This weekend Red Rose tackled the Mad Dog event and the Wonderful Winter Warmer 10k at Blackburn. The Mad Dog provided chances for PB’s as long as the notorious windy conditions didn’t prevail. In the event, there was a host of PB times including Scott Jackson finishing in 42.29, Lee Lawrenson 44.21,third PB in a week, Anees Shaikh 51.14, Mick Braithwaite, 52.57, Louise Withnell 56.03,also a 5k PB of 27.41,Nicola Patterson,55.10,Wendy Rogerson 55.05,Michelle Livesey 59.01, Jenni Sloan 61.22, Dawn McLean 79.55.
In 2nd place in the whole race, Simon Croft cracked the course in a brilliant time of 34.21. Kristian Lowe was 44th in 39.30 and Liam Hooton was our third runner in 43.51.Anneke Crosby led the ladies home in a time of 51.41. Gun timing showed Natalie Moore as our second lady with a time of 52.31 but a chip time of 49.35, followed by Melanie Lowe in 52.00. In the Pups’ race we had Lucie Clipston 8.36,Megan Bradley 8.57 and Toby Greenhalgh 14.52. If anyone else has done something amazing and not been included, I apologise. Well done, ‘Amazing Red Rose’.
The Blackburn Road Runners, Winter Warmer event filled up a week prior to the race. The lucky ones got the chance to run one of the best races of the year but with little chance of a PB. The race starts on the track and leads out of the park on a stiff gradient which continues relentlessly up Buncer Lane. The climbing doesn’t stop for at least 2 miles so the views from the Plessington Road over to Mellor are impressive. The course undulates throughout the remaining miles, dropping sharply towards Plessington Priory before the final charge to the finish. Alex Venables was 33rd in an excellent 39.09 well ahead of his club mates. Ruth Travis came in as 6th F40 in a time of 48.28 just ahead of John Wiseman in 48.36. On 5 minute/km pace Ian Wharton crossed the line in 49.26 followed by Steve Moon making his first appearance for the club in a time of 50.33. Lee Burton put an excellent performance with a time of 51.15 followed by Steve Murphy, 54.18, Alison Mercer 56.42, Paul Gardner 57.33 and Colin Manning 64.39, a considerable improvement on his previous attempt in 2012.
Mary Conway and Lynn Melvin represented the club brilliantly at the tough Grizedale Half marathon.
At the Green Man 5k at Buckshaw Village, Red Rose dominated the top places with Sam Harrison 1st, Stuart Cann 2nd, Warren Crook 4th, Steve Boardman 5th and Anthony Walton 6th.