Radcliffe runners at Flash race
September 1, 2022
Ten Radcliffe AC members took part in Sunday’s Pennington Flash Five Mile Trail Race, the sixth race in the Central Lancashire Grand Prix series.
Craig Norman was the club’s first finisher, and 22nd overall, in 34mins 28secs, while Ian Swan ran 35:52, followed by Steven Fawcett in 38:02. Sheila Jones was first WV65, and the 13th woman overall, in 41:45.
In hot conditions Karen Doherty clocked 46:30, and Elaine Bailey celebrated her birthday by finishing second WV60 in 48:09. Also running were Caroline Malone (52:15), Sarah Cantwell (54:56), Natalie Hitchen (57:14 – third WV40) and Sarah Rushton 57:16.
Club chair, Donna Cartwright, also contended with warm weather when she was third woman and first WV45 in 1:44:08 at Saturday’s Chipping Show fell race in Bowland – a tough and traditional 7.5-mile fell race with 1,801 feet of climbing.
There was more success on the hills when three Radcliffe members completed the midweek Golf Ball Fell Race – the final fixture in a four-race series organised by Rossendale Harriers.
Lee Turner ran 56:55 on the 5.5-mile course with 801 feet of climbing on the hills above Rossendale, while Kathryn Davies was second WV55 in 1:06:55 and Karen Doherty was third WV45 in 1:08:08.
The results meant Davies finished a superb second in her age group for the series – and she was back racing on the fells three days later, this time taking on 1,509 feet of ascent at the 9.3-mile High Cup Nick race in the Eden Valley in 1:55:47.
Radcliffe runners celebrated Monday’s Bank Holiday by turning out en masse for the Wacky Relays in Philips Park, Whitefield.
The club had five teams at the event, each made up of four runners, who ran a loop of the 2K course with the emphasis on fun.
Paula Abernethy and Lee Cooper completed the West Lancs Summer Triathlon on Sunday – a 400m swim, 18.5k cycle and 5k run at Edge Hill University. Cooper finished in 1:13:31 and Abernethy clocked 1:21:49.
Members were out in force again at Saturday’s popular 5k parkruns.
Sheila Jones was the club’s first finisher and first VW65 in 23:49 at Heaton Park where team-mates Nick Barnes (27:44), Helen Kay (27:57), Emma Wolstencroft (29:26) and Iain Harris (38:32) also ran.
Other results: Bolton – Mark Alan Williams 32:06, Natalie Hitchen 33:27, Elaine Bailey 34:17, Andy Wheeler 37:58; Heartlands – Chris Paxton 20:11; Tawd Valley – Ian Swan 22:12, Peter Hunter 23:16, Stephen Crowe 28:29, Cheryl Gallagher 34:24, Bev Quinton 37:37; Worsley Woods – Alison Howarth 28:26, Tracy Wroe 35:04.