An astonishing 135 Red Rose Runners competed in the latest Inter Club race hosted by Lytham Road Runners. A record field of 411 ran the 5 mile course in warm and windy conditions. We achieved greatest success in the Vet categories taking first place in the V50 and V60 team events. In the Overall placings we were placed 4th, the Ladies team was placed 4th and the Open Vets team was third.
Sunday the 14th May 2017 saw 13 red rose runners head north and over the Yorkshire border to the Howgill’s for the very scenic Trail 26 / 13 marathon and half marathon. It was a cracking day out on very tough terrain and made more difficult by very hot conditions. The terrain is very mixed, lots of soft slippery grass underfoot but also some lovely flowing hard packed single-track sections and some rocky technical bits as well as various river crossing. The full marathon takes in over 4200 feet of climbing with the half taking in 3000. Both routes followed the same route including the brutal 4 mile of uphill .At 23/10 miles the routes converged again for another big climb of 1000feet. It was at this ‘never again’ point that most people had to re evaluate their finishing target time. The last mile eventually came and the runners made for the sights and sounds of the finish line. Marathon results:15th John Naylor 4.29.35, 33rdDave Brunton 4.50.43,Gary Corcoran 4.59.54,Simon Gardner 5.08.23, Gareth Bell 5.54.42, Ray Oates 6.35.26, Mark McCrea 6.35.26, Pita Oates 6.35.26, Stephen Freeman 6.38.42, Bernie Mitchell 6.41.12. Half Marathon: Lisa Hyde and Nina Colquhoun 5.18. Lexie Colquhoun also took part In the Trail Fun Run.
The Club’s annual Worden Park was a great success thanks to a lot of hard work from many individuals and members willing to turn up on the day to provide marshalling and support. The 10k event had had 370 finishers with a Red Rose presence of 47. Duncan Anderson was our mostly highly placed runner in 4th place in a time of 36.29. In 9th place John Shepherd finished in 37.42 to take first V50 and Dave Parkinson was ninth in 38.52. Their fine performances were worthy winners of the Men’s team prize. Ann Cleave 48.46,Beth Hayman 53.00 and Carol Douglass 53.19 and first F70, made up the ladies team to take third place. Davina Bowling took F65 in 54.25. The remarkable Evelyn Elkington 71.25 and Bernard Elkington ‘Master Tail Runner’ were the V80 winners.
Parkrun PB’s were achieved by Kristian Lowe 20.24 at Cuerden Valley and at Preston, Hannah Watson 24.07, Paul Gardner 26.48, and Amanda Berry 29.41.