LSARRC News 10th May 2016

Helen Clitheroe and LSARRC

The highlight of the week was the visit of Preston Harriers International Helen Clitheroe to the club last Thursday night.  The double Olympic and quadruple Commonwealth runner gave a great training session passing on a wealth of knowledge to the large group of senior and junior members assembled.  A very enjoyable evening helped by superb weather for May.

Helen Clitheroe demonstrating stretching

Bank Holiday Monday saw the Wray Caton Moor Fell Race which is held as part of the Wray Scarecrow Festival.  The 6.8mile course with 1099ft of ascent attracted 116 runners.  After the heavy rain overnight and in the early morning, conditions were muddy.  Greg Oulton finished 103rd in 1:18:35.

Greg Oulton was back on the fells on Friday night at the Pinhaw Fell Race.  Starting in Earby, near Barnoldswick, the out and back course was just over 5 miles with most of the route actually on road or trail and not fell.  Greg thoroughly enjoyed the race finishing 164th overall in 51:08.

The Up The Nab Fell Race, Glossop on Saturday afternoon was chosen as the second race in the 2016 English Championship Fell Race series.  The men’s and women’s races were held as separate events with the woman going an hour before the men.  With perfect weather conditions, the course although short (4.5 miles with 1197ft of ascent) was still challenging with lots of steep climbs and descents and provided quite a sight for the spectators, especially with the 267 men heading off up the first hill.  Both races attracted high quality fields with Heidi Dent of Howgill Harriers winning the ladies race by over a minute and a half in 38:27 whilst Simon Bailey of Mercia Fell Runners won a much tighter men's race in 34:04.  Joanna Goorney was LSARRC's sole representative finishing 30th and 4th vet 45 in a time of 47:51 out of the 99 finishers in the women's race.

There was quite a choice of local 10k races to opt for on Sunday morning with quite a number of Lytham St Annes runners heading over to Whitechapel village for the Blacksticks Blue 10k which takes in a hilly loop of Beacon Fell which was made tougher by the unseasonally warm and sunny conditions.  Many club members used this as an opportunity for training for hill legs for the Welsh Castles Relay which is fast approaching in early June.  Rob Affleck of Preston Harriers was the first home of the 252 finishers in 35:28.  Neil Tate was first home for the club in 12th place with 40:27.  Graham Webster was 37th in 43:54, Richard Storey was 91st in 50:17, Steve Ashton was 100th in 51:46, Colin Laidlaw was 101st in 52:06, Claire England was 112th in 53:50, Susan Hawitt was134th in 56:08, Pamela Hardman was 144th in 56:57, Greg Oulton was 153th in 58:21, Sylvia Gittins was 181st in 1:01:59 and Bob Clough was 237th in 1:11:45.

Rachael Wignall and Michelle Hook

The annual Blackpool Fun Run now in its 35th year attracted nearly 1500 runners for the 10k along Blackpool promenade.  Michelle Hook and Rachael Wignall were the club's representatives.  Michelle was 12th female finishing in 137th place overall in 46:45 whilst Rachael finished in 777th place in 1:03:23.

Neil Tate and Morgan Pritchard

The 23th Lytham Hall parkrun on Saturday morning attracted 179 runners this last weekend.  Paul Muller of Horwich RMI Harriers was once again the 1st finisher in 17:33 with Lytham's Chris McCarthy not far being in 2nd with 17:47.  Michelle Hook, a new recruit to the club, was first lady in 20th place and a time of 21:54.  Ten year old Morgan Pritchard also had an excellent run to finishing 30th in 23:07 with a new PB.  Andy Draper was 6th in 18:34, Ross McKelvie was 8th in 19:27, Graham Webster was 11th in 20:10 with a PB, Terry Hellings was 17th in 21:23, Neil Tate was 31st in 23:09, Gerry Browne was 32nd in 23:13 with a PB, Mel Koth was 34th in 23:39, Roy Stevens was 39th in 23:57 and a PB, Laura Bremner was 47th in 24:20  and a PB, Jeremy McCandless was 68th in 26:24 and a PB, Graham Young was 91st in 28:09 and a PB and Hannah McCandless was 92nd in 28:18.

Felicity Wolohan was back at the 266th Princes parkrun in Liverpool.  She finished 3rd female and 45th overall out of 292 runners in a time of 21:46.