The Aurora watch weekend report

Well. My word. I’m sitting here with a malt-based recovery beverage in my hand, bewildered by the fascinating array of running-ness that has gone on this weekend. It may take a while to type through, so if by the end of it I am becoming less coherent, blame it on the beer.

Lyme Park 10k

This hotly anticipated throwdown between 2 titans of the club was fiercely contested. Over the somewhat undulating course, there were a number of changing of leadership, culminating in a spectacular sprint finish where Ian “Ironman” Oates was nudged out of contention by Andy “The Baron” Burnett. The Baron forged in at 53:49 in 34th place, and The Ironman was 35th in 53:54. A superb battle for supremecy that will surely play out over and over for the rest of the year across a range of distances, races and bars.

Blackpool Marathon

Wendy Trelease headed North swapping the Eiffel Tower for the Blackpool Tower for another marathon. Discontented with her performance a few weeks ago in the French Capital, she jetted off to the much more salubrious location on the British Riviera for another go at the 26.2. She ran tremendously well, again in bright sunshine and blue skies (if you want good weather for a marathon, run with Wendy), and might as well have been running as a pacer, as she crossed the line in a rather fabulous 3:45. Excellent work.

Kinder Downfall

I only have the first 2 sheets of results from the Downfall, but do have some rather marvellous on the spot reporting from Chairman-in-chief-Hewitt. Not only that, there is decent and credible photographic evidence to show that people were having fun at a fell race – AND that it was sunny. Credit where credit is due to one Zoe “I haven’t trained, no, honest guv” Barton, who stormed around in an unknown (to me) time, to claim first WV40, and Rob “I run with Wolves” Murphy, who was (unknown to him) first MV55. Claire “I run with the man who thinks he runs with Wolves” Higgins was also out on the Downfall, along with Alabama “I need no introduction” Breeze. From various sources, I also believe that Mark Davenport was showing his fell running prowess, as was the inimitable Mary Jeal, and the indefatigable Pete Davies. I have no clue if Hewitt actually ran or not, but for the sake of argument lets say he did.

The results now out:
16th Steve Knight -1:19:46
35th Paul Skuse – 1:27:52
39th Rob Murphy- 1:29:23
56th Tim Culshaw -1:31:14
91st Jason Hart – 1:37:49
92nd Alice Willson 92nd – womens 8th in 1:37:50
98th Matt Crompton – 1:38:09
128th Zoe Barton – 1:41:55
148th Mark Davenport – 1:44:33
154th Nick Ham- 1:45:14
164th John Hewitt- 1:47:00
165th Pete Davis 1:47:03
175th Mary Jeal – 1:48:25
194th Clive Smith – 1:52:36
199th Andy Wilkins 1:53:14
218 Eleanor Duckworth 1:59:03
247 Claire Higgins – 2:14:00
264 Alabama Breeze 2:58:20

Southampton 10k

Ah yes, Steve “My running knows no bounds” Pepper managed to travel so far south this weekend he nearly ended up in France. He oh so nearly exported his own brand of enthusiasm, but unfortunately was stopped at the border for being “suspicously happy”. Instead, he took the opportunity to run around the delightful environs of Southampton with his brother, encouraging him on (or kicking over the finish line, I’m not quite sure which) in 62:42, earning himself a rather dazzling bit of Bling in the process.

Teenager with Altitude

One of the sillier names for a race out there, and with only 75 entries, a nice little one to

get in on as well. 3 Harriers wandered up to Stair for this 15 miler with 2000+m of ascent. Its a tricky little number with not a lot of flat. (ie. none). The weather was, like everywhere else this weekend, lovely, in fact perfect conditions for mangling your quads as you try to ascend and then descent your way around a fair few decent chunks of Lake district rock. Tim Budd was first home in a somewhat dehydrated 13th place in 3:12. Matt Huxford was in 36th in about 3:30 or so, and Kasia Osipowicz came galloping down the final hill in superb form trilling about just how amazing the entire route was, in 4:06 and 7th Lady overall. Rest assured, we all had a great time, though I needed to be reminded of just how much fun it was after plenty of food and rest.  But really – it’s a flipping amazing race – put in on your list for next year.

London Marathon

Yes, there was this small, little heard of race going on down south today in a place called Lon-don. You may have heard of it. It’s quite near Chingford. As ever, the Spring marathon season continues on apace, and yes, of course, London Marathon is one of those that gets a lot of headlines. We had a goodly number of people doing it this year, and first GDH over the line in a somewhat stealthy entrance was Neil McGraw in 3:57:40. Lynne Taylor was next up, in 4:27:04, swiftly followed by Vicki Hamilton in 4:32:15, who in turn was having her heels snapped at by Jayne Moreton (potentially the fastest finisher in a Welsh Dragon costume…. no joke) in 4:32:54 – who was being chased down by St. George… um, no, ah – Liz Dowd in 4:33:05, with Cheryl Stitt, suffering greatly after a brilliant first half, who gamely got to the end in 4:34:54 despite really not being well. A flourish of finishers within 10 mins of each other.

An amazing effort by all the guys and gals who were down there, laying it on the tarmac with aplomb.

Parkrun

He just can’t help himself can he? In the longest running “been in the club report every week since x” debacle since, well, I don’t know, David Chrystie-Lowe nets himself ANOTHER Glossop Park run PB. In good company, so did William Mather, Bartek Verde, Andy Burnett and Rachel Walton (AGAIN?!) – not only that, but we had the lovely Claire Campbell up from the Isle of Wight to join in the Glossop Park run as a Glossopdaler from afar.

An honourable mention should certainly go to Adam Crompton who nailed not one, but TWO PB’s this weekend, once at Penrhyn Parkrun, and the second at Junior Parkrun. WADA may well be called to see what he is putting in his tea, so that Matt can have some too.

Consolidated results here

Right, thats it for this report. I know I have missed people and stuff. Apologies for that. But if you don’t tell me, and I can’t find the info, it doesn’t get put up. Send me your stuff and it’ll be used.