Mud, mud glorious mud17 March 2024 (by D.Cartwright) |
RADCLIFFE Athletic Club members didn’t let the conditions bog them down at the popular Two Crosses Challenge.
There was lots of mud for Sunday’s event which started and finished in Greenmount and covered the reservoirs and moors of the Western Pennines.
Organised by the East Lancashire Long Distance Walkers Association, runners and walkers could complete either an 18 or 26-mile route. Both visited the Roman Cross at Affetside and Pilgrims’ Cross on Holcombe Moor.
Ian Swan ran the 26-mile route in a speedy five hours and 22 minutes. Donna Cartwright completed the shorter option in a fantastic three hours and 27 minutes while Kath Davies clocked three hours and 45 minutes, just a week after completing the brutal 32-mile Howarth Hobble.
Meanwhile Mike Scott walked the18-mile course in seven hours and 43 minutes, describing the conditions as a “mud fest”.
Junior Benji Tighe was also in action on the trails on Sunday. He completed the 2.2k Daffodil Doddle at Abbey Village, Chorley in 11:39.
It was a busy weekend for Benji who also ran 38:27 with junior teammate Skyler Parry at Saturday’s Heaton parkrun.
Away from racing, the club crowned its cross country champions at its annual general meeting. Members had to complete at least three of the four fixtures in the Red Rose Cross Country League to be eligible to win their age group.
It was a double celebration for Elaine Bailey who was the club’s L65 winner. This came hot on the heels of her receiving a trophy for finishing third overall in her age group in the league which is contested by local clubs.
RAC’s other club championship winners were Louise Shield (L40), Karen Doherty (L50), Paula Abernethy (L55), Gary Adkins (V40) and Mark Garner (V50).
Members were once again out in force at the popular 5k Saturday morning parkruns. The biggest turnout was at Heaton Park where people paid tribute to parkrun regular Peter Malone who died recently.
Andrew O'Donnell was 20th in a speedy 19:30 followed by Rob Shiels in 19:41. There was a pb of 21:55 for Alex Field and speedy Sheila Jones was first VW65 in 24:16. Also running were Dominic Parry (24:30), Mark Garner (25:40), Stephen Crowe (34:15), Lucie Tighe (38:28), Sara Parry (38:58) and Brennan Tighe (45:45).
There were also several RAC members at Bolton Parkrun where Mark Williams was ninth in 22:49 followed by Kath Davies (first VW60 29:20), junior Oliver Swan (32:26), Sarah Rushton (40:17), Natalie Hitchen (40:22) and Andy Wheeler (42:21).
Conditions were more akin to muddy cross country at Worden parkrun in Leyland, where Helen Kay was pleased to notch up a course pb of 32:26.
Results from other members on their parkrun travels: Preston - Katherine Biddle (29:29); Lancaster - Elaine Bailey (first VW65 32:35); Greenfield Valley - Tracy Wroe (33:00); Peel - Michael Kontowtt (24:56); Philips Park - Bev Quinton (40:47); Laura Aiken (36:37).
Share this: