Ian Swan is king of the mountain3 September 2023 (by D.Cartwright) |
Ian Swan conquered the UK’s highest mountain when he ran the iconic Ben Nevis Race.
The Radcliffe Athletic Club athlete was among the 430-strong field at Saturday’s tough race up and down the 4,409ft Scottish peak. He covered the 10 miles in 3:10:06 and said: “It was a ridiculously hard race, which wasn’t helped by boiling heat lower down and the thick clag at the top.
“There was lots of scree and it was so steep that my running watch kept saying that I was standing still. I’m totally chuffed to have completed it – it was brilliant.”
There was no climbing for Swan’s RAC teammates closer to home for Sunday’s five-mile Blackleach Trail Race in Salford. Points were up for grabs in both the club’s own road and trail championship and the inter-club Central Lancashire Grand Prix.
Craig Norman led home the sea of yellow and black, finishing 16th in 33:34. Sheila Jones was first VW65 in 42:10 and Sheila McNulty took the VW75 prize in 1:00:11.
Other results: Mark Williams (36:50), Mark Taylor (37:15), Charlene Leyden (39:41), Chemane Golding (42:24), Karen Doherty (43:55), Peter Warr (45:34), Kathryn Davies (46:12), Alison Howarth (46:26), Elaine Bailey (48:36), Helen Kay (48:48), Stephen Crowe (52:56) and Bev Quinton (1:02:14).
Two members ran half-marathons, with Rob Shiels clocking 1:39:02 at the scenic Stockport Hatters Half Marathon while Mia Derbyshire ran 1:40:32 at The Big Half in London.
Jones picked up another age group win at the Monton Five Miler on Bank Holiday, running 38:49 on the flat and fast course. Gary Adkins was a great 17th, and third VM45, in 29:22 and Kath Davies clocked 45:12.
Swan warmed up for Ben Nevis when he joined clubmates at the midweek Two Towers Fell Race at Holcombe. The short and sharp four-mile course packed in 1,312 ft of ascent, including two different lung-busting climbs to Peel Tower.
Craig Norman was 17th in 43:24 and Swan ran 47:07 followed by Mark Garner (48:58), Lee Turner (49:41), Warren Simmens (53:55), Karen Doherty (1:01:19) and Peter Warr (1:02:11).
Sheila McNulty said it was great to be back racing on the fells after finishing first VW70 in 1:07:43.
Four tripped the light fantastic at the 7.5k Blackpool Night Run through the town’s world-famous illuminations. Bev Quinton and Deborah Warrington ran 55:37 and 55:40 respectively, followed by Cheryl Gallagher and Zoe Dewhurst in 58:44.
Meanwhile, Karen Wells was first VW40 in a new pb of 49:02 at Media City 10k in Salford.
Helen Kay notched up the fantastic achievement of her 450th parkrun, with a time of 31:25 at Clitheroe Castle. She was joined by Emma Wolstencroft (29:16) and Bev Quinton (40:05).
Results from other Saturday morning 5k parkruns were: Bolton – Ken Smith (26:02), Peter Warr (30:07), Kathryn Davies (first VW60 30:30); Cardiff – Lucy Tetler (31:48); Edgbaston Reservoir – Mia Derbyshire (23:54); Fell Foot – Mark Garner (22:24); Heaton Park - Rob Shiels (22:12), Mark Taylor (22:18); Robbie Parkinson (22:42), Charlene Leyden (23:39), Sheila Jones (first VW65 23:41), Karen Wells (24:13); Hyde – Martin Archer (24:25); Peel – Chemane Golding (58:05 volunteer tailwalker); Philips Park – Katherine Biddle (first VW50 29:41); Rothay Park – Elaine Bailey (30:08); Worsley Woods – Alison Howarth (27:56).
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