LSARRC News 11th September 2012

Simon Holt

Eight year old Simon Holt of Lytham St Annes Road Runners has clearly been inspired by the Olympics. On Sunday he added another three medals to his collection at Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde’s open track & field meeting.

The Heyhouses Schoolboy got off to a good start in the U9 boys Long jump with

a personal best of 2.85m. He then moved onto the track for the 600m and set off with intent from the gun, creating a lead of 40m by the 200m mark which he maintained to the finish to take gold with another PB of 2:06.1. In the 80m Sprint he was again a comfortable winner with a yet another PB of 12.9.

Twenty-six senior members of the club contested the last of the summer’s inter-club series at Worden Park on Wednesday. The best results on the night were in the vet 50s' and the women's categories where they took second places, excellent results for the club. Overall for the whole series Lytham's biggest success came in the vet 60's where they finished in second place.

The Lytham Team at Leyland

Run on three twisting and interesting loops of attractive Worden Park, competitors could compare their progress with the leaders as the loops intersected in the park centre.  After last year's torrential downpour, this year's race conditions of still evening sunshine could not have been more pleasant.   

First back for Lytham was rapidly-improving Joe Greenwood taking seventeenth place in 23.36, just three minutes behind the winner.  Next in and contributing to the open, women's and vet's teams was the winning woman, Lytham's second-claim member Louise Rudd who finished 26^th in a blistering 24:12, leaving her nearest competitor trailing by 30 seconds.  

Graham Webster was yet again the leading vet 60, finishing 36^th overall.

Together with Roy Stevens and Bill Lock the vet 60s finished third on the night with the well-deserved second place for the season.

Taking third place on the night was another successful team, the vet 50's. Together with Webster and Stevens were Peter Cruse, 46th in 25.15 and Steve Quarmby, 85th in 27.54.  In spite of their good showing at Leyland, the vet 50's were beaten into fourth place for the series by Red Rose who finished two points ahead.

Representatives from Lytham St Annes Road Runners Club were guests at the Town Hall last week to receive the “Community Club of the Year” award. This was given in recognition of the club’s work in the local community to foster the sport of athletics and in particular running for people of all ages and ability. The club, which boasts thriving senior, junior and beginners sections, stages three races each year and has also forged links with local schools and the YMCA. Tony Croft who accepted the award on behalf of the club said he was delighted that the club’s work in the local community had been recognised and he was sure that this award together with the Olympic legacy would undoubtedly result in greater participation at the club.

Julia Rolfe in the Autumn 5k

In the Autumn 5K in Stanley Park at the weekend Julia Rolfe set a new club FV50 record for the distance of exactly 24 minutes, and won the category to boot. Another first was Peter Cruse, the first MV50 in 18:59. Roy Upton also represented the club, finishing nineteenth overall.

Finally in Wales Sylvia Gittins continued her good run of form in the Lake Vrynwy half marathon. Gittins finished in 936^th position from nearly 1500 but won her vet 65 category by an amazing 26 minutes in 2:05:51.

LSARRC News 4th September 2012

North Shore had two large races in two days over the weekend with the Hilton Blackpool Illuminations 10k on Saturday followed by their half-marathon on Sunday. These are run in aid of the Hilton Foundation, supporting local children’s charities and Lytham St Annes Road Runners featured prominently in both.

In Saturday’s race Graham Webster took the honours, finishing eighth overall from nearly 300 competitors. Webster was also the first vet 60 by over seven minutes. Also doing well was Peter Cruse in eleventh. Cruse is returning to racing from injury and was the first vet 50 on the day.

Mark Willett took part in both races and had one of his slowest 10k races as he was kind enough to pace someone less experienced to a personal best. His performance the following day, while nowhere near his best, was more typical of him.

Simon Denye and Joe Greenwood at the Hilton half-marathon

It was definitely a case of déjà vu on Sunday with Joe Greenwood finishing two places in front of Simon Denye in a local half-marathon for the second week running, and Sylvia Gittins claiming the first female vet 60 position. Greenwood and Denye were eighteenth and twentieth respectively in the Hilton Blackpool Half Marathon. Both were back with a time of under 1:25 despite the usual breeze on the promenade.

