LSARRC Press Report 17th April 2012

Four senior men represented Lytham St Annes Road Runners at the first of the 2012 mid-Lancs track and field fixtures at Stanley Park on Saturday. Veterans Graham Webster and Terry Hellings toed the line with Tom Howarth for the first senior men's race of the day, the 800m. Tom was first across the line for Lytham in 2:28 for 9th place and 3 points for the club. Just four seconds and one place behind was Graham with Terry 12th.


An hour or so later the same three athletes lined up for the 1500m. Tom was again first home for Lytham in 4:58.2 and 5th place for 5 points, Graham 6th for 4 points with Terry 8th.

For the 3000m the trio were joined by Mark Willetts. This is a team event with the first three club members counting. Tom, and Mark won the team event picking up 7 points for Lytham in the process.

Finally the four competed in the 4x400m relay. Tom ran the first leg followed by Graham, Terry and Mark to take 4th place overall but first in the division for a further 7 points for Lytham.

The following day four of the junior members of the club competed in the Wigan Harriers open track and field meeting. The youngest of the quartet Tom Reid finished 6th in the 75m sprint with a time of 14.4 seconds and 6th in the 600m in 2:39.6. He then went on to jump 1.88m in the long jump to earn 7th place.


In the U11 boys long jump Joe Mason achieved a personal best of 2.98m to finish 9th while Ben Mason was one place behind with 2.94m. Rebecca Walker jumped 2.82m to finish 10th in the U11 girls competition.

In the U11 boys 75m Ben Reid finished 7th in 11.7 and Joe Mason 8th in 11.9. Rebecca was 13th in the 75m in 12.7. Ben Reid ran a superb 600m and with a very fast final 200m he cut his way through the field to take 2nd place in 2:01.8.




The outstanding performance of the cross-country season was by Lytham athlete Susan Samme who pulled off the amazing feat of winning three individual gold awards. These were presented to her on Friday at the awards evening. As well as the overall competition Sue won two different age categories, the first person to do this.


Sue was awarded gold in the Senior Women's category, the Vet 35 and, her true age category, the Vet 45. She was also part of the gold winning Lytham’s Women's Veteran 45 team, who won their division. Accompanying Sue to the rostrum this time were team captain Julia Rolfe, Linda Baxter, Pam Hardman, Sylvia Gittins, Fiona Geldard and Dawn Lock.


Bill and Dawn Lock took part in the fiftieth Isle of Man Easter Athletics Festival. This involves running three races in three days. Despite this Bill ran his best 10k for three years, and had the honour of being in the same team as former Olympian Ron Hill for the final race, a relay.

LSARRC Press report 10th April

Graham Webster

Happy birthday to Graham Webster. Graham is one of Lytham St Annes Road Runners’ longer serving members and he turned sixty last week. And he celebrated it in typical fashion by winning the vet 60 category of his first race at this age by nearly two minutes.







The race was the first of the annual inter-club series held at Stanley Park on Wednesday. Local athletes look forward to the start of this series as it usually marks the start of Spring and warmer weather. This year however the event was held in conditions that can only be described as perishing due to a bitterly cold wind.

The weather did encourage some good performances from several of Lytham’s 24 strong contingent. First back was junior man Sam Banner in nineteenth, with veteran Peter Cruse not far behind.


Louise Rudd had an excellent race to finish as the second lady, and there were good runs from fellow newer members Elini Bell and Felicity Wolohan. Laura Ashworth achieved a personal best to help the ladies team to forth place.

Mel Koth

After the race there was the presentation of last year’s trophies in the cricket club. Mel Koth won the ladies vet 35 category and she was also one of the successful women’s team who won the fell competition.


On Friday a high quality field of over 500 competitors took park in the Salford 10k. The cool conditions helped Andy Draper to a personal best of 35:53 to finish 72nd while vet 50 Tony Croft was 147th in his first road race for three years. Mel Koth also excelled, coming fifth in the ladies vet 35 category.

