Milton Keynes Marathon

MKM-Logo-top-left-2015

One thousand nine hundred and fifty five runners completed this years Milton Keynes Marathon and top of the shop came Blackburn Harrier Ben Fish who won the Race in a time of 2hr 31.14 –  some five minutes clear of second place and setting a New Course Record. Ben gets married to his fiance Hannah Lemon next week on May 7th so this wasn’t a bad way to start the wedding week.

Full Results HERE

The day after the Race Ben told the Club that he “took first 5 miles quite steady in just under 28 mins, then pushed the pace to 15 miles. Started to find it difficult after 18-19 miles and just dug in. Weather was hot, think the sun follows me to marathons, wish it didn’t!! Especially after a week of sleet and snow”

IMG_0296

Three Peaks

When your running the Three Peaks, all athletes need some good fortune with the weather but it wasn’t on their side this year. However a whopping seven hundred and three runners actually finished the Race which was won in a great time of 2hr 48.58 (Marc Lauenstein) and just nine seconds in front of 2nd placed Ricky Lightfoot.

Race Report from Brian Dooks (Three Peaks Race Committee) HERE

Full Race Results HERE

(Photo’s courtesy of www.woodentops.org.uk)

Among the 703 finishers were five Blackburn Harriers – Shaun Livesey – John Sutton – Matt Nuttall – Andy Heys – Craig Greenhough. Shaun was the first Harrier home in 137th place with a time of 3hr 54.07  and made the following assessment of his day Having raced hard at last year’s event and payed for it on the last climb I decided to take a more measured approach. The snow capped hill didn’t play heavy on my mind, I was going to run my race. Run up Pen y gent really steady and dibbed in about two and a half mins slowing than last year thinking it must pay off. I came off the top and across to high birkwith, I had written my splits on my hand and I dibbed in right on time. Next stop Ribblehead, once again I dibbed in just outside the pace I had set myself. Now for what I think makes or breaks the race, the climb and technical drop off Whernside. At pretty much the same point as last year the wheels fell off, my hamstrings where tightening and I started to slow. I still managed to drag myself up and over the final climb and over the finish line a very disappointing 20mins slower the the previous year. I shall be back to try and knock more time off. Next stop Brathay marathon”.

DSC_0993John was just six minutes behind Shaun in 177th place (4hr 00.27) and had put a lot of training into his effort for this years Race. Speaking to the Club afterwards John said he “Never quite so disappointed and satisfied at the same time with that performance! The time wasn’t anywhere near my previous best despite putting in by far the biggest 16 week shift of training I’ve ever done this year. But I ran the race sensibly, didn’t have a bad patch and finished really strong off Ingleborough. Maybe I undercooked it early on, but I think I really learned a lot from Saturday and finally know what I need to do to crack it. I can certainly run the distance and do the climbs but the holy grail for me is having the confidence and training in the bank to run a racier pace. Hopefully I can stay injury free for a year (big ask) and really harden myself up for next April. It truly is a great race and well worth not being able to walk properly all Sunday!”.

DSC_0069Just a couple of minutes further back in 189th spot came Matt who finished in 189th place with a time of 4hr 02.58 which given the injuries that he has had to cope with was a great effort. Andy who has raced sparingly this year, came home in 370th place (4hr 29.34) and Craig (395th) in 4hr 34.29 completed the day for the Harriers.

DSC_0119

 ♦

Horwich Triathlon

Three hundred and seventy two triathletes finished the Horwich Triathlon on Sunday May 1st in the most appalling conditions. Five Blackburn Harriers were competing for the Fitt Team – Brian Fogarty, Jack Hindle, Paul Guinan, Mark Bleasdale and Richard Fogarty along with Ian Cox and Graeme Prescott. Paul Wilkinson also competed for Blackburn Harriers.

Full Results HERE

Brian who is in hard training for the forthcoming Lanzarote Ironman, won the event in impressive style with a total time of 1hr 47.02 and two minutes clear of 2nd placed Tony Cullen. Asked by the Club about his Race, Brian said that it was “Tough conditions on Sunday but great to be back racing. With missing a month of running recently i was really keen to test myself, as my first big race of the year, Lanzarote Ironman is only 3 weeks away. Thankfully the injury held up and i felt good after a big week of training. Good signs for 3 weeks time!”

13086803_604782966364866_2844989508272007065_o

Next in was Junior Male – Jack   in 5th place overall, with another really good performance, recording a combined time of 1hr 53.31and was pleased with his event given the horrible weather, commenting I knew that the conditions were going to be really tough. But I had to put that to the back of my mind and just get on with it. I had a good swim, which set me up well for the bike. The conditions were horrendous which made it difficult to make progress. I ran well of the bike and I’m happy. Well done to all the lads and anyone who raced”.

10608798_461104064066091_6706543350207470218_o

V40 Paul who is starting to feel the benefit of injury free training also had a good day coming home in 10th (1hr 58.53) to give the Fitt Team three places in the top ten. Not far behind Paul came another V40 – Mark in 12th place with a time of 2hr 01.21with Richard coming in with an overall time of 2hr 18.13 (64th).

13123221_604783156364847_6082686089430253519_o

Paul Wilkinson had been looking forward to the event, but not we suspect, the weather!!  Coming home in 221st , Paul had a total time of 2hr 41. 40 and commented that he “took on the Horwich Tri, was a wet and windy day. Had a good swim and happy with the bike, wanted a sub 2.30 but was just ouside for the bike. it was a windy second half on the bike, then came the run up to Rivington Pike which was a leg killer which wiped me out but still finished it and enjoyed every minute”.

 ♦

Hameldon Hill  (6 Mile 1100ft)

Also having a go at the Fells for the first time was Bryan Searby when he took on the Hameldon Hill Race. “Bit disappointed with my time due to getting stuck on the climbs due to people walking and lost time having to wait at stiles. Wild weather plenty of mud and bogs.Felt strong good fast finish time 53-39. Great race”
IMG_0287

 ♦

U13 Charlotte Corrigan is getting plenty of racing in at the moment having raced 18 times already this year which have included 10 Park Runs. This latest weekend she went one better and did two race in one day. First of all tackling the John West Liverpool Spring 5k in Liverpool in 20:37 which was just 9 seconds out side her PB for the distance and then “(40 minutes later) did the 1km fun run and came first overall (out of boys and girls)”.

There were 660 runners in the 5k Race  — Results HERE  — and Charlotte came home in 28th place and 3rd Female finisher which was a great effort.

image1

 ♦