Joe Greenwood with a fast finish

 

Vet 65 Gittins again improved her half-marathon time to finish an excellent eighteen minutes in front of the next lady over sixty. Finishing 300^th overall from over 500 was another tremendous achievement by evergreen Sylvia.

Hilton race results for Lytham. 10k: Graham Webster 8^th, 39:37; Peter Cruse 11^th, 40:21; Graham Young 135^th, 54:49; Rob Goodall 141^st, 55:20 and Mark Willett 162^nd, 57:11.

Half-marathon: Joe Greenwood 18^th, 1:24:11; Simon Denye 20^th, 01:24:59; Mark Willett 45th, 01:31:50; Vicki Cummings 259^th, 1:55:33 and Sylvia Gittins 300^th, 1:59:07.

Sylvia Gittins

 

In the club’s handicap on Thursday a remarkable fifteen of the twenty-four runners earned bonus points for either personal or season’s best times in excellent running conditions. Louise Charnock won on the night with the quickest being table-topper Joe Greenwood.

Greenwood’s performance might keep him at the top of the table but second-placed Rob Goodall is closing rapidly after a run of good scores.

Over the border the self-styled “Yorkshire Pudding” section of the club, Trevor Willoughby, flew the flag for Lytham in the Ryedale 10 Mile race. Now a measured event along a virtually flat course it is held annually in aid of Malton hospital. Veteran Willoughby finished in 80:10.

On Saturday Andy Sneddon was again taking on the tough trails of the lake district in the Derwentwater 15k challenge. The 1475 feet climb with mud, rocks and bogs to navigate was more of an assault course than a trail race so Sneddon did well to come 343^rd out of over 400.

Finally Tom Howarth was fifth in the Great Eccleston Scouts Fast Four-miler in 24:54 on Sunday. On a flat course Stuart Wharrier was back in 36^th position from the fifty finishers. Vet 65 Jim Whitworth was 45^th.

LSARRC News 28th August 2012

Joe Greenwood  and Simon Denye of Lytham St Annes Road Runners both performed well on Sunday in the Fleetwood half marathon. Despite the bracing breeze both finished in under one-and-a-half hours with Greenwood having the edge by just 41 seconds and two places. The two of them achieved top thirty places from a record entry of over 500.

Winning the vet 65 category for the second year was Lytham’s Sylvia Gittins. Sylvia ran nearly a minute faster than last year, so breaking the two hour barrier.

Lytham results from Fleetwood: Joe Greenwood 21^st, 1:24:30; Simon Denye 23^rd, 01:24:51; Trevor Willoughby 181^st, 1:47:23; Sylvia Gittins 290^th, 01:59:51; Louise Charnock 355^th, 02:16:33 and Dawn Lock 410^th, 02:50:51.

The Chipping Show Fell race was held on Saturday and the Lytham ladies performed exceptionally. Mel Koth was the second lady, Julia Rolfe won the ladies vet 50 category and both, with Debbie Cooper, won the Ladies’ team prize.

The race was also nominated as the final inter-club fell race of the season, where the six local clubs compete against each other. The ladies have high hopes of retaining the trophy for the third year running after their performance.

For the men Sam Banner came eighth, and Rob Goodall also completed this tough course in wet conditions. The main results have yet to be published.

Autumn is never far away when the final meet of the mid-Lancs track and field season takes place but the weather conditions this year suggested the two overlapped. In the medal meeting in Stanley Park on Saturday Graham Webster won bronze medals in the 1500m and 3000m in distinctly autumnal conditions. These were held at 2:30pm and 4pm, two taxing events relatively close. Despite this Webster was also in action that evening in the Lancaster 5k.

At that race Webster was 22^nd in 18:48 and, as is customary for him these days, was the first vet 60. Also there for Lytham were Tom Howarth, 20^th in 18:33, and Peter Cruse, 25^th in 19:16.

The Austrian branch of the club have again been in action with Emily Hargreaves taking part in the Ganghofer Trail in the Leutasch valley. In a 21.2k race over mixed terrains Emily was the 2^nd lady on a very hot afternoon. 