Sam Banner

The Pendle Fell Race on Saturday was where Sam Banner won the silver medal in the Lancashire Championships M23 category. The dry conditions made for a fast race apart from up the very steep hills. Unfamiliarity with the course meant that Oxford University student Sam missed out on the gold by a single second but he is determined to be back for that next year.


Friday was certainly Good Friday for husband and wife Kevin and Laura Ashworth at the Calder Vale 10 mile race. Laura had a fantastic run to finish five minutes quicker than in her previous run on this course and was the sixteenth woman in 79:43. Kevin finished in 72:18 to earn 58th place.

LSARRC Press Report 3rd April 2012

Saturday 31st March saw three Lytham members take part in the 31st running of the prestigious Coniston 14 road race. The hilly course does a lap of Coniston Water starting and finishing in Coniston. First home for Lytham in 41st place was Andy Draper in a time of 1:28:56. Mel Koth not satisfied with a tough 14 mile race used the race as a training run for London Marathon adding extra miles pre and post race but still finished in an excellent time of 1:43:32 for 237th place and 8th F35. Next home for Lytham was Richard Storey in a time of 1:50:28 for 431st place (66th m40).

Laura Ashworth

Katherine Hoyland

Felicity Woholan

Also on Saturday the Northern Athletics six-stage relay championship was held in Sefton Park, Liverpool and the team from Lytham St Annes Road Runners put in a good performance.

Four of the team made it back within 53 seconds of each other in excellent times of around 17 minutes for the 2.4 mile course. Thirty-nine teams lined up at the 11:35am start with team captain Laura Ashworth taking first leg. Laura finished in 36th place and was delighted with her sub 17 minute time.

Felicity Wolohan on second leg finished in 17:28 gaining two places before handing over to Liz Boon. LSARRC's latest recruit Katharine Hoyland, on her very first relay, put in the Club's fastest leg finishing in 16:48 to advance the team into 31st.

On the penultimate leg Bec Willetts showed herself to be fully back in form with a very good 17:41 and Dawn Lock brought the team home for a total time of 1:55:15 in 32nd. All round an excellent performance for Lytham all the team members had run at their peak.

Full Lytham Results: Leg 1. Laura Ashworth (36) 16:59; 2. Felicity Wolohan (34) 17:28; 3. Liz Boon (34) 20:23; 4. Katharine Hoyland (31) 16:48; 5. Rebecca Willetts (32) 17:41 and 6. Dawn Lock (32) 25:56.

On Thursday 29th Colin Nelson was Lytham’s sole representative in the Vera Hirst 5k in Littleborough, Colin finished in 67th place in a time of 20:53.

The 2011-12 handicap year finished on a high note with thirty starters for the first time and also a highest-ever average of 21.5 senior competitors each month.

On the night Andy Reid won his second consecutive handicap in a faster than usual race, being one of eight to record personal bests. Sam Banner once again improved his own junior men’s record with an excellent 19.58, the fastest time of the night, while Brad Robertson in 4th place overall was the leading junior boy with a fine PB of 23.01.

At the start of this final race there were two possible winners of the senior handicap championship, Kevin Ashworth and Rob Goodall, who have each run many PBs over the past year. In the end Kevin prevailed and is a worthy winner of the Roy Stevens trophy. Kirsty Fraser is the junior champion.

LSARRC Press Report 27th March

On Sunday there was glorious sunshine and the hottest temperatures of the year so far for the Muddy Bottoms off road races. These are both a cross between a trail race and a Long Distance Walkers' Association challenge walk starting from the Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre. The location quickly gives access to the surprisingly attractive countryside hedged by three motorways between Bamber Bridge and Blackburn.

The one hundred and forty entrants were offered a choice of two distances; 9 miles and 17 miles, and Bill and Dawn Lock from Lytham St Annes Road Runners took the more difficult option.

From an early 9am start made earlier still by coinciding with the spring clock change, competitors all took the same route up to the second canal-side checkpoint at the four and half mile point. From there short course runners turn back towards the finish while long course runners continued onto an additional eight mile loop which took them over the top of White Coppice Moors and through a succession of charming villages visiting another two checkpoints before returning to the canal-side check point to complete the short course route.

