Dave Neilands reports . . . .

Richard Roberts of Garstang Running club has been running over water and running in water, but the question is – when will he graduate to running on water?  It was over water at the Humber Bridge Half Marathon in East Yorkshire an out and back half over the bridge and into Lincolnshire.  In a large field of 1084 Richard finished an excellent 23rd in 1 hour 24 minutes.  Richard was in water at the Cross the Bay Half Marathon which as the name implies was across the infamous Morecambe Bay.  Richard finished 8th in 1 hour 28 minutes with fellow club members Tim Warner and Frank Miller battling it out in 78th and 80th places with Tim beating Frank by just over a minute in 1 hour 54 minutes.  The last of the 206 competitors finished the course in 3 hours and 3 minutes but there is no suggestion that this was because they were trying to keep their feet dry!

The variety of races continued with the Carnforth 20 Barriers race (it is exactly what it says on the tin) where Gordon Slaymaker dusted off his Garstang vest and finished 73rd in a field of 86 in 53 minutes 11 seconds.  Geoff Lyons and Pete Gelderd turned out for the Clougha Pike Fell race near Lancaster where Pete was enjoying the descent which he felt was particularly enhanced by the vocal support of walkers who were not involved in the race until he realised they were actually shouting “you are going the wrong way”.  So unlike him!!

More mundane fair was to be had at the Preston 10k – a dash through the streets of the city.  Richard Roberts was at it again finishing 15th in 38.18 minutes followed by Tony Pritchard 33rd in 39.27, Richard Jones 98th in 43.42, Pete Gelderd (taking no chances by carrying his compass) 359th in 52.43.  Pete was the followed by three fairly new club members, Heather Tipping 530th in 58.51, Tracey Winter 589th in 63.22 and Paul Cronshaw  602nd in 64.05. The 672nd and final competitor finished the race in 1 hour 19 minutes.

(11/7/06)

 

[BACK]