Sunday, March 28, 2010

Sedberh 3 Peaks -English/British champs race ENTRIES OPEN

Entries for the Sedbergh 3 Peaks race, 4.1m/1663' which takes place on Saturday 26th June, opened on Friday (March 26th). The race is a counter in both the English and British Championships and is likely to fill up very fast so get your entries in NOW.

5 (men) to count for a team and 3 ladies.

SAT. JUN 26. SEDBERGH 3 PEAKS. AS. Ladies 2pm, men 3pm. 4.1m/1663'. Venue: Howgill Lane, Sedbergh. GR 656923. £5, pre-entry, use FRA universal entry form from FRA website or calendar. Cheques to 'Jon Richardson'. Limit 500. Details: Jon Richardson, 12a Queens Drive, Sedbergh, LA10 5DP.

The printable FRA universal entry form can be downloaded HERE

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Causey Pike, 4.5m/1780', Keswick AC club fell-championship -Saturday 27th March


Photo: Rob Jebb leads from Steve Hebblethwaite (Keswick AC) and Tom Addison (Helm Hill) at the foot of the first climb, to Rowling End -Pete Richards

On a bright and sunny afternoon a record number turned out for the 4.5m/1780' classic, climbing from the bridge at Stair via Rolling End, and returning by way of a steep descent to Stonycroft Gill and the mine track. Among the 143 starters, 22 Keswick AC -Causey being the first of the four-race 2010 fell-championship, with races to follow at Skiddaw (July 4th), Borrowdale (August 7th), and Dale Head (September 19th). The race was won by Rob Jebb (Bingley) in 33:12, and Pippa Maddams (Keswick AC) in 39:12. Pippa's run, just 35 seconds outside of the tough ladies course record (J. King, 38:37, 2000), is the closest anyone has come in ten years, and is the only time that the race has been won in under 40 minutes since that year.


Photo: Craig Smith chases Colin Valentine for early season points in the 2010 V40 fell-championship -Pete Richards

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP
Pippa, close to a minute faster than her time of last year for the race, took maximum points in the ladies championship, with Julie Carter following in 46:28 for the 1st V40 prize. Jo Gillyon ran 48:17 to make up the winning ladies team, and take home the ever present easter-themed chocolate team prizes. Hayley Hodgson (52:09) took 4th with Anne Downie (57:00) 5th, and 2nd V50 in the race behind Clayton legend Wendy Dodds.

Steve Hebblethwaite took over 90 seconds off his 2009 time, for maximum points in defece of his club fell-championship with a run of 35:18 for 3rd place behind Jebb, and Borrowdale man Mike Fanning, with riavals for this year's championship -Matt Fraser, Phil Winskill, and Ian Davies, absent. John Nicoll, suffering from a bad cold still made the start line, and even more impressive, posted a great 39:50 in a bold run to take 2nd place points by a mere 8 seconds from James Luxmoore (39:58) who ran well following a tumble on the track before Stonycroft Gill.

The V40 category of the championship was even more closely contested with Dave Prosser, returning from injury to clock 41:16 for the top V40 spot, with Colin Valentine (42:32) and Craig Smith (42:39) in a close battle for 2nd place. Eight V40 men ran in total.

Jim Downie heads the V60 category after the first race, taking 1st V60 today in 48:45 -a mention here, must go to Lyn Thompson for her organisation of this great race with generous prizes across the categories, and also to the many volunteers of the club who marshalled the course and helped out at the start and finish.

KESWICK AC RESULTS:

Ladies
1. Pippa Maddams -39:12
2. Julie Carter -46:28 (V40)
3. Jo Gillyon -48:17
4. Hayley Hodgson -52:09 (V40)
5. Anne Downie -57:00 (V50)

Men
1. Steve Hebblethwaite -35:18
2. John Nicoll -39:50
3. James Luxmoore -39:58
4. Dave Prosser -41:16 (V40)
5. Colin Valentine -42:32 (V40)
6. Craig Smith -42:39 (V40)
7. Daniel Barton -43:12
8. John Beetham -43.23
9. Rob Wynne -45:12 (V40)
10. Keith Hill -45:48 (V40)
11. Neil Thompson -46:26 (V40)
12. Quentin Merritt -46.27 (V40)
13. Paul Maxwell -46:31
14. Mark Rutherford -46:57
15. Jim Downie -48:45 (V60)
16. David Harrison -52:48 (V60)
17. Neil Elsender -52:53 (V40)

Photos by Pete Richards can be found here

Full results available over on the club-website: www.keswick-ac.org.uk


Photo: Jim Downie (48:45) contouring after the beck, on his way to the MV60 prize -Pete Richards

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Causey Pike -Keswick AC club fell-championship 2010 preview

Next Saturday (27th March) will see the first race of the 2010 Keswick AC club fell-championship at Causey Pike (4.5m/1780').

