Dave Neilands reports . . . .

Highs and lows just about sums up the experiences of Garstang Running Club members at recent races. A high followed by an immediate low was what Mike Whyatt got at the British Veteran Cross Country championships at Banbury. Having been presented with his medal for finishing 3rd in the MV45 category, the organizers had a quick recount, decided he had actually finished 4th and took his medal off him!!

Despite the undulations it was low all the way for Geoff Lyons at the Loughrigg Fell race in the Lake District, finishing, by his standards, a modest 65th of the 105 competitors. Staying in the Lakes the undulating trek round the lake for the Coniston 14 saw Greg Hunter finish 326th of the 1303 finishers in 1 hour 48.31 minutes with Malcolm Vinnicombe 357th in 1.49.41 and Geoff Lund, having camped out there all week, 592nd in 1.58.11.

It was a definite high for Phil and Betty Roberts at Ambleside for the 22 mile “Spring into Lakeland” trail run with over 5,000 feet of ascent. On a beautiful cold sunny morning, with a dusting of snow on the trails around Loughrigg, High Tilberthwaite, Coniston and Tarn Hows,Phil was 3rd home in 4 hours 5 minutes. Betty finished this tough run in a very creditable 5 hours and 45 minutes, accompanied all the way round by a former British Fell Racing champion on an easy “flat” day out.

And finally, to finish on a low, the pancake flat Three Bridges 10k at Lancaster, which was actually 6 miles and not 6.2 miles (it matters to some people) saw Gary Heyworth finish 53rd in 41.39 minutes and Pete Gelderd 136th in 49.51 with the 181st and final competitor completing the course in 1 hour and two minutes.

 07/04/08

 

[BACK]