LSARRC News 21st August 2012

Astley Park, Chorley on Wednesday 15^th August was the venue for the fifth of six inter club races.  This race  the toughest of the six matches between the Fylde and Lancashire clubs and, coming in the middle of the August holiday period, it is also often one of the less well attended. This year 155 competitors took part including a good sized contingent from Lytham St. Annes RRC of twenty-three.

This interesting and scenic course takes runners through the length of the undulating park from the historic Astley Hall to the main town gates and back before putting in two laps of the unrelenting kilometre-long hill on Southport Road. It was lucky this year to have good weather for the duration of the race following an afternoon of torrential downpours.

Success for Lytham came in the Women's category where they were third thanks to the presence of all three of Lytham's best runners: Susan Samme in 3rd, Melanie Koth, 11th and Laura Ashworth, 16th. The Club secured fourth in the Vet 50's and Vet 60's, only six points short of gaining third place. Most outstanding was Graham Webster's performance finishing first Vet 60 in 29th overall, twenty-nine places ahead of the second in the age group. They were also fourth in the Vets. First back for the Club was Andrew Draper who made a top ten placing. The best series position is in the Vet 60's where they are lying second, a position they look likely to retain. Lytham finished 6th in the Open.

LSARRC Results: Andy Draper, 10th, 29.10, Graham Webster, MV60, 29th, 31.12, Thomas Howarth, 36th, 31.39, Susan Samme, WV45, 41st, 31.59, Peter Cruse, MV50, 55th, 33.02, Kevin Ashworth, MV40, 67th, 33.57, Stanley Greenhalgh, MV45, 74th, 34.31, Tony Croft, MV50, 75th, 34.38, Melanie Koth, WV35, 79th, 34.47, Steve Quarmby, MV50, 86th, 35.57, Laura Ashworth, WV35, 105th, 38.08, Rebecca Willetts, WV40, 118th, 39.45, Julia Rolfe,WV50, 122nd, 41.46, Catherine French, WV35, 126th, 42.32, Debbie Cooper, WV35, 133rd, 43.16, Rob Goodall, 134th, 43.34, Louise Charnock, 138th, 44.48, Ed Bowes, 139th, 44.53, Michael Hutchinson, MV70, 143rd, 46.41, Janice Cobley, WV60, 145th, 48.50, Pam Binns, WV65, 147th, 49.47,Andrew Sneddon, MV45, 149th, 50.59, Dawn Lock, WV65, 154th, 58.19.

The 29^th Birchwood 10k took place on Sunday 19^th Aug and Lytham were represented by six athletes including four that had already raced on Wednesday.  First home for Lytham was Pete Cruse in a time of 40.04 (108^th and 6th M50).  Willie Richmond and Roy Upton were next and credited with the same time of 40.48 to finish in 126^th and 127^th (18^th and 19^th M45).  Also representing Lytham were Thomas Howarth (41.04, 130^th), Tony Croft (41.28, 142^nd and 10^th M50) and Mel Koth (44.44, 237^th

and 9^th FV35).

LSARRC News 14th August 2012

Patrick Houghton

A combination of the Olympics and the school summer holidays has meant that it has been a quiet time for Lytham St Annes Road Runners, and especially their junior section. This has not stopped the junior’s chairman and chief coach, Tony Croft, from using the games in a positive way to promote athletics.

In conjunction with the YMCA, Tony has led “taster” sessions with examples of running, throwing and jumping all included. The latest one was at Bridges Playing Fields in Warton on Thursday where 25 local children took part by throwing dummy javelins and shot putts, jumping hurdles and running a measured short course. The children’s’ ages ranged from four to fourteen and they all joined in enthusiastically, especially in the relay race at the end.

These supervised sessions are free and three others are scheduled, all in St Annes. Starting at 1pm they are at Waddington Park on 15^th, Blackpool Road on 22^nd and Hope Street Park on August 31^st. Pre-booking isn’t required.