Speculation over who will place well at the 2010 championship-opener is rife, with a number of club members running well going into the season, and some good early-season performances by others.

Phil Winskill had a great run on the country at Fitz Park last month showing the kind of form he is in after an increased winter training load and would not be looking to give any room to the stong runners of last year's championship such as Chris Edis, Steve Hebblethwaite or Matt Fraser, while Jamie Luxmoore and Ian Davies, and also Daniel Barton and John Nicoll are likely to feature after a decent volume of winter running and some good recent results.

With six ladies entered for the British Fell Running Championship race in Ireland next month, the racing for the first scalp in the ladies championship could be just as close -Pippa Maddams would be sure to come close to the 10 year old ladies course record if she has a good run, while Jo Gillyon who showed her current form at the Noonstone race in the English Championship last month is likely to be chasing hard, and Trudy Beetham who raced well at the early-season Blake Fell race this year to finish a mere 24 seconds behind Jo, is certainly also in contention as are an improving group of runners including Hayley Hodgson, Debbie Edgington and Kim Clarke.

In an exciting 2009 fell-championship curtain raiser -at the Coledale Horseshoe on a fine day in April last year, Matt Fraser took full points in the mens championship, before going on to a 2nd place at the Buttermere Sailbeck race the following month and then shortly after picking up an injury which ruled him out of the championship counter at Latrigg. In that same April race that featured 28 Keswick AC runners in total, Pippa Maddams took full points in the ladies club fell-championship with a commanding run, while Dave Spedding had the outstanding vet performance to take maximum points in his campaign to win the V60 category, and Pez Bullen and Colin Valentine fought a close battle for the V40 category.

The 2010 championship follows the same format as last year -club members best three results from the four championship-races count:

SAT 27 March -Causey Pike
SUN 4 July -Skiddaw
SAT 7 August -Borrowdale
SUN 19 September -Dale Head

25 points for 1st, 22 for 2nd, 21 for 3rd, 20 for 4th and so on.
Last years club championship tables can be found HERE.

SAT. MAR 27. CAUSEY PIKE AS. 2.00 p.m. 4.5m/1780' Stair Village Hall, Newlands Valley, Keswick. £3.00, on day. Teams. Over 16. Records: S. Booth, 32:14, 1998; f. J. King, 38:37, 2000.

2009 Causey Pike results HERE

Middlefell, 6.6m/1700’ -Saturday 20th March

Four Keswick lads raced at the Middlefell race from the Screes pub in Nether Wasdale this afternoon. Following a wet morning, the sun shone on a glorious March afternoon for this 6.6m/1700’ race across the fields to Greendale, and up and down Middlefell on the out and back course.

Alan Bowness (CFR) set the early pace with Ian, Steve and Matt content to sit in on the one and a half mile run-out across the valley bottom to the fell. Then, as the ascent progressed it was Fraser and Bowness who pulled ahead, each pushing the other up the climb and reaching the turn together, where Matt was able to open up a gap which he maintained to the finish in a time of 51:22, 68 seconds ahead of the chasing CFR man. Steve followed on for third in 54:30, with Ian who had turned at the summit in 6th place making good time on the return run-in through the fields to finish fourth (59:06), and along with Colin Valentine -17th in 1:05:26, secure the team prize for Keswick AC in a good race that bodes well for the coming season.

Men
1. Matt Fraser (Keswick AC) –51:22
2. Alan Bowness (CFR) –52:30
3. Steve Hebblethwaite (Keswick AC) –54.30
4. Ian Davies (Keswick AC) –58:06
17. Colin Valentine (Keswick AC) –1:05:26

Ladies
1. Natalie White (Kendal AC) –1:04:33

Teams
1. Keswick AC

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Bleasdale Circle, 5m/1250' -Saturday 27th February

A result we missed -on Saturday 27th February this year the 10th anniversary of the Bowland FR-organised Bleasdale Circle in Lancs took place. Chris Edis placed 9th out of a field of 71 runners -well done Chris. Former Todmorden Harrier Chris Smale was first in 41:43, while Rowena Browne (Bowland FR) led home the ladies in 52:03.

