Lostock AC members made the short trip to compete in the Bury 10k for the latest instalment of the Road Runners Championship last weekend and returned good times. Seven Lostockers lined up with more than 1,000 runners in the rain to complete the route that began in Bury town centre before heading towards Tottington for approximately 2.5 miles.
Participants then completed a U-turn to head back towards the centre. The route took runners along the Kirklees trail path, before heading back to the centre past the Bury Transport Museum. This is an undulating course with some tough climbs with the final hill one mile from the finish line.
But the last 400 metres are flat, providing runners with excellent sprinting conditions. It was an extremely wet day, but this did not dampen the Lostock spirit with Jo McManus the first member across the finish line in 48mins 8secs - the 19th female to finish. She was followed by Chris Baker, in 49:42, while Louise Jeffrey-Read and Paul Lacey ran together, finishing in 50:15.
Tony Maxwell quickly followed in 50:26, Martin Smith, in 58:35, and Sheila Garewal, in 1:00:36. Rachel Stevens and Stephen Davies volunteered to pace. Stevens paced the 1:10:00 runners and Davies at 1:25:00.
Both were moved by the lovely comments they received from fellow runners they helped pace to a personal best. Fell captain Josie Greenhalgh had a busy weekend of racing. On Saturday she completed the Three Shires Fell Race - a tough race, starting in Ambleside, covering 20k (12.
4 miles) and 4,000 feet of elevation. Greenhalgh completed the gruelling race in 3:44:18. Then, on Sunday, she took part in the Achille Ratti Club Race to Lingmoor.
This was a friendly competition starting in Great Langdale to the top of Lingmoor and back. Greenhalgh had a fantastic day enjoying the views and company. Mark Checkley competed in the Strange Struggle Fell Race, organised by Fat Boys Running Club.
This is a fun and friendly 9.9km fell race on a beautiful route, in Hathersage, west of Sheffield. The race includes a tough climb of 1,250 feet.
After a brief shower just before the start, it stayed dryish, except for a lot of precipitation while Checkley was running along the edge to High Neb. He described the race route as ‘stunning.’ It travelled through woodland then beneath the edge.
There was a straightforward long steady climb up, with some good technical descents just to test participants running skills. Checkley had a fantastic finish, passing runners as he headed to the line to clock 1:13:44. Parkrun results: Bolton - Sheila Garewal and Tony Maxwell (both volunteers); Haigh Woodland Park - Louise Read 27:41 (first in age category), Chris Taylor 31:18, Karen Taylor 33:42; Pennington Flash - Hazel Hatfield 23:58 (first female), Mark Checkley 29:06.
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