Dave Neilands reports . . . .

Garstang Running Clubs trio of London Marathon competitors turned in solid performances on the wet and dreary streets of the capital. The club was led home by Tim Warner, quite a prolific collector of marathon gongs, in 3 hours 24 minutes,he was followed by Frank Miller, running his fifth "London" in 3 hors 44 minutes, just outside his target time of 3.40, and Julie Graham who finished in 4 hours 22 minutes which was almost bang on her target time.

On the same day, but with beautiful weather the club staged its own 10k "Gallop", a stiff task for all participants up the gradients around Barnacre.  The race was won by Adam Sutton of Preston Harriers in 31.54 minutes, exactly one minute ahead of Mark Croasdale of Lancaster and Morecambe with Rick Hayman of Sale Harriers 3rd in 33.01.  Garstang's own Mike Whyatt finished an excellent fourth in 34.19 minutes.  There was quite a battle in the ladies race less than 20 seconds covering the first three home.  First lady, and 40th overall, was Emily Dennis of Lytham Road Runners in 42.30, followed by Jo Anne Prowse of Keighley & Craven in 42.46 and Jill Robinson, ex Garstang, but now representing the club where she now lives, Settle Harriers in 42.47.

What of the rest of the Garstang contingent? Richard Roberts and Pete Gelderd had competed the previous day in the Wray "Scarecrow" 10k near Lancaster where, over a hilly course Richard had finished 9th in 38.00 minutes and Pete had finished 63rd, beating 21 of the 84 finishers in 51.51.  At the "Gallop" Richard finished 13th in 37.36 and jogged away from the finish to complete his warm down.  Pete, however, ever the showman but due to the effects of vertigo, treated the spectators to his interpretation of a drowning frog and collapsed in a heap, having completed the race in 54.57.  Thanks to swift medical treatment Pete was swiftly dispatched to hospital where he was kept in for, he said "observation" but actually they needed twenty four hours to find his brain!!   Pete is now out of hospital and slowly recovering, and whilst running is off the agenda it was not the cause of the onset of the attacks.  The rest of the club members competing in an excellent turnout of 201 were much less melodramatic with Geoff Lund finishing 69th in 46.27, Richard Jones (just a training run he said - oh yeah!) 99th in 49.05, Pam Murphy 119th in 51.34 and Denise Hughes 154th in 55.20 with the last competitor jogging (well almost) home in 1 hour 12 minutes.

Richard Roberts has been a very busy runner of late and also finished 58th in the Rivington Pike Fell Race.  He was joined by Dave Barraclough who finished 228th in a large field of 346.  Dave, looking for more "off road" stuff finished 82nd in a field of 317 at the Hawkshead Trail 15k a new race in the Lake District.

(24/4/06)

 

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