LSARRC News 29th August 2107

LSARRC at Blackpool Illuminations 10k and 5k runs

Saturday 26th August proved a very busy day for LSARRC as members competed in numerous events.  Emily Balshaw was Lytham’s sole representative at the Mid Lancs Track and Field meeting which was held at Stanley Park in Blackpool.  The under 15 athlete demonstrated her strength in the 800m where she just missed out on a medal finishing fourth in 2:30:8 which was just outside her pb.  Later in the day Emily was back on the track and ran the 200m and again finished 4th but this time gained a new pb of 29:9. Emily joined the club in May and since that time has made great progress in such a short space of time.

Emily Balshaw

At Lytham Hall parkrun LSARRC had 19 runners, who completed the new 2 lap course.  Conditions were good and the twisty course was well marshalled, Joe Greenwood managed to secure second place in a time of 17:39 in a field of 185 runners and Michelle Hook was the first lady home in 19:51 which was a new pb.  7 other members achieved the milestone of completing their 50th run, and Lytham ladies excelled and secured 1st, 2nd and 4th positions in the parkrun.   Other runners included:  Joanna Goorney (20:29,  50th run and 2nd female), Morgan Pritchard (20:47,  50th run), Neil Tate (20:47,  50th run), Jennifer Hill (22:08), James Buckley (24:02), Eric Wrigley (24:19), Graham Webster (24:19 50th run), Ian Balshaw (26:24), Greg Oulton 26:51),  Jeremy McCandless (26:24, 50th run), Jacqui Murray (28:12), Robert Parker (28:56, 50th run), Gillian Oliver (29:52, 50th run), Bob Clough (29:52), Charlotte Thomson (33:05), Terry Hellings (33:06) and Michelle Sheridan (34:31).

Darran Ames of Lytham ran in the Blackpool park run and came 19th in a time of 22:23 and achieved his 50th run, and Julia Rolfe completed an evening 5k course in Lancaster and managed a time of 25:23, running along the banks of the river Lune.

In the evening, several Lytham runners completed at the Blackpool Illuminations 10k and 5k runs.  The race started at 8pm on the promenades of Blackpool and evening run was lit by the world-famous illuminations.  Congratulations to Paul Veevers who came 3rd in a time of 18:33 in the 5K event.   Another one of the highlights was  Kathy Gaunt, Sue Hawitt and Claire England coming 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the lady vet over 50 category.  Results were as follows:  Kathy Gaunt (24:19:7), Susan Hawitt (25:47:4), Claire England (27:54:5), Laura Byrne (29:27:3), Francis Morrison (29:35:1), and Jacqui Murray (30:51:8).

In the 10 k Illuminations run Alex Tate came 4th in an excellent time of 37:37:6.  Other runners included Ross McKelvie (44:25), Melanie Koth (44:58:5), Chris Bowker (48:40:3), Colin Laidlaw (48:44:1), Alexandra Everest (49:37:6), Robert Parker (52:57:2), Kirsten Burnett (55:03:6), Ruth Bye (57:48:6),  and Penny Morrison (1:13:19).

At Park View Junior parkrun in Lytham on Sunday, 9 runners completed the course.  Results:  Amara Thorpe (9:13), Clemmie Tierney (09:19), Charlotte Thomson (09:28), Jake Balshaw (09:37 pb), Charlotte Fisher (09:56), Jayden Richardson (10:01), Lucy Whiteside (10:36), Rebecca Fisher (10:42), and Jack Greaves (11:15).  Congratulations to Jake Balshaw who ran especially well and secured a new pb.

Eric Wrigley ran brilliantly at the Avenham Park junior park run and secured 1st place in a new pb of 8:36.

Also on Sunday Paul Veevers of Lytham competed in the West Lancs Summer Triathlon in Ormskirk which involved a 400m swim, 11.7-mile bike ride and a 5k run.  Paul completed the event in 1:06:34 for 43rd position overall, his run time was17:45 5th fastest on the day.
Lytham Road Runners also attended the activities at Lytham Sportfest on Saturday and Sunday at Park View Playing fields.  With the weather, perfect for taking part in sport, the 90-metre athletics challenge proved very popular over the weekend with children and adults keen to beat their fastest times posted throughput the day.  The club had a chance to talk to members of the public about joining the club and promoting their upcoming race- the Green Drive Five and junior mile on October 22nd.