One junior member of the club was in action this week. At the season’s penultimate Mid-Lancs track and field meeting in Preston on Saturday Lytham’s only representative was Patrick Houghton. Running in only his second meet, Patrick was fifth in the under-15 boys’ 800m with a time of 2:30.1.

In the Northern Vets 10k Road Championships in Bispham on Sunday Graham Webster won the vet 60 category. The full results are still awaited.

LSARRC News 7th August 2012

For Lytham St Anne’s Road Runners this week’s theme was winning age categories, whether junior or veteran. Firstly in Austria one of the club’s leading juniors, Alex Stanier (pictured), represented the club in the Leogang under-15 2k race. Having narrowly missed out on winning last year Alex was determined from the start to do better this time. And so he did, winning by nearly two minutes in 6:53.

Then on Saturday in the Catforth Canter 5k Graham Webster and Sue Samme again excelled to win their age categories. Vet 60 Webster was eighth overall with an excellent time of 18:40 on this flat course while vet 45 Samme was just a minute behind. Elizabeth Walton also had a good run to finish 31^st.

The following day it was the turn of Vet 65 Sylvia Gittens at the Wagon and Horses 10. This is a ten-mile race mostly run along the scenic banks of the river Lune from Lancaster. Not only was Sylvia the first in the vet 65 and vet 60 categories she also achieved 123^rd position overall out of the 175 competing, beating many half her age. 

Also running at this event was Julia Rolfe who was 108^th overall. New to the vet 50 category Rolfe also ran on Thursday in the Cuerden Valley Badger 10K Trail race. This is a tough trail run with hills, kissing gates, stiles and flights of steps to be negotiated. Rolfe ran in as the second vet 50 with a time of 55:13.

LSARRC Press Report 31st July 2012

The Lakeland 50 is one of the greatest ultra running and walking challenges in Europe. It is a huge challenge, requiring commitment, drive and mental as well as physical stamina. After months of preparation four members of Lytham St Annes Road Runners bravely competed in this event over the weekend.

Starting from the Northern end of Ullswater the route follows the lake’s Eastern shoreline to Howtown.  It continues through remote areas of the Lake District as well more popular parts such as Kentmere, Ambleside and Langdale before finishing at Coniston.

 

As would be expected in such terrain this includes about 10,000 feet of ascent and descent. Competitors are required to carry a substantial amount of supplies and equipment for safety reasons.

 After starting at midday Saturday Simon Denye and Mark Willett were delighted to finish within twelve hours, and in the top one hundred achieving equal 97^th place. They ran and jogged the fifty miles up and down hill, sometimes in the dark and with backpacks in 11:42:02.

 Debbie Cooper and Rob Goodall navigated the course as a team to finish 345^th. They were equally happy to complete the gruelling event, and well within the 24-hour cut-off in 17:04:58. This meant they crossed the finishing line just after 5am!

 

On Friday evening other Lytham members took part in the somewhat shorter annual Firemen's Relays. The club fielded four teams of which two finished in the top ten of the three leg relay on the 2.7 mile course skirting Heron’s Reach.

 

Joe Greenwood spearheaded the “Olympic Hopefuls” which finished third in 47:26. Rapidly improving Joe posted the evening’s fifth fastest time of 14:49. Teammates Tom Howarth and Graham Webster were 21^st and 22^nd overall respectively.

 Roy Upton, Willie Richmond and Dave Dunn made up the team who were eighth, completing the three legs in a total of 51:13. Mother and son Linda and 13 year-old Tom Holmes competed against each other in Lytham’s final two teams. Tom marginally took the honours in both team and individual positions. 

 Bec Willetts and Pam Hardman defied the heavy rain to take part in the Cliviger 6 mile road race on Sunday. Held on a hilly course near Burnley this was the 34^th year of this event. Finishing 96^th Bec’s time of 49:14 was over two minutes up on last year. Pam’s ran 51:06 to claim the second FV55 spot.

At the club’s monthly handicap on Thursday good conditions helped ten of the twenty-three running to earn bonus points for either personal bests or seasons bests. New member Catherine French finished first while Joe Greenwood’s ninth place was enough to maintain his overall lead in the table.