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

Luton Marathon –Sunday 6th December

A good run by Mark Denham-Smith at Luton Marathon last week, posting a time of 3:06:40 for 32nd place. As a result the club road-running ranking list has been updated HERE with Mark moving into 2nd in the marathon ranking –well done Mark.

A total of 493 finished the main marathon, while 103 teams of three also completed a 26.2 mile relay. Well done to Sue Denham-Smith whose team ‘The Baldy Beaters’ finished 88th in 4:15:06.

Guy's 10 mile, Garstang RC -Sunday 6th December

A field of 368 turned out for this popular Garstang Running Club organised 10 mile race, which takes place on the quiet lanes west of the A6 near Preston in Lancashire.

The start of the race was postponed by 10 minutes due to a heavy shower at half past ten, leaving runners to keep warm by doing laps of the car park or sheltering in the doorways of the bizare race HQ "Guy's Thatched Hamlet"; thatch-themed tourist attraction and family day-out destination. However, this did not phase the first and second placed pair of Antony Ford (Sale Harriers AC) and Ben Fish (Blackburn Harriers) who both went on to break the 1994 course record, Ford coming out on top by some 9 seconds in a time of 48.52. Gary Preistly (Horwich RMI) placed third in 53.12.

Once the race had got underway, conditions were really very good for running -cool and sunny with just a light headwind on parts of the course. Candice Taylor (Clayton-le-Moors) took full advantage to record a good win in 59.19, from Gemma Unsworth (Blackpool Wyre & Fylde) -1:00:39 and Sarah Ridehalgh (Accrington RR) -1:01:14.

For Keswick AC, Cathy Colam today added a result which comliments the RRC standard-times that she has achieved this year; 1:50:03 (Keswick Half-Marathon) and 49:03 (Moorclose 10km) with a 10 mile time of 1:19:11, enough for the RRC gold-standard award, 199th overall today and 1st LV60 -well done Cathy.

Steve Hebblethwaite was the only other runner in Keswick AC colours at the race, posting a time of 56:54 for a pleasing 13th place.

Full results on the Garstang RC website here.

The qulifying times for the RRC road-standards awards can be found on the Keswick AC club-website here.