Club picnic

 Finally, LSARRC hosted a club picnic on Lytham Green on Sunday.  Over 50 members attended the event which included a 2k and 5 k predictor run.  Runners had to predict what time they would achieve and the closest predictions won a prize.  Lots of fun was had by all at the event finished with a enjoyable game of rounder’s.

By Vanessa Thomson

LSARRC News 22nd August 2017

Debbie Cooper wins ladies inter-club fell series and Joe Greenwood flies at the Fleetwood half marathon.

Debbie Cooper, Pam Hardman and Greg Oulton of Lytham ran the Boulsworth Fell race on 13th August, this was part of the Trawden Country fare event.  Conditions were good and the sun was shining which made for a good run.  Debbie was first back for the club, followed by Greg  and Pam.

Congratulations to Debbie Cooper for winning the ladies inter-club fell series and the FV40 category.  In the ladies club positions, Julia Role  is in the lead.  However, with one race to go, Harrock Hill on Wednesday 23rd August, it’s still possible for Debbie Cooper, Pam Hardman and Jo Goorney to win.

Greg Oulton at Darwen Tower Fell Race

On Saturday 19th August 3 Lytham members (Greg Oulton, Julia Rolfe and Pamela Hardman) ran in the Darwen Tower Fell race.  Unfortunately, the weather was unsettled with rain and wind which made the climb up to Darwen Tower more problematic as the course was muddy in parts.  However, all three runners ran exceptionally well and secured faster times than they ran in the same race, the previous year.

Lytham St Anne’s Road Runners Club had 19 runners in action on Saturday 19th August at Lytham Hall parkrun.  There were several excellent performances, Andrew Draper, Alex Tate and Joe Greenwood secured 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions, respectively.  Catherine Carrudus of Lytham was the first female home in a superb time of 19.22.  6 Lytham members also reached their milestone of completing their 50th parkrun run, one runner gained a new pb and there was a first-time performance by one of the junior members of the club.

The runners included:  Andrew Draper (2nd, 17.27), Alex Tate (3rd, 18.27), Joe Greenwood (18.27), Catherine Carrdus (1st female, 19.22), Neil Bayntun-Roberts (20.38 50th run), Morgan Pritchard (20.56 50th run), Graham Webster (20.57 50th run), Gill Draper (21.10), Jennifer Hill (21.40 new pb), James Buckley (22.34), Chris Bowker (22.47 50th run), Robert Parker (26.25 50th run), Ian Balshaw (27.06), Bob Clough (28.09), Jeremy McCandless (28.11 50th run), Charlotte Thomson (junior first timer 28.58), Terry Hellings (28.58), Laura Byrne (29.16) and Michelle Sheridan (34.45).

Lucy Whiteside at
Park View Junior parkrun

There was another impressive performance by Joanna Goorney who completed the Brighouse parkrun on Saturday 19th August, in 20.08 and was 14th, and 1st female out of 221 runners.  Jack Greaves ran Navan parkrun in 31.17 and Neil Tate ran the Vogrie parkrun, coming 3rd in 18.42.  Ian Tate meanwhile ran at Warrington in 21.11, Eric Wrigley and Lucy Montgomery both ran at Blackpool parkrun, with times of 25.33 and 32.26.

Emily Balshaw at Park View junior parkrun

At Park View junior parkrun in Lytham on Sunday 20th August 7 runners completed the course including:  Emily Balshaw (7.35 new pb), Lewis Bentley (8.35), Billy Breakell (9.30), Charlotte Thomson (9.50), Jayden Richardson (10.07), Rebecca Fisher (10.21) and Lucy Whiteside (10.39).  From the start, Emily Balshaw dominated the run and looked at ease out in front.  The conditions were good and Emily deservedly got a pb.

