Red Rose held their sixth club championship run at the Lytham Green Drive 5 race. Amongst the 350 runners were 21 Red Rose runners. Ken Addison and Joe Swarbrick faced very strong oppostiion from other V55 runners and although running well weren’t a match for them and had to be satisfied with 4th and 5th place in in the vet category. Addison took up the early pace but Swarbrick eventually took the lead coming home less than 30 seconds ahead in a time of 30.13. Phil Butler was third home followed by Cliff Utting in times of 32.35 and 34.07.
Simon Murphy was next in, in 35.01 having completed the Loch Ness and Liverpool marathons in the past month. Barry Wheeler also having run at Loch Ness finished in 35.23 edging out Dave Earnshaw by one second. Stuart Cann ran well for a 35.38 finish just ahead of the first Red Rose lady, Debbie Kirkman, who finished in 35.46 securing the Lady’s club champion place for the year.
Next home were Luke Earnshaw making a welcome appearance running 36.20 and Paula Plowman who ran strongly for a sub 40 finish after her Liverpool marathon a week ago. Carol Douglass came home next in 40.14 which gave her first place in the V65 category ahead of strong opposition. Ever reliable Allan Howard came in next just ahead of Bernard Elkington who ran 45.05 to take the silver medal in the Vet 75 group. In the Ladies section, Evelyn Elkington took the gold medal position in the Vet 75 section in a time of 46.11.
Emma Cowie Shaw, Adela Nuttall and Vicky Shaw took the next three places with Karen and Chris Clark coming in together in 49.23. Roy Lowe made a rare appearance finishing in 55.03.
At the Chester marathon Nigel Pickles ran his first marathon. The stiff gradients in the second half of the race proved difficult for all runners. Nigel’s finishing time was 4.20.51.
