LSARRC News 23rd February 2022

Gale force winds as Storm Eunice battered the coast could only mean one thing for Lytham St Annes Road Runners - it was Great North West Half Marathon day.  But the blustery conditions - a notorious feature of the annual coastal run - couldn’t stop personal bests and category wins for the club’s runners, who defied the weather to turn in first class performances on Blackpool Promenade.

Gill Draper led the way for LSARRC’s five-strong team, running a personal best of 1:30:29 to take first lady.  Melanie Koth came home next, finishing 4th lady and securing the prize for FV45 with a 1:41:13 time. First male home for the club was Neil Tate, who finished in 1:44:42, with Clare Taylor just behind in 1:46:23 - securing her first FV40.  The final club runner taking part was Chris Cottam, who also ran a personal best over 13.1 miles of 1:49:30.

On Saturday Lytham Hall’s parkrun was a victim of the high winds, with several club members making the short journey to Blackpool’s Stanley Park, which passed a course inspection.  And it was junior Jayden Richardson who set the standard with a fantastic run of 20:53 - a new personal best and 3rd place overall for the 5k route.  Not to be outdone, younger brother Kiefer also secured a personal best of 28:15.
Graham Webster (22:59), Greg Oulton (27:58), Vicki Richardson (30:16) also ran, while there was another junior personal best for Joshua McAfee of 31:54.  James McAfee (32:32) and Lewis McAfee (32:33) completed the line up.

On Sunday, six of Lytham’s juniors took part in the Park View junior parkrun.  And in his second parkrun of the weekend, Jayden Richardson was first to cross the line in 7:34, with Joe Alker third in 8:36 and Reuben May fourth in 8:58.  Jessica McNiven was first girl and fifth overall in 9:04.  Kiefer Richardson also in his second race of the weekend finished eighth in 9:17 with Evie Alker 10th in 9:59.

LSARRC News 16th February 2022

Lytham Ladies at Leigh XC

Cross-Country lived up to its name with Lytham’s runners facing a muddy challenge at the penultimate fixture of the season.

And it was the women who continue to impress in the Mid-Lancs league, sealing two veteran titles with one race to go.

Strong performances on Saturday at Leigh Sports Village from Joanna Goorney, Mel Koth and Barbara Holmes mean Lytham will be crowned V35 and V45 team champions. The trio finished 5th on Saturday, putting the club 3rd in the women’s overall league going into the final race.  Holmes is also part of the club’s V55 team with Julia Rolfe and Sylvia Gittins, who finished 5th on the day to guarantee a top two finish for the season.  Goorney (12th in 23:09) also has a shot at individual glory, her time saw her finish 1st FV50 in Leigh and she sits 2nd FV35 and FV45 for the season.  Koth ran 24:42 (24th) and Holmes is guaranteed 1st FV55 for the season after finishing in 25:20 for 32nd place.  Also running for Lytham were Catherine Carrdus (34th 25:31), Maddy Markham (47th overall and 8th under 20 female in 26:47), Claire Markham (68th 28:52), Kirsten Burnett (86th 30:42), Julia Rolfe (98th 31:43) and (Sylvia Gittins 119th 38:46).

Joanna Goorney at Leigh XC

The men were also in action on a three lap 10km course, with Ross McKelvie the club’s first finisher - 52nd in 43:16 - closely followed by Jonathon Tuck (61st 43:55).  Next across the finish line were Mark Hughes (150th, 51:23) and Dan Gregson (151st, 51:23), followed by Peter Thomson (187th, 1:02:11) and Greg Oulton (1:08:02).  All the men counted for the team, who finished 15th overall on the day and sit 7th in division one for the season. The men’s vet 40 team of Tuck, Hughes, Gregson and Thomson finished 12th in the category and are currently 3rd in Division 2.  

The juniors also competed in Leigh, with an impressive display from Georgina Andrews first up, as she finished 12th in 7:30 for the 2k course.  The under 11 boys ran the same 2k course and first home for Lytham was Archie Belfield (ninth in 6:46), with team mate Reuben May in his first cross country race finishing 29th in 7:42.  Also representing Lytham juniors were Freddie Markham in the under 13 boys finishing 28th in 14:28 for the 3k course and Oliver Thomson who completed the 4k under 15 boys course in 15:16 for 17th position.