It's both a demanding and an interesting challenge with generous prizes and welcome showers, and pie and peas greeting finishers at the completion of the course. Bill and Dawn completed the 17 miles in 5hours. 9 minutes.

LSARRC Press Report 20th March 2012

The 21^st running of the Ultrafit St Annes 10 mile race took place on Sunday with over 300 competitors. Starting from North Beach car park the route leads down to Lytham windmill before returning to the starting area.

Fifteen competitors from the Lytham St Annes Road Runners took part with the first of those back being Peter Cruse. Peter’s time was under one hour earning ninth place overall and second male veteran 45 position. Next was vet 55 Graham Webster who was just one second in front of Joe Greenwood.

This was also a team event and these three made up the Lytham men’s team that came second. The ladies team also claimed second place containing Eleni Bell, Laura Ashworth and Bec Willetts. Bec beat her previous personal best time at this distance by 53 seconds.

Another performance of note was that of Kevin Ashworth. Kevin is rapidly improving and nearly broke the seventy-minute mark at this event.

Peter Cruse 9^th, 59:43; Graham Webster 30^th, 1:04:34; Joe Greenwood 32^nd, 1:04:35; Roy Upton 61^st, 1:09:08; Kevin Ashworth 68^th, 1:10:22; Willie Richmond 87^th, 01:12:45; Colin Nelson 93^rd, 01:13:28; Roy Stevens 101^st, 01:14:42; Steve Quarmby 104^th, 01:04:54; Eleni Bell 116^th, 01:15:49; Trevor Willoughby 143^rd, 01:18:55; Laura Ashworth 145^th, 01:19:33; Bec Willetts 195^th, 01:25:07; Sylvia Gittens 243^rd, 01:30:38 and Liz Boon 264^th, 01:34:24.

Spring is here and with it the dangers of the sun, even in this country. Bec Willetts joined over 10,000 others in Bath last week to compete in her first ever half-marathon. Finishing in 01:55:56 gave her 3381^st position suffering sunburn in the process. A cautionary tale for all runners.

Press Report 13th March 2012

The long-establish Haigh Hall Relay race took place on Saturday and Lytham St Annes Road Runners fielded three teams. The race takes place each March on one of the toughest relay courses in the area.  The 3.75 mile route descends, at time steeply, for half the distance before returning uphill to the starting point.

First back for Lytham was the men's team comprising Terry Hellings in a time of 26:11, Steve Quarmby (27:15), Kevin Ashworth (25:55) and Graham Webster bringing the team home in the team's fastest leg, an excellent 24:04, for a total time of 1:43:25 for fourth place.

Lytham ladies' team finished third in their category and 12th overall in 2:04:45. Relays Captain Laura Ashworth led out the team, also achieving the fastest leg in 29:15. Handing over to new recruit Felicity Wolohon who managed a very creditable 30:13 in her first ever relay and was followed by Pam Hardman (33:29) and Julia Rolfe (31:48).

Completing the Lytham contingent were the mixed team of Roy Stevens (28:20), Jim Whitlock (34:13), Dawn Lock (44:24) and Colin Nelson, returning to his best form after injury to finish in an extremely good 26:37.

The Blackpool Marathon and half-marathon took place on Sunday in near perfect running conditions. In his rehearsal for the London Marathon Mark Willett was the first back for Lytham with a time of 03:34:50 finishing 113^th from a field of over 400. Rob Goodall chalked up yet another personal best of 05:02:54 in 404^th.

There were over 600 in the half-marathon and Joe Greenwood excelled, finishing 20^th and knocking over four minutes off his time two weeks ago. Roy Upton was third in the MV45 category while Roy Stevens was the second vet 60. Richard Storey also achieved a pb.

Half marathon results for Lytham: Joe Greenwood 20^th, 01:25;27; Roy Upton 49^th, 01:32:09; Roy Stevens 104^th, 01:39:27 and Richard Storey 130^th, 01:41:42.

