for the course in 20:30 whilst Neil Bayntun-Roberts just behind him also recorded a PB of 20: 51 for 14th place.  One of the best performances was from junior Max Talbot who knocked nearly 2 minutes of his PB to finish in 44th in 24:13.  Claire England was 47th in 24:30, Sue Hawitt was 59th in 25:51, Greg Oulton was 71st in 26:49, Bob Clough was 113th in 29:54 and Stu Wharrier was 135th in 33:20.

Alan Elstone