LSARRC News 4th October 2016

Lytham Ladies

A busy week for Lytham St Annes RRC saw athletes from age 8 to 70 racing over distances form 1 mile to 26.2 miles.  The priority for Lytham was the first of six fixtures of the Mid Lancs. Cross Country League held in Astley Park, Chorley and Lytham’s flourishing junior section were out in force.  First race of the day was the under 11 girls 1600m race where Lytham were represented by five athletes all making their cross country debut.  First three home for Lytham were Hebe Tierney (50th in 7:59), Jessica Ramsden (52nd in 8:00) and Amara Thorpe (54th in 8:03) all finishing within 4 seconds of each other.   Clemmie Tierney was not far behind in a time of 8:19 for 62nd place with Sophie Tate (80th in 10:05) fifth finisher for Lytham.  The under 11 girls finished as 10th team.  Under  11 boys were next and also ran 1600m and in which Lytham were again well represented with George Denye continuing last season’s good form finishing  2nd (Lytham’s best finish of the day) in 6:13.  Completing the team were Morgan Pritchard (47th in 7:30) and eight year old Eric Wrigley who despite losing a shoe in thick mud half way into the race managed to complete the race in 8:28 for 70th place ensuring Lytham had a full team which finished as 8th under 11 boys team.  The under 13 girls were next in a 2500k race in which Lytham were represented by Sydney Ramsden (31st in 12:07) and Rebecca Tate (62nd in 14:01).  Louis Eunson was Lytham’s only representative in the 3000m race and in his first race as an under 13 athlete did well to finish 18th in 12:51.

Lytham Juniors

Next race involving Lytham athletes was the Senior Women’s 6200m race.  Joanna Goorney was first home for Lytham in 26:33 for 9th place and 2nd FV45.  Team captain Als Everest (68th in 32:29) was next with Loiuse Denye (76th in 33:41) completing the team and taking 5th place in division 2.  Claire England (104th in 35:39) brought the FV35 team home in 11th place.  Pam Hardman (111th in 36:46) completed the FV45 team of Joanna Goorney and Claire England who finished in 6th place.  The FV 55 team of Pam Hardman, Pam Binns (137th in 39:26) and Dawn Locke (176th in 50:43) finished as 2nd  FV55 team.

Final race of the day was the 10000m senior men’s race.  A depleted Lytham men’s team did well to finish 3rd in division 3.  First home for Lytham was Neil Tate (61st in 43:00) closely followed by XC debutant Paul Veevers (69th in 43:31).  Ross McElvie (97th in 45:24) and Alex Tate (105th in 45:44) were also making their first appearances for the Lytham cross country team. Self-confessed mud lark Terry Hellings (150th in 48:27) was next home for Lytham and did well to finish 4th MV60.  Greg Oulton (261st in 63:32) completed the team.

Sue Hawitt in her first marathon

Four Lytham athletes competed in the Chester Marathon on Sunday 2nd with Andy Draper first home in a time of 2:46:03 and 21st place from 2142 finishers just missing out on a championship start time for next year’s London Marathon.  Thomas Howarth finished in 114th in a time of 3:03:33.  Sue Hawitt in her first marathon just 2 years after taking up running ran an excellently judged race to finish 1394th (21st FV50) in 4:23:55 a time which also sets the FV50 club record for the marathon distance.  Final finisher for Lytham was John Wild in 1809th place in a time of 4:54:18. New recruit Pat Bullen ran in the Chester Metrics Marathon (26.2km) on the same day and finished 727th of 1113 finishers (10th FV55) in a time of 2:57:03.

Ross McKelvie headed north on Sunday for his second race of the weekend,  the Great Scottish Run a 10k race taking place in Glasgow.  Ross finished in 159th from nearly 27,000 finishers place with a time of 39:52.