LSARRC News 2nd May 2017

Joe Greenwood coming down into Marsden in the Cake Race

The name “Cake Race” conjures up images of a nice, comfortable run finishing with something nice to eat. Well, contrary to that image, it’s a tough, 9.9 mile fell race with a total of 1699 feet of ascent over the moors. Saturday’s event was also the first race used in the local inter-club fell series.

Starting in the village of Diggle, near Oldham the competitors crossed the county border to Marsden in West Yorkshire before heading back into Greater Manchester. But why the name? Well, the race is free to enter if you brought a home-made cake.  There were 278 finishers, and that is a lot of cake!

Following the race there were also competitions for best design and best tasting cake then, for £2, the competitors were allowed to eat as much cake as they wished. So at least the something nice to eat at the end part of the image is true.

Fortunately for Lytham St Annes Road Runners their competitors fared better in the race than in the cake competition. First back for the club was Joe Greenwood in 13th place in 1:14:12.  Joanna Goorney was 1st lady in 29th place in 1:19:19.  Debbie Cooper was 158th in 1:39:25 and Greg Oulton was 256th in 2:04:17.

Michelle Hook and Als Everest

Four Lytham Runners took on the Lancaster 3 Bridges 10k on Sunday. The day started out windy and cool, however as the morning went on it warmed up and the sun made a welcome appearance. The course is definitely 'fast and flat', following a lovely scenic route along the River Lune although it featured some pretty nasty stairs up to the viaduct at the halfway point!

Neil Tate

First home for the club was Neil Tate off the back of the Blackpool Marathon the previous weekend, finishing 9th in 38:26. Second for the club, and second lady overall, was Michelle Hook in 41:50, a 1:06 minute PB. Next was Lee Morrison in 36th place, and the fourth Lytham club member was Alex Everest in 112th from 273 finishers.

The first Mid Lancs. Track and Field meeting of 2017 took place at Stanley Park on Saturday 29th April and Lytham had just two athletes competing.  Under 15 girl Laura Bremner competing in her first ever track race did well in the 1500m finishing in a time of 5m 59.7s for 6th place overall and first in division 2 picking up seven points for the club. At the other end of the scale MV65 Graham Webster, less than a week after completing the London Marathon, ran in the 3000m finishing as 5th man in a time of 11m 50.5s.

Laura Bremner at the Mid Lancs T and F

The Wray Caton Moor Fell Race is held as part of the annual Scarecrow Festival in Wray and heads off up Caton Moor, with 1099 feet of ascent in the 6.8 mile course over wild moorland.  After just a two day break from the Cake Race, Joanna Goorney was back in 52:25, 5th female and 1st Vet 45.  She was rewarded for her efforts, as were the other prize winners, with an excellent hand made scarecrow. Debbie Cooper was 63rd in 1:03:25 and Greg Oulton was 98th in 1:22:10. 

Felicity Wolohan had perfect race conditions for the mid Cheshire 5km in Kingsley on Friday evening. The race incorporated the England Athletics 5k Road Running Championships. Running a sub 20 minute for the first time, Felicity set a new personal best with 19.56.

The following morning Felicity was at it again, running the Princes Parkrun in Liverpool. Here she finished as the second lady, knocking nearly 30 seconds from her Parkrun PB with a time of 20.26.

With a new handicapper and earlier start time, the club’s monthly handicap had a high turnout with 24 competitors. First back was Maria Tierney but she is equal second in the season’s totals as both second and third placed on the night, Paula McCandless and Alex Tate respectively, received two bonus points each for course PBs so Paula is the current leader.

At the Avenham Park 5K, Preston Kirsten Burnett was 3rd FV40 in 24:35, a new pb.  James Whitworth claimed the 1st position in the V70 category. Robert Parker finished in 27:11 and Lorna Cragg in 39:14 (positions not available).