Crazy Cow 10k – Sunday May 22nd
Chris Davies backed up his win in last years Crazy Cow 10k by winning the Race again this year in an improved time of 35.39, half a minute quicker than in 2015 and speaking to the Club after said “After having run a few races since the London Marathon I new I was running well but this was my first 10K road race. Was looking to hit around 35:30 and was only 9 seconds over that target. I was pleased with the run even though I started to slow in the last mile. It was surprisingly warm especially in the wooded areas of the course so that might have something to do with it. It’s a good start to the road season and I know I will get better. More speed sessions on the track should help and I plan to race more this year on the road anyway so I hope to race myself fit and look to hit a new 10K PB in the coming months”. V40 Conrad Mckee wasn’t far behind in 4th spot (36.53) followed by another V40 – Sean Proctor with a new PB of 39.03 in 14th place and could not have been more happy telling the Club “today’s race went better than expected was happy with my time and a new PB 39:03 all down to the speed work on the track and the help of the Harriers coaches. Conditions couldn’t have been better”.
What a great day for Sam McCreedie in this Race, her first for 18 months and after having had to negotiate injury after injury. Sam finished in 26th place overall out of a field of nearly 600 finishers, with a time of 40.50 and was 2nd Woman home too. The patience and tenacity she has shown over such a long period out has been fantastic and for all those athletes who have had to endure periods such as that, an inspiration, and a reminder that an athlete can recover from injury and get back. She was really happy with the outcome and told the Club “I didn’t know whether to do it and was so nervous before after not racing for 18months!! Would’ve loved to get sub 40 but pleased to get the first one back done and even better to get second lady! Won’t be able to walk tomorrow though”.
V40 John Cookson had a pretty solid run in 38th and managed to bag bragging rights over daughter Hannah Cookson in 64th spot (44.46) who was running her first ever 10k which was a great effort.
Hannah was followed by V55 Michael Blacklidge (74th) in 46.14, V55 Paul Clarke (79th) in 46.47, V45 Michael Sharp (82nd) in 46.52, V40 Lindsay Davies with a new PB of 57.29 in 276th place, telling the Club that it was a “Fantastic 10k, perfect weather, lovely flat course. I felt really comfortable first 3 miles, kept picking a target and trying to pass them and then I would move on to my next target, had to dig deep on the last mile it seemed to go on forever, longest path in Lancashire I am sure. Very happy on getting a PB”. V45 Andrea Rigby (543rd) in a time of 77.00 was the final Blackburn Harrier home.
There was also a Fun Run for the youngsters which produced some very impressive performances in a race won by Dexta Thompson (running for Clayton) in 4.38 and runner up and 1st girl Amy Davies with a time of 5.02. Kyle Taylor-Pomfret came home 3rd in 5.11. Amy and Kyle, like Liberty had all competed at Crewe the day before for the Harriers in the YDL Lower Age Group League.
Liberty Thompson, (running for Clayton) after competing for Blackburn Harriers the day before in the YDL ran well for 4th place (5.15). In 6th place came Saul Sharp with a time of 5.28 followed home by Kate Cookson in 8th (5.44), Hannah Davies (11th) in 5.56 and last but by no means least – Lulu Sharp (18th) in 7.24.
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2016 Brathay Marathon
Five hundred and thirty two runners finished this years Brathay Marathon and among them with a very good run was V40 Shaun Livesey. Shaun was running his second Marathon in the last 6 weeks, having run the Manchester Marathon on April 10th, finished 7th overall and 3rd V40 in a time of 2hr 59.14 which was an excellent time given the nature of the course. No flat Marathon, this one!!
Watch the Race Start Video HERE
Afterwards Shaun shared his thoughts about the Race and his performance with us saying that he “Decided to go up to Windermere for this anti clockwise tour of the lake. I knew it was going to be a though one as all marathons are. My strategy for this one was to stay comfortable on the flats and hills and allow myself to run fast downhill. All the runner’s were led down to the start by a drum band giving the event a bit of an atmosphere. I lined up at the front and we were set on our way by a local farmer with his shotgun. For quite a large marathon it became more like a lonely Sunday training run, from mile three I was running alone. As I hit mile 8 a noticeable climb, i could hear a droning sound in the distance. As I got closer I could see two Highland folk playing the bagpipes, which was a nice touch. I made a continuous decision to pat every runner doing the famous 10 in 10 on the back as I passed them. I passed halfway feeing ok and maintaining a good pace I was drinking to thirst and downing gels every 5 miles. I ran through the busy town of Bowness at around 20m telling myself to keep my form good especially for the crowd. The last hill was approaching named ice cream mountain, it broke me I was reduced to walking some of it. When I reached the top I would have bought a ice cream if I had the money, I was feeling the effects by now. The last four mile were tough as I stumbled in stopping and stretching multiple times and with it losing two places. Glad to run sub 3 on that course I think I finished 7th overall. Time for a few days off”.
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Greater Manchester 10k
It is not often that you can run a Race and finish up in 5686th place and run a new PB as well. That’s exactly what V40 Claire Bridge did in the Manchester 10k today with a time of 52.24 – 53 seconds better than her previous best set in 2013.
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Horwich Jubilee Series – Race One
Chris Davies was off to a good start in the first Race of this years Jubilee Series at Rivington with a 6th placed time of 29.10. V45 Michael Sharp came home in 66th spot (37.28) with V55 Michael Nolan in 88th (40.52), V40 Lorna Sharp (98th) in 42.56 and V50 David Morris (1210th) with a time of 48.01.
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The Junior Race comprising seventy five runners in total were split into two races with 53 in the first and 22 in the second. Hollie Cubbon was the first Harrier home in Race One in (6th) in a time of 6.07 and 2nd girl in the race by just one second. Saul Sharp was the next Harrier home in 10th place (6.27) followed by Isabelle Hartley (23rd) in 7.01 and 2nd U9 girl on the night, again by just one second. New member George Ramsden, also in the U9 age group placed 28th in 7.08 in his debut for the Club. Congratulations also to Dexta Thompson (Clayton) who will be running for Blackburn on the Track, on his 2nd placed run in a time if 5.45 in Race One.
Race two was the faster field featuring twenty two runners which saw Leon Thomas having a really good run coming home in 2nd place with a time of 5.18, closely followed by Matt Ramsden in 4th position with 5.21 and Amy Davies in 11th with a time of 5.47, the fastest girls time on the night in both races.
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