1. Chris Smale -U/A -41:34
2. Steve Swarbrick -Bowland FR -41:47
3. Mark Chippendale -Bowland FR -41:53

9. Chris Edis -Keswick AC -43:43

FULL RESULTS


Photograph: Chris Edis leads Rossendale's Steve Clawson at a snowy Bleasdale Circle last month -Harry Walmsley

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Inter Counties XC -Cofton Park, Birmingham, Sat. 13th March

Two Keswick AC runners represented the county at the UKA Inter Counties XC Championships at Cofton Park in Birmingham last Saturday. Steve Hebblethwaite and Ian Davies made up the nine man Cumbria team that placed 10th out of a total of 30 counties. The Inter Counties is one of the most competitive fixtures in the XC calendar and is considered to have the greatest strength in depth of any such fixture –the race was used as the trial race for the 2010 World XC Championships to be held in Bydgoszcz, Poland later this month.

1. Mo Farah 34:41
2. Andy Vernon 35:25
3. Moumin Geele 35:40

66. James Douglas 38:10
67. Peter Huck 38:12
81. Jon Fletcher 38:39
83. Alasdair Russell 38:40
107. Morgan Donnelly 39:11
134. Jeff Cunningham 39:55
151. Russell Maddams 40.19

189. S. Hebblethwaite 41:05
251. Ian Davies 43:45

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Causey recce - Sun 14 March

The Causey Pike fell race is on Sat 27 March. As this is a counter in the club's fell championships, we are organising a recce of the route on Sun 14 March. (Ian says it's simples: run up steep hill really fast, be sick, run down steep hill really fast, be sick again!) If you fancy it (and who wouldn't after that sales pitch?), we are meeting at the Uzzicar car park in time to set off at 9.30am. All levels of speed, ability and post-Sat inebriation welcome!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Weekend results round-up: Mid Lancs XC, Black Combe, Keswick AC Club Road Championships

MID-LANCS XC, BARROW
A busy weekend of racing started with the final meeting of the six-race Mid Lancs XC League, at Hawcoat Park in Barrow. The Mid Lancs is one of the most competitive leagues in the north of England -fields in excess of 300 runners with the prizes commonly contested by a few athletes of a decent standard. Saturday's race saw Gary Priestley (Horwich RMI) win the 2010 League, while Sarah Ridehalgh (Accrington) took the senoor ladies title. Just one Keswick AC runner, in the senior men's race:

1. Peter Huck (Barrow & Furness Striders) 28:55
2. Gary Priestley (Horwich RMI) 29:05
3. James Douglas (Border Harriers) 29:13
4. Russell Maddams (Horwich RMI) 29:58

12. Steve Hebblethwaite (Keswick AC) 30:47

Full results

BLACK COMBE
A fine day for this years race over Black Combe from Silecroft nr Millom. The hill, who's summit is so often capped with cloud, was bathed in spring sunshine for the 9m/3000' race which was the English Fell Running Championship season-opener two years ago. Rob Jebb (Bingley) posted a good time of 1:08:09 for 1st place, Natalie White leading the wommen in 1:31:51. Again, one Keswick AC runner made the trip to the sunny south Lakes for the race:

1. Rob Jebb (Bingley) 1:08:09
2. Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough) 1:09:57
3. Jim Davies (Borrowdale) 1:14:46

33. Colin Valentine (Keswick AC) 1:32:03

Full results and split times

HAWESWATER HALF MARATHON -KESWICK AC CLUB ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE#1
A great race to open the 2010 Keswick AC Club Road-Championship filled up early, which looked as though it was going to deny a fully open battle for early season championship points. In the week leading up to the race however race entries were changing hands and by Saturday there were a number of Keswick runners on the start line that had not appeared on the entry list, and some good battles ensued over the 13.1 mile route along the length of a scenic and sunny Haweswater. A number of runners achieved PBs for the distance, on what is a hilly half-marathon course so well done to those folks, while Rob Wynne ran a gold road-standards time -well done Rob.

