Darwen Heritage Half-Marathon
The old Roller Coaster Half-Marathon was a very popular Race in the 1990’s and unfortunately it came to an end. Darwen Dashers decided to resurrect the Race this year as the Darwen Heritage Half-Marathon, using a lot of the old route and adding a couple of changes. The new Race proved to be popular with 411 runners finishing on the day.
Full Results HERE
Blackburn Harriers had twelve runners out in the Race which was won by Ben Fish in a time of 72.40, some seven minutes clear of second place. Ben also led the Harriers to the Team victory with Paul Guinan 3rd over all (80.05) who also won the V45 1st Prize and Karl Billington in his first ever run over the distance 6th in 83.13. After the Race Ben commented “This was a race I really wanted to win as a half marathon doesn’t get more local than that. Hopefully the event is back to stay, well done to the lads as well, it was great to have our club win the team as well”. Sean Proctor was next home for the Club in 25th place and was pretty happy with his time of 89.15 on a really tough course.
Next in for the Harriers was new member Nathan Walsh who joined the Club in January of this year and had a pretty solid run in 38th spot with a time of 91.41with V45 Jason Harbour just a few seconds behind in 92.00 (41st). Allan Hartley (V40) also had a solid run and came home in 60th with a time of 96.25, followed in by Danny Teare (149th) in his first ever half-marathon in 1hr 48.02. V50 Richard Taylor trying to get ready for the Three Peaks finished 179th in 1hr 52.38 whilst Michael Sharp ran a time of 1hr 57.33 and placed 210th. All credit to Ben Armstrong, who is as they say a big unit coming in 253rd with a time of 2hr.04.23 and he was followed home by Craig Greenhough (264th) in 2hr 04.23 and David Morris 392nd in 2hr 36.06.
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Wilmslow Half-Marathon
The Wilmslow Half-Marathon is traditionally used by many runners as a warm up for the London Marathon and/or the Manchester Marathon. The Race attracts huge fields – 3764 finishers this year – and usually provides some quick times on a not altogether flat course. This year was no exception. With good weather conditions the Race was won in a time of 64.59 by Josphat Kipkemoi.
Full Results HERE
V45 Andy Buttery had just missed out on breaking the existing Club Record held by Evan Cook (74.50) recently at the Wrexham Half-Marathon and was looking for those few seconds at this one. He told the Club after the Race “i feel like I had a good run – probably better than my recent run at Wrexham Half even though my time was slightly slower. It means I missed the club v45 record again by just 7 secs! I was pleased to be 1st v45 and happy with my overall finishing position in a quality field. Wilmslow is tougher from half way and I paced it well coming through to gain 11 places in the second half. The last few miles were into a strong headwind however, which cost me the club record today. At 10miles I knew it was going to be close to 74.50 at the finish and gave it everything I had in the last 5k so I’m satisfied I tried!”
Chris Davies was doing Wilmslow as part of his London Marathon build up and came home in 50th spot with a time of 78.15 commenting afterwards “I had mixed emotions after yesterdays run. I started the race with a game plan which was to run at 5:50 pace but set off quicker than I would like. The first 7 miles of the course for me are in the runners favour with a lot of flat and little down hills so it make for a fast start. Felt ok at the pace I was doing for 7 miles and then all of a sudden I started to struggle a little bit. From the 8th mile to the 10th I started to slow a bit (not to alarmingly) but not the pace I was looking for. Those 3 miles aren’t easy because at that point of the race you turn back round and go back the way you came, so it becomes a gradual climb back and it was into a bit of a breeze which did push you back a little bit.
I got a second wind at the 11th mile but last two fell back into a similar pattern to mile 8 to 10. the time of 1hr 18 mins is still good, not what I was looking for but I suppose after the last two weeks of up and down training due to niggles I should have maybe expected a little set back.
It was good to get the race in to be honest because again after the last two weeks I wasn’t sure if I would be able to run it. Three weeks to go to the Marathon, I’ve got all my long runs in now, time to start tapering and get myself as fit as possible for the main event”.
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John Orrell is trying to get himself up to speed and as been take on a number of Fell Races of late, the most recent being the Pendle Hill Fell Race held on Saturday April 2nd. John came home in 105th place ((52.47) in the Race won by Sam Tosh.
Full Results HERE
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Park Runs
At the Witton Park 5k Run this week – Results HERE – it was a one-two for the Harriers with Liz Greenwood winning the race in a new PB time on this course of 19.53 with Mark Almond taking 2nd spot (20.28). John Cookson came in 5th in a time of 21.54 followed by Michael Sharp (9th) in 24.30 and a new PB for him on this course, Mike Blacklidge (11th) in 24.47, Paul Wilkinson (19th) in 26.38, 10yr old Saul Sharp in 22nd (28.12), Lindsay Davies (27th) in 29.13, Leo Gebbie 31st with a time of 30.13, 7yr old Lulu Sharp (45th) in 35.18 and Lorna Sharp (46th) in 35.18.
Young Charlotte Corrigan was down in Cornwall and decided to have a crack at the Park Run there in Lanhydrock along with 150 others. Charlotte was the first female back in the Race taking 16th place overall and in a time of 23.03. RESULTS
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