A cool morning with little wind provided good conditions for running and 83 runners toed the line for the second 5K race on the same course this year. The races have been organised by Sam Ayres of Cumberland FR and use Cockermouth Rugby Club's Grasmoor Sports Centre facilities. The large turn-out of club athletes and unattatched runners for the two races this year are testimony to the popularity of a 5K race which is most welcome in the North Lakes, the only other similar evant being the popular Lancaster 5K series, and further races are expected.
The race starts at Strawberry How Farm and heads away from town to take in a scenic and undulating rural loop before returning towards Cockermouth via Lorton Road and the finish at the sports centre. The race took on a slower pace than July's edition of the event and after the first kilometre John Fletcher of Border Harriers and myself had opened a lead on the chasing runners and remained together until the 4km mark when Fletcher who has recorded 15.34 for 5000m this year pulled away to win comfortably in 16.48.
Keswick runners Quentin Merritt and Peter Bingham had a good contest, Peter setting the tempo for the first half of the race until Quentin who had started conservatively, forced the pace enough to open a gap which he was able to maintain to finish just 27 seconds faster. Quentin was 2nd V45 and together with Peter and myself took the men's team prize.
Keswick Results:
2nd -Steve Hebblethwaite -17.09
9th -Quentin Merritt -20.30
11th -Peter Bingham -20.57
Full results here.
Photographs courtesy of Toby Cushion
No comments:
Post a Comment