On the same day five young Lytham Athletes competed in the Blackpool Winter Warmer Track & Field meeting at Stanley Park. The annual event provides an excellent opportunity for the U9 and U11 age groups to experience an athletics meeting.

In the U9 boys category Simon Holt and Thomas Reid both competed in three events. In the 80m Simon finished second in 13.5 and Thomas sixth in 15.1 seconds. In the 600m Simon again finished second in 2:09.05 while Thomas was again sixth in 2:39.06. In the long jump Simon was third with a jump of 2.55m and Thomas seventh with 2:03m.

In the U11 boys group Ben Reid and Joe Mason represented the club in the three events. In the 80m Ben was second in 12.00 and Joe equal fifth in 12.80. In the 600m Ben was third in 2:00.8 and Joe tenth in 2:12.8. In the long jump Ben jumped 3.14m to finish fifth and Joe 2.5m for 16^th.

Rebecca Walker was the only girl from the club to compete and she finished 17^th in the 80m in 14.00 and jumped 2.61m in the long jump to finish 12^th.

Also on Sunday in Stanley Park was the Spring 5k. Both Peter Cruse, who was first MV45 in 17:53, and Dawn Lock, first WV65 in 32:48, took age category prizes. Willie Richmond was delighted with his 20:14 time to finish 22^nd.

LSARRC Press Report 6th March 2012

Gold! The final race of the mid-Lancs cross-country season took place on Saturday and it was where the ladies of Lytham St Annes Road Runners confirmed the receipt of a hatful of gold medals. The lions share of these went to Sue Samme who, as well as taking the women’s championship, earned golds in the WV35 and WV45 age categories.

Sue Samme en route to victory at Barrow

Adding to this the ladies team also took the WV45 Championship while taking a respectable fifth in the WV35 category. The race itself took place at Worden Park in Leyland with Lytham fielding depleted teams, the hard work having already been done in the previous meets. The men’s senior team did not fare so well with relegation confirmed from their division.
Lytham Results from Worden Park: Ladies: Laura Ashworth 56th, 32:13; Pam Hardman 78th, 35:06; Louise Charnock 80th, 35:44 and Dawn Lock 104th, 48:29. Men: Graham Webster 124th, 43:31 and Steve Quarmby 157th, 46:14.


Despite having run at Worden Park Graham Webster competed in the Northern Vets cross-country Championships with Terry Hellings the day after. Held in Victoria Park, Warrington the course was fast and flat with very little mud. This Championship caters for veteran athletes of all ages and this year included three men over 80. All athletes set off together, the women and men over 70 finishing after two laps (5k) while the rest of the competitors continue for a further two laps.


Graham Webster finished in a time of 41.54 to take 7th place overall and first vet 55 with Terry Hellings in 11th place and second vet 55 in a time of 43.33. Second claim member Louise Rudd finished 4th overall and second vet 35 in the women’s race.


Another Lytham winner was Mel Koth who was the first in the W35 category in the Trimpell 20. Starting from Lancaster, this twenty-mile race is held on a flat course and is good preparation for the London marathon.

Mel Koth competing in the Trimpell 20

Weather conditions were perfect for the large field of nearly 400 competitors. Mel improved on her personal best at this distance by 3:24 while Rob Goodall knocked off a whopping 37:50 from his pb.
Lytham results from Trimpell: Mel Koth 78th, 6th and 1st W35, 02:24:05; Mark Willet 155th, 02:39:03; Richard Storey 189th, 02:45:37 and Rob Goodall 342nd, 03:29:37.

At the Stanley Park 10k in Blackpool on Saturday Lytham had two age category winners. Elspeth MacPherson, making a welcome return to racing, won the F60 category in 50:12 while Sylvia Gittens took the F65 in 54:10. Roy Upton also had a good run, taking second place in the M45 category and 30th overall with a time of 40:25.
Other Lytham results: Willie Richmond 46th, 43:26; Bec Willetts 135th, 50:27 and James Whitworth 206th, 56:11.