Helen Leigh – not unknown to have tackled some wickedly hard endurance events, added the Lakes In A Day Race to her CV on Sunday October 11th.

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The Race Website describes the course as:

‘50 miles, 4000m ascent – a journey on foot from the very top of the Lake District at Caldbeck to the very bottom, at Cartmel, via the stunning Helvellyn Ridge and the western shoreline of Lake Windermere. It might not be the easiest traverse but it will be the most spectacular!’

It will be a day never to be forgotten.

 Full Results HERE

Video of the Race Route HERE

With nearly 250 runners finishing the Race, Helen finished 5th overall in 11hrs.00m.10sec which was a fantastic performance winning the first Woman’s prize too. The runaway winer was Kim Collison who finished in 9.12.07 but Heln was just 33 minutes behind the 2nd athlete home and just eleven minutes behind 3rd place which shows what a tremendous run she had and told the Club that  I went into this race with no expectations as I had never run this far before. I just wanted to challenge myself and to see how far I could push my body. Seems like 50miles is still not enough, I had a fantastic race feeling strong for nearly 40miles. The last 10 were very hard but I fell into step with another runner and we pushed each other to the end crossing the line together in joint 5th and me first lady. Can’t argue with that!

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For over 35 years the IRONMAN World Championship has brought the world’s best athletes together in competition.

The inaugural “Hawaiian IRON MAN Triathlon” was conceptualized in 1977 as a way to challenge athletes who had seen success at endurance swim, running and biathlon events. Honolulu-based Navy couple Judy and John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i—the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon—into one event.

On February 18, 1978, 15 people came to Waikiki to take on the IRONMAN challenge. Prior to racing, each received three sheets of paper with a few rules and a course description. The last page read: “Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life!”

In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Along the Kona Coast, black lava rock dominates the panorama, and athletes battle the “ho’omumuku” crosswinds of 45 mph, 95 degree temperatures and a scorching sun.

The IRONMAN World Championship centers on the dedication and courage exhibited by participants who demonstrate the IRONMAN mantra that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.® On October 10th, over 2,000 athletes will embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN.

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Brian Fogarty qualified again this year for the World Championships held in Kona and he found himself, as did others, running the Marathon in a temperature of 49 degrees which is just torture. Anyone who has ever run a Marathon in hot conditions, let alone swim 2.4 miles in the seas and race a bike over 112 miles before you run the Marathon, will know what we mean.

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For Brian to be crossing the line in 9.56 and finishing 281st out of 2367 is a fabulous performance, however Brian didn’t quite see it that way and told the Club that it was “Not the result or performance I wanted today! Ironman’s the toughest endurance sport out there, if it was easy everybody would do it! Still a lot of positives to take. Of all the Ironman’s I’ve done this was my hardest. The heat was just to much for me. When your completely depleted and still have 16 miles left to run, it’s then that you really ask questions of yourself. I learn’t a lot about myself today and managing to somehow pull off a 9:56 is arguably my biggest achievement to date. Knowing I had 15 of the best support crew in Kona waiting for me, quitting just wasn’t an option. So many people have played a part this year in my best year yet and there is so much more to come. Special thanks to Paul Slone of universal cooling for sponsoring and believing in me. Dezzi Higginson of crossfit Deltafox, Lee Cameron of cotton Town Bikes, Paul Guinan and the rest of the FITT lads, Andy Hosgood of summit Physio, All at Fogartys Insurance and lastly my amazing wife Maria Fogarty for putting up with me!!
I’ll be back! Fitter, Faster and stronger than ever!! X – Thank you to everybody who has liked or commented wishing me well. Nobody ever goes unnoticed. I very much appreciate it”.

 

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(Support Team)

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Park 5k Runs

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Meanwhile another week goes round with the Park 5k Runs which saw a number of Harriers competing in different venues. At Witton Park, Blackburn 171 runners turned out with Danny Maynard running one of these for the first time, placing 6th overall in a time of 20.16. Next came Bryan Searby in 18th spot with a time of 22.10 followed by 11yr old Alice Townson in 78th (30.00)

Blackburn Results HERE

Over at Preston an even bigger field of 301 runners took part with Michael Toms 6th setting a new PB of 18.28 in theses Races and 1st V50. U17 Grace Handley also ran a new PB for these taking 16 seconds off her previous best and posting a 19.14 – 12th place.

Preston Results HERE

A massive number of runners totaling 543 turned out for Heaton Park’s run with Evan Cook coming in 37th (20.16) giving him the first V60 and a new PB.

Heaton Park Results HERE

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