Men
1. Steve Hebblethwaite -1:21:53
2. Rob Wynne -1:21:56
3. Nick Ogden -1:23:30
4. Mark Rutherford -1:28:20
5. Quentin Merritt -1:30:32
6. Mike Beechey -1:36:40
7. John Dawson -1:37:39
8. Chris Clark -1:47:25
9. Rainer Burchett -1:55:46
10. David Leary -2:23:15

Ladies
1. Gillian Conroy -1:37:49
2. Hayley Hodgson -1:40:14
3. Rachel Slattery -1:40:50
4. Sue Wilkinson -1:41:17
5. Annabel Holmes -1:45:09
6. Anne Downie -1:47:10
7. Nicola Davison -1:49:40
8. Alison Cutts -1:59:45
9. Jenny Butler -2:03:39

Full results, and some great race photos on www.sportsunday.co.uk


Photograph: Quentin Merritt on his way to a new half-marathon PB of 1:30:32 -www.edenrunners.co.uk

Ireland Accommodation

Thinking of going to Ireland & about to book flights, from manchester on friday 9th and was just wondering where everyone is intending on staying.

Racing head

There was an interesting article about Jenny Meadows (GB 800m runner) in The Guardian on Saturday - esp on the fear she felt going into big races. If you want to read it, it's available online at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/06/jenny-meadows-world-indoor-athletics-championships

Saturday, March 6, 2010

CONISTON FELL RACE ENTRY HALF-FULL!

Entries for the Coniston Fell Race which opened on the 1st March have more than half-filled allready. A message has been posted on their website stating that over 200 entries have now been recieved.

Coniston is the second race in the 2010 English Fell Running Championship. The race is a classic route that starts and finishes from the village and takes in Wetherlam, Swirl How and the Old Man in 9 miles with 3500ft of ascent. We need 5 for a men's team, and 3 for ladies -get your entries in now! The entry form available here:

www.conistonfellrace.org.uk

We will be going for a recce of the route in the coming weeks.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Teenager with altitude

I have an entry going spare for this race taking place on the 24th april (run alongside the anniversary waltz). its a beast of a route but should be fantastic: stair - causey pike - outerside - grassmoor - whiteless pike - newlands hause - robinson - and then you join the AW race!!! 15 miles, 7500' ascent. Only 75 entries allowed, I got in early then realised it clashes with a weekend I am away on a course. let me know if you want the entry and I will notify the organisers.

Mid-Lancs League XC this Saturday

Anyone not got an entry to the Haweswater Half on Sunday looking for a race this weekend would struggle to do better than the Mid-Lancs League Cross Country fixture at Barrow-in-Furness.

See www.midlancs.org.uk for details.

Juniors from 12.30pm, seniors at 2.00pm

I'm driving down, if anyone wants to carshare give me a shout.

Steve
01900 821501

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

High Cup Nick results

Provisional results posted by Morgan Donelly on the FRA forum website. Well done to John Nicoll for being first KAC runner home (and 9th place overall!), and to Pippa for winning to women's race. Apparently the full results will be available on the FRA website "real soon now". Watch that space.

1 Chris Steel 170 1hr 04.18 Male Open 1 Borrowdale
2 Nick Fish 206 1hr 07.04 Male Open 2 Borrowdale
3 Russell Maddams 169 1hr 07.11 Male Open 3 Horwich
4 Phillip Winskill 140 1hr 08.39 Male Open 4 Dark Peak
5 Steve Birkinshaw 109 1hr 08.46 40 Male Vet 1 Borrowdale
6 Martin Amor 149 1hr 10.17 40 Male Vet 2 CFR
7 Carl Bell 232 1hr 10.24 Male Open 5 Howgill
8 Nick Craig 113 1hr 11.27 40 Male Vet 3 Pennine
9 John Nicoll 139 1hr 12.30 Male Open 6 Keswick
10 Philip Addyman 133 1hr 12.41 40 Male Vet 4 Northumberland Fell Runners
11 Kienon Hodgson 190 1hr 13.22 40 Male Vet 5 FRA
12 Kim Collison 143 1hr 13.32 Male Open 7 Eden Runners
13 Anthony Labram 179 1hr 13.51 40 Male Vet 6 Eden Runners
14 Stuart Robinson 171 1hr 15.00 40 Male Vet 7 Arragons Triathlon Club
15 Russell Collins 209 1hr 15.03 40 Male Vet 8 Teesdale Athletic
16 Daniel Barton 138 1hr 15.09 Male Open 8 Keswick
17 David Birch 214 1hr 15.16 40 Male Vet 9 Keswick
18 Lee Amor 153 1hr 15.18 Male Open 9 CFR
19 Pippa Maddams 168 1hr 15.20 Female Open 1 Keswick
20 Scott Gibson 119 1hr 15.39 Male Open 10 Northumberland Fell Runners

Haweswater Half Marathon

Good luck to everyone running at Haweswater this Sunday and if you are interested in car sharing drop me a line on jogillyon@yahoo.com