Also facing tough conditions on Saturday was Pamela Hardman, who completed the Anglezarke Amble 17 miler - a race from Rivington taking in the Tower, Winter Hill and Darwen Tower before finishing at White Coppice.  Hardman battled the windy weather and boggy terrain to finish in four hours.

Away from the mud there was a road race and a club gold standard for Sue Hawitt, who ran the Valentines Day 10km in Lancaster.  She finished in 52:44 for first FV55.

At Lytham Hall parkrun, three of the club’s juniors joined the seniors for the 5km run, and all produced personal best performances.  Jayden Richardson was 5th overall with a 2nd consecutive PB of 20:13, Joe Alker ran 23:19 (24th) and Evie Alker took 1:38 off her previous PB to finish in 27:07.  Also running were Alex Tate (3rd 19:15), Mark Selby (21:30), Chris Cottam (21:58), Gill Draper (24:14), Jennifer Hill (24:17), Stephen Wise (26:21), Elizabeth Canavan (27:41), Vicki Richardson (29:22), Pamela Binns (29:58), Stephen Tate (32:30), Ruth Bye (33:09) and Michelle Sheridan (34:41).

At junior parkrun there was a club 1-2 for Jayden Richardson (7:24) and Joe Alker (8:39), with Evie Alker first girl in 9:37.  Kiefer Richardson (9:55) and Joshua McAfee (10:18) also represented the club.

LSARRC News 9th February 2022

 

LSARRC News 2nd February 2022

LSARRC at St Annes 10 miler

A strong team showing reaped rewards for Lytham St Annes Road Runners as the seniors stayed home for the town’s annual 10 miler.  Both the club’s senior men and ladies took the team prizes in Sunday’s St Annes 10 mile race, with runners braving the elements from St Annes beach huts to the end of Lytham Green and back again.  The victorious mens’ team was made up of Ross McKelvie, who ran a strong race to finish 8th in 58:01, Joe Greenwood who ran 1:00:53 for 14th and Tom Howarth, 1:04:34 and 31st overall.

Jill Draper and Barbara Holmes

There was individual success for Gill Draper, who set herself a new 10 mile personal best of 1:05:39 on her way to second place for the ladies.  And she guided the womens’ team to a comfortable victory, joined in the celebrations by 4th placed Jennifer Hill - who also ran a new personal best of 1:10:10 - and Claire Markham who finished in 1:21:53.  There was an age category win for the club too, with Barbara Holmes claiming the FV60 trophy, finishing in 1:17:15.

In total 20 of the club’s runners donned their green vests for the race, including Sue Henry who took on the job of tail-walker.

Neil Tate finished in 1:11:04, just ahead of team-mate Darren Ames, 1:11:45, and Chris Cottam who ran a 1:12:53 personal best over the distance.  Next home was Mick Widdop in 1:23:53, Peter Reid in 1:25:51, Sue Hawitt in 1:27:24 and Paul McAllister in 1:28:06.  Roy Stevens was just behind in 1:29:36, followed by Kev Murray 1:30:37, Kirsten Burnett 1:32:47, Sylvia Gittins 1:40:11 and Julie Wiseman, 1:42:07.

Ross McKelvie at the St Annes 10 miler

24 hours before taking on the 10-miler, Ross McKelvie ran well to finish 1st at Lytham Hall parkrun in 17:12, followed by Andy Unsworth (20:49) and a new personal best from junior Jayden Richardson, who ran superbly to finish 9th in 20:52.  Neil Tate (21:57) and Mark Selby (22:05) made it inside the top 20.  Other club members running were: Chris Bowker (22:41), Chris Cottam (25:13), Terry Hellings (25:19), Jennifer Hill (25:36), Barry Broughton (26:19), junior Archie Belfield (27:09), Pamela Binns (30:40), Ruth Bye (31:44), Michelle Sheridan (35:00) and Sue Henry (58:48 – tailwalker).

Five of Lytham's juniors took part in the junior parkrun at Park View on Sunday, with Joe Alker crossing the line first in 8:11.  Georgina Andrews was next home for Lytham – 1st girl and 4th overall in 8:38 – with Reuben May just behind in 8:43 for his second consecutive personal best.  Also representing the club were Evie Alker, 9th overall and 2nd girl in 9:43 and Joshua McAfee, 12th in 10:13.