At the Fleetwood half marathon on Sunday 20th August 6 Lytham runners completed the course. There were 547 runners and 3 Lytham runners managed to finish in the first 100 runners.  Joe Greenwood was just outside the top ten and secured 11th position in a time of 1:21:38. Other runners included Chris McCarthy (1:29:40), Ian Tate (1:38:50 SB), Kevin Murray (1:50:53), Claire England (2:05:43) and Jacqui Murray (2:18:23).

LSARRC News 15th August 2017

LSARRC at Chorley IC

Success at the inter club race in Chorley and prizes galore for several LSARRC runners at the Preston road races.

On Wednesday Chorley AC were the hosts for sixth and penultimate inter club race of the season. Based in the grounds of Astley Hall, this is not only one of the most scenic of the inter-club road races but one of the toughest, with two unforgiving long steady climbs.
Outstanding performances from Andy Draper, Mike Toft, Joe Greenwood and Neil Tate meant Lytham St Annes Road Runners had four top-twenty counters. But the club’s real success came in the team results.

Lytham ladies again excelled by winning their open competition with all five counters in the top fifteen, and taking first and third places. This was despite not having all their best runners present, so displaying the strength in depth of the Lytham ladies.
Catherine Carrdus and Michelle Hook took first and third places respectively, with Gill Draper (8th) and Jennie Hill (11th) showing rapid recent improvement. Mel Koth was the fifth counter in thirteenth.

The ladies team still hold first place in their table, and only need to finish fourth in the last race next month to win their championship. Elsewhere the vet 60s also did well, finishing third from the seven clubs thanks to efforts from Terry Hellings, Colin Laidlaw and Nigel Simpkin. The FV40s were fourth, with the club finishing fifth overall.


Lytham results from Chorley: Andy Draper 9th, 28:09; Mike Toft 11th, 28:24; Joe Greenwood 12th, 28:39; Neil Tate 21st, 30:00; Catherine Carrdus 37th, 1st lady and 1st FV40, 31:07; Michelle Hook 65th, 32:50; Mark Hughes 90th, 34:43; Gill Draper 92nd, 34:45; Terry Hellings 99th, 35:13; Jennie Hill 100th, 35:16; Mel Koth 104th, 35:33; Darren Ames 108th, 35:39; Colin Laidlaw 151st, 39:02; Chris Bowker 157th, 39:26; Peter Reid 158th, 39:28; Nigel Simpkin 174th, 40:42; Alex Everest 183rd, 41:15; Roy Stevens 187th, 41:28; Julia Rolfe 197th, 41:53; Pam Hardman 212th, 43:08; Bob Clough 241st, 46:17; Rob Parker 260th, 47:28; Jacqui Murray 262th, 47:57; and Sarah Bagshaw 297th, 57:24.

There were several superb performances at the City of Preston 5 mile and 10 mile road race on Saturday 12th August.  Gill Draper ran extremely well in the five-mile race and finished 3rd female in 35.10 In the same race Julia Rolfe won the V55 prize in 41.35.  In the 10-mile race Melanie Koth was the first female home in the V40 group and achieved a time of 1.14.30.  Michelle Hook had a cracking race and managed a new PB of 1.09.39 and Alexandra Everest ran an excellent race and secured a respectable time of 1.25.03.  Andy Draper was the sole LSARRC male and just missed out on the prizes and finished 4th in a time of 58.13.

At the Blackpool Air Show 10k on Sunday, Graham Webster broke his own club MV65 10k record by a whopping 36 seconds. The previous record was set in July, and Graham now holds five of the seven available records in his age category. In the race itself Graham, unsurprisingly, won his category, and was 45th overall from the 247 finishers.

