Lancaster 5K - Saturday 29th September

The final race in the Lancaster 5K series takes place this Saturday the 29th September from the Salt Ayre Leisure Centre in Lancaster.  The race starts at 18:30.

I'll be driving down so if anyone wants a lift, drop me a line on 07789 234788 or iandavversdavies@googlemail.com.  Will be looking to leave Keswick at about 16:30.

Northern 6 Stage Road Relays -Sat 22nd Sept

Picture © Steve Angus athletesinaction.co.uk

September for many athletes and clubs up and down the country, marks the beginning of the road relay season. While a constant presence on the national fell relay scene, Keswick AC have not entered a team to the road relays for a number of years, but recent seasons have seen the development of a good squad of road runners at the club and one that it was felt could challenge for a top 25 finish at the Northern area-relays which would gain them qualification to the National 6 Stage Road Relay, an event of some prestige on the athletic calendar.

This year the Northern event was at Leigh Sports Village hosted by Leigh Harriers AC, for Cumbrian clubs only a short drive down the M6, and indeed on the day teams were present from Kendal, Barrow, Border Harriers and Keswick AC.

The format of the event is six legs of approximately 6.4km, each being made up of two laps around the complex with a start and finish in front of the grandstand on the athletics track. The lap incorporated some narrow sections with tight turns and stretches of rough cycle path, as well as some more open stretches on good tarmac surfaces, which made for exciting and competitive racing throughout.

Steve Hebblethwaite got the team off on the first leg with a time of 19:29 which saw them placed 30th, handing over to John Beetham, who worked hard for 21:07 on the second leg and did well to return the team in 41st place, amongst a tight group of clubs who were each in the hunt for a top-25 National qualifying place. It was great to see the return of Josh Hebson to a club team and in posting 20:42 he showed he is in good shape after time out to injury through the summer, moving the team up 5 places to 36th. Ian Davies, himself enjoying a good spell free of injury, was able to gain the club a further place to 35th with two stages left to run.

Picture © Bryan Dale

It is at this point in the relay that tactics can play a part, and clubs that have 'front-loaded' their teams with their better runners on the early legs can be exposed by a lack of depth in their team. Choosing to place two more experienced and in shape runners on the penultimate and final leg paid off for Keswick with Russell Maddams clocking a strong 19:35 to reign in another four places, before handing over to Carl Bell who posted 19:00 with an inspired and gutsy run that saw him overhaul a further seven clubs, including rivals Kendal AC.

Picture © Bryan Dale

Cheered on by delighted team mates Carl crossed the line two hours and forty three seconds after Steve had set off, and in 24th place to qualify the club for the National 6 Stage Road Relay next month. First place was taken by Altrincham & Dist AC in 1:49:25, ahead of Liverpool Harriers & AC, and Salford Harriers & AC.

L-R: Steve, Josh, Ian, Russell, John, and Carl

Saturday Track Training

Hi All

Next week's track session at Tarn Close Track, Cockermouth, 9.30am, Sat 29th September:

 

Recovery week, short session: Warm up and drills: 10, 8 or 6 x 400m off 75' (4000m/3200/2400m) Cool down, stretch at home. Or Lancaster 5K, 6.30pm

All Keswick AC members welcome.  Great to see Jen Mattinson and junior members Katie Livesy and Lucy Pye on Saturday.

Whitehaven Harbour 5K -Saturday 15th Sept 2012

Full results below...

An overcast sky and cool feel to the air greeted runners who gathered for the inaugural Whitehaven Harbour 5K. Organised by Cumberland AC, this 5K road race (few and far between in Cumbria) starts along the quayside before taking in a loop up around the Candlestick to the Haigh Pit, climbing perhaps 100m, before dropping back down to the flat finish alongside the harbour again.

The young Border Harrier Peter Harrison, who this summer represented Great Britain U20s at both the World and European Mountain Running Championships was the first back in 16:40, with Howgill and Keswick AC's Carl Bell close on his heels 11 seconds later. The evergreen veteran Alan Bowness filled the last podium position and showed he still has some speed in his legs after a forray into ultra racing earlier this year.

A good run from Jenn Mattinson (Keswick AC) saw her finish first female in a time of 22:03, from Debbie Walker (Derwent AC) and CFR's Lindsay Buck.

A number of other Keswick AC runners were out for a the new race, some stretching their legs over 5K ahead of next weeks Northern Six Stage Road Relays at which the club hopes to make an impact after an absence from the event for a number of years.


A few more photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/KeswickAC/WhitehavenHarbour5K2012.

1. Peter Harrison (Border Harriers) 16:40
2. Carl Bell (Keswick AC) 16:51
3. Alan Bowness (U/A) 17:27

Keswick AC:
4. Josh Hebson 17:32
6. Ian Davies 18:05
16. Mark Denham-Smith 20:56

1. Jenn Mattinson (Keswick AC) 22:03
2. Debbie Walker (Derwent AC) 22:30
3. Lindsay Buck (CFR) 26:49

For full results see the Cumberland AC website.

Three Shires Fell Race 15/9/12

Well done to all the Keswick runners today.