Cross Country - Cockermouth 3rd October

The inaugural Cross Country Club Championship gets underway this weekend in Cockermouth (do I get bonus points for alliteration) Note: The Club Championship status will be subject to ratification at the AGM. Due to some unfortunate date clashes with the fell relays in October it has been decided that in order to qualify for the Championship an individual needs to complete three races from six.

Full details of the Championship programme can be found in the member’s section on the ClubWeb and the qualifying races are:

3rd October – Cockermouth
17th October – Penrith
7th November – Maryport
5th December – Keswick
12th December – Barrow (County Championships)
9th January – Carlisle

So for those not taking part in the relays the Cockermouth Junior races start at noon , & the Seniors at around 1:10pm, at the field just east of Cockermouth School. The cost is a mere £2, Club vests and pins required and X-Country spikes or fell-studs would be suitable for the course.

Anyone wishing to car-share please contact iandavversdavies@googlemail.com

Ian Hodgson Mountain Relay - Ladies Team

The ladies team for the Ian Hodgson Relay has also been finalised as below - 

Leg 1 - Lucy Dunn & Sheelagh Veitch

Leg 2 - Sara Hodgson & Trudy Beetham

Leg 3 - Anne Downie & Suzy Grindley

Leg 4 - Jo Gillyon & Cat Evans

Reserves - Kim Clark, Debbie Thompson, Sarah Bailey & Hayley Hodgson

So far there are two cars going from Keswick around 8am.  If anyone wants to car share get in touch, including anyone not running who wants to offer support - joandchris8@tiscali.co.uk.

Thanks to all for your enthusiasm and support and for Pat's help!  

Ian Hodgson Mountain Relay teams announced

The Keswick AC mens open, and vet team for the 22nd edition of the Ian Hodgson Mountain Relay, which takes place in Brotherswater this weekend, have been announced. The event, first staged in 1985 is a relay over four legs of testing mountain terrain (map here), for teams of 8 -each leg being covered by two runners who run together as a pair.

Last year the event was cancelled due to the start/finish fields being underwater following heavy rains. The Keswick AC open team placed 10th in the 2007 edition of the Relay (results) from a total of 65 teams and will be out to better that result.

Keswick AC
Open
LEG1 -Chris Edis + Steve Hebblethwaite
LEG2 -Dave Birch + Matt Fraser
LEG3 -Toby Cushion + James Luxmoore
LEG4 -Mark Denham-Smith + Will Veitch

Reserves:
Ian Davies
John Beetham

Vets
LEG1 -Dunc Overton + Neil Thompson
LEG2 -Dave Owens + Rob Wynne
LEG3 -Dave Burton + Keith Loan
LEG4 -Nick Ogden + Craig Smith

Reserves:
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR RESERVES TO STEP IN FOR THE V40+ TEAM -IF ANYONE IS AVAILABLE THIS SUNDAY AND WOULD LIKE A RUN, PLEASE PLEASE GET IN TOUCH stevenhebblethwaite@hotmail.com or 01900 821501

Cumberland Ale 10 -Sunday 13th Sept

Results from Cockermouth club, Derwent AC's 'Cumberland Ale 10' earlier this month are now available. The ten mile road race starts from the Jennings brewery in the town before following an undulating and scenic route on quiet roads to cross the River Derwent at Isel Bridge. The route makes a small loop before returning to the town via Isel Road again.

Three Keswick AC men represented the club, Dunc Frampton posted a super 63.51 to finish second behind race winner Chris Steele (Borrowdale FR) who ran 56.07. Duncan's time qualifies for the RRC 'gold standard' and also places him top in the club ranking at 10M this year -well done Duncan. Derek Harrison too ran a great 73.37 for 11th overall and 1st MV60.

The race was a counter in the Derwent AC 'Grand Prix' -a competition for runners who compete at a minimum of 3 of the Derwent-organised races. Peter Bingham who has had a busy year on the road ran 76.39 for 18th place, and this alongside runs at Isel Cross, the Lambfoot Loop and Hay races secured him 3rd V40 and 6th place overall in the grand prix -well done Peter.

Full results from the Cumberland Ale 10 here.

FRA Relay Recce

Tomorrow's recce will be FRA territory. I am planning to do leg 4, Steve Heb will be looking at leg 1. Meet Keswick (station car park) at 3.45pm, sheep & wool about 4.10pm or at the start around 4.30pm.

There will be no more 6pm recce's due to the nights drawing in.

Let me know if you can make it - joandchris8@tiscali.co.uk

Dalehead 4.5m/2210’ –Sunday 20th September

There was a good turnout from Keswick AC at the ever popular Dalehead race this afternoon –the fine sunny weather saw a packed show field at Rosthwaite for the Borrowdale show which was a welcome change after last year’s washout.

Ricky Lightfoot (Ellenborough) won by a clear margin from Simon Booth (Borrowdale). The race was a Keswick AC club championship counter in 2008. This year Matt Fraser again found third spot with a super run finishing in 48:45 and clipping 50 seconds from his 2008 time. Pippa Jackson was a class above the rest of the women today, running 53.15 for 6th overall and taking over two and a half minutes from her own time of last year.

Keswick AC:

Men
3. Matt Fraser -48:45
11. Craig Smith -58:05
12. Dave Prosser -58.20
17. Pez Bullen -60:37
24. Jim Downie -67:27 (1st V60)

Women
1. Pippa Jackson -53:15
3. Lucy Dunn -77:51
4. Anne Downie -78.40 (1st FV40)

Commonwealth Championship Up and Down Open Race –Sunday 20th September

Bathed in bright sunshine, amongst the pleasant surrounds of Fitz Park in Keswick this morning a good field toed the line for the 8m/2700’ course of the Up and Down Mountain Race. The race was one of several open races offered over three days as part of the ‘Festival of Running’ that was organised under the umbrella of the Commonwealth Championship. The Up and Down race began in the park, and via Briar Rigg and Spoony Green Lane, took in three ‘undulating’ laps over Latrigg before returning to the park, and the finish...

...The fully flagged course was exactly the same as that tackled by the elite athletes later in the day in the Commonwealth Championship Races. Photographs by Pete Richards from the four days of the Commonwealth Championships can be found at www.keswick-ac.org.uk in the news section.

The open race was won by Prasad Prasad of Clydesdale Harriers in 51:04 who made amends for his run last month in the commonwealth trial race that was run over the same course when he recorded a DNF. First woman was Emma Clayton (Scunthorpe & Dist) in 59:39.

Today’s race was the final race in the Keswick AC club fell-championship 2009. For the men, Phil Winskill made his first appearance in the competition in style with a run of 54:29, 5th place overall to claim maximum points ahead of Steve Hebblethwaite -55:50 (6th), Ian Davies -1:02:28 (24th), Toby Cushion -1:02:43 (25th), Rob Wynne -1:04:14 (29th), Dave Owens -1:08:52 (41st), Quentin Merrit -1:08:56 (42nd), Andrew Murray -1:10:59 (47th), Keith Loan -1:11:25 (49th), Chris Clark -1:18:37 (61st), and Patric Gilchrist -1:21:54 (1st MV60/68th).

For the women, Jo Gillyon raced a good 1:13:18 (8th) ahead of Trudy Beetham -1:16:21 (11th), Debbie Edgington -1:19:16 (13th), Kim Clark -1:20:15 (2nd LV50/14th) and Maureen Bridge ( 1st LV60/16th).

picture: Pete Richards