Lytham St Anne’s Road Runners had 23 runners in action on Saturday 12th August at Lytham Hall parkrun, 5 of whom achieved PBS and 4 completed their 50th run. The runners included:  Alex Tate (17.57 PB), Andy Unswork (18.09 PB), Neil Tate 17.52 50th run), Graham Webster (20.06 just short of a PB 50th run), J

Congratulations must go to Michelle Hook who not only achieved a PB at Preston parkrun on Saturday 12th August, she was the first female home in 20.31, and to Felicity Wolohan who was the first female runner at the Princes parkrun in Liverpool in an exceptional time of 19.49.
 On Sunday 13th of August two Lytham runners ran in the Cartforth Canter the 3rd race in the series.  James Whitworth finished in 28.03 taking 59th place out of a field of 70 runners and Sue Hawitt finished in 24.06 a PB to take 1st in the FV50 category, taking 38th place overall and 7th female out of 29.

At Park View Junior parkrun in Lytham on Sunday 13th August 11 runners completed the course including:  Morgan Pritchard was the first back in 7.35 and Jake Balshaw got a new PB of 10.02.  Other runners included Eric Wrigley (8.13), Jessica Ramsden (9.09), Amara Thorpe (9.15), Clemmie Tierney (9.19), Jayden Richardson, Charlotte Fisher (9.55), Jack Greaves (10.16), Rebecca Fisher (10.36) and Sophie Tate (13.02).
oanna Goorney (1st female 20.50 50th run), Morgan Pritchard (1st junior 21.28 50th run), Emily Balshaw (21,39 PB), Terry Hellings (21.47), Chris Bowker (22.49 50th run), Darran Ames (23.03 50th run), Ian Balshaw (25.51 PB), Jacqui Murray (27.27), Christine Walker (27.51 PB), Laura Byrne (27.54), Greg Oulton (28.18), Liz Boon (30.02), Gillian Oliver (30.11), Paul McCandless (30.25), Jeremey McCandless (30.26), Karen Lanigan (30.43), Sarah Bradshaw (31.24), Rachel Wignall (32.36) and Bob Clough (34.37).

LSARRC News 8th August 2017

Mel Koth

The third and final race of the Cuerden Valley Badger 10k Series took place on Thursday with three competitors from Lytham St Annes Road Runners.

As the title would suggest, the route of the race is through the beautiful Cuerden Valley Park, near Bamber Bridge. It’s hilly, and competitors run on various terrains, and along and across the River Lostock. The event is part of a programme to help finance the upkeep of the park.

Julie Rolfe and Pam Hardman were the third and fifth FV55s respectively. Julia, running in a new age category, found the going tough especially with carrying an ankle injury. She still managed a respectable time of 55:45 while Pam set a course pb with her time of 58:27. Chris Bowker was Lytham’s sole male althlete in the race, 83rd in 54:01.

On Wednesday Mel Koth was in action in North Lancashire at the Capernwray sprint Triathlon. This consisted of a 500m open water swim before an 18k cycle ride followed by a 5k run. Held at the Capernwray Dive Centre, the swim was very choppy and busy but Mel managed it well. The cycle route very undulating but enjoyed fantastic views while the run was mostly flat, alongside a canal path, but with a uphill finish for the last kilometer. Mel’s results were; swim,12:57; cycle, 39:17; and run 24:33. Another top performance from Mel earned her the first FV40 position, 2nd lady and 69th overall.

Lytham had a quartet of first lady finishers at various parkruns on Saturday: Emily Hargreaves (Greenwich, 20:28), Michelle Hook (Preston, 20:31), Catherine Carrdus (Hyde, 19:14) and Felicity Wolohan (19:49, Princes parkrun, Liverpool).  James Buckley ran Ashton Court parkrun in 24:48 and Ian Tate at Warrington in 20:42, while Stephen Hargreaves ran at Greenwich in 18:06 to take third place overall. Sue Samme ran at Blackppol in 22:33 and Lucy Montgomery was third lady at French parkrun de Dougnes, Cubnezais in 30:04.  Closer to home at Lytham Hall parkrun, Andrew Draper finished first in 17:24 with Neil and Alex Tate hot on his heels in 3rd and 4th place (17:52, pb for Neil and 18:35 for Alex).  The other club runners were Neil Bayntun-Roberts (20:32), Mark Hughes (20:52, pb), Gill Draper (21:03, 3rd lady, pb), Morgan Pritchard (21:30), Darren Ames (21:37, pb), Jennifer Hill (21:55, 4th lady), Emily Balshaw (21:59, pb), Terry Hellings (22:01), Chris Bowker (23:22), Claire England (25:45), Pamela Hardman (26:05, pb), Gillian Oliver (29:05), Jeremy McCandless (30:55), Sarah Bradshaw (33:05) and Sarah Bagshaw (33:37).

At Park View junior parkrun on Sunday, Morgan Pritchard was the first back in 7:37, with Sophie Tate, Jayden Ricahrdson, Clemmie Tierney and Finlay Hughes all running well.

LSARRC News 1st August 2017

Julia Rolfe, Gill Draper, Jennifer Hill and Michelle Hook

 The weekend was a story of PBs (personal bests) for several rapidly improving Lytham St Annes Road Runners. Firstly, three Lytham ladies won the women's team prize at the Pilling 10K on Saturday. And not only did they all set massive PBs, they each won a bottle of wine.

Michelle Hook, Gill Draper and Jennifer Hill were the successful ladies, finishing third, seventh and eighth amongst the women. Gill was pleased with her time of 44.02, over one minute faster on the same course two months ago and in much windier conditions.

Also running was Gill’s husband Andy, who led the way in fifth position, and Julie Rolfe who was the 23rd lady.

Also on Saturday, in the 3-1-5 Lancaster 10K series, Chris McCarthy not only set a PB but broke the club’s senior 5K record by 15 seconds. Chris’s time of 16:28 earned him eighth place from the seventy competitors.

Felicity Wolohan ran the Helena Tipping 10km on Sunday. The race follows a rural course in Wrexham and, despite some pockets of wind in the last half, she set yet another PB with 39.33 and placed third female, 36th overall from 566 runners.

On Thursday ten members set PBs in the club’s monthly handicap, including Catherine Carrdus who knocked over a minute off hers. The winner on the night, Ben Wrigley, ran off an estimated time so full points went to second placed Ian Tate. Just four races into the twelve-month series and Bob Clough has already built up a lead of 27 points which, even at this early stage, looks unassailable.

Emily Balshaw

Just three Lytham juniors made it to the latest fixture of the Mid Lancs. track and field league at Litherland Sports Centre on the 29th July.  All three ran well in their first season of track and field. 

Sydney Ramsden

Under 13 girl Sydney Ramsden was first to toe the line for Lytham in the 800m.  In a competitive race Sydney ran well to finish in 3m 1.9s taking 4th place in division 2 and earning three points for club.

In the under 15 girls 800m Emily Balshaw took over six seconds of her personal best to finish in a time of 2m 30.3s to take fourth place of fourteen and second in division 2 for 5 points.  Emily also ran the 200m finishing fourth in her heat in a time of 31.3s and earning seven points for first place in division 2.  Under 15 girl Laura Bremner made it to the start of the 1500m with just seconds to spare but was not phased and ran very well to take thirteen seconds of her personal best finishing third under 15 girl in 5m 33.3s but first in division 2 for seven more points.

Laura Bremner

Greg Oulton was the only senior competing for Lytham and between officiating managed to earn eleven points in total.  Greg finished third in the discus in division 2 for four points with a throw of 14.69m, fourth for three points with a throw of 12.96m n the javelin and third in the shot with a distance of 5.95m for a further 4 points.

Once again several Lytham club members ran the 5k Lytham Hall parkrun at the weekend with yet more PBs. Alex Tate (18:28) and Catherine Carrdus (18:40) taking the first male and female spots.  Darran Ames (21:38), Christine Walker (28:18) and Ruth Bye (28:36) all ran course personal best times. 

Kevin and Jacqui Murray ran Kirkaldy parkrun in 22:56 and 28:38 while Neil Baynun-Roberts ran Aviemore parkrun in 21:21.  Ian Tate ran at Warrington in 21:16 and Eric Wrigley ran Preston parkrun 24:43.