Welcome to Preston Harriers
The next InterClub is being hosted by PRESTON HARRIERS on WEDNESDAY 11th JUNE starting from the Vernon Carus Sports & Social Club, Factory Lane, Penwortham, Preston. Start time at 7.30 pm prompt, approx 4.9 miles. Car parks should be available so please do not park on the approach road to the venue.
Please make every effort to run.
If you cannot run, or know someone in the family who could help, we desperately need help to assist at the finish and marshal out on the course. The race cannot run smoothly unless we have some help!! Please let Alan Appleby or Steve Jackson know if you can help as soon as possible.
Thank you.
I know you're all busy but I'm still asking.
By the time you are reading this we will have already had the Great Hill handicap & Paddy's Pole races.
On Sunday 22nd June Cancer Research are holding the R4L (Race for Life) on Moor Park; a ladies only event.
If you are in the run & you can persuade your “man” to support you and “Preston Harriers” by helping, please get in touch.
Other dates to bear in mind are:-
Saturday August 23rd : Chipping Show
Sunday September 28th : Run Preston
Sunday November 16th : Preston 10.Hutton
Please contact me if you are available for any of the above events; 01772 493098.
You will be reminded of them via the web site and this magazine and by me.
Thanks. Joe Howard.
The first race of the day saw all the women’s categories W35-44, 45-54,and 55+ with the men M50-59, 60-69, and 70+. The second race was M35-39, and 40-49. Preston Harriers W45-54, and M40-49 teams didn’t materialise on the day for a variety of reasons but after the following encouraging results, medals could be on to Preston Harriers next year. The M50-59 team comprised: Dave Barker, Phil Walsh, Steve Clayton, Graham Bailey, Alan Appleby, and Kevin Hesketh. The team went down together in Phil Walsh’s car after he kindly volunteered to drive, Kevin Hesketh was a little squashed in the back with the kit bags but an offer to lever him out at Birmingham and straighten his limbs was accepted after the two hour journey. On the way down the banter had been about who had what and why they would be slow today, reasons and afflictions abounded, to anyone listening it would have sounded like a geriatrics clinic instead of fine athletes about to give their all in a great national relay race.
In breezy but sunny conditions, Preston Harriers were represented in the Shell Chester Half Marathon by Anne Sweeney and Emma Deakin. Finding it difficult in the latter stages, Anne Sweeney finished a creditable 4th woman and 1st V45 in 1.28.06 in a race won by Marilyn Kitchin in 1.24.14. Emma Deakin, running in only her second half marathon, had a good run to finish in 1.36.57. The race winner, Paul Sankey, completed the distance in 1.11.02.
Preston Harriers took on Sale Harriers Manchester, City of York and Kingston upon Hull in their first Young Athletes League Northern Premier match of the season at York on the 4th May. With a team weakened by the illness of several athletes, Preston were unlucky to finish 3rd, just 13.5 points behind Hull.
Amy Lupton put in the outstanding performance with a throw of 34.77m (G1) to win the U15 javelin. Amy also finished 2nd in Discus with 17.74m (G4) and 3rd in Shot with 8.20m (G3) as well winning the 4x100m relay together with Lauren Bugler, Katy Alderson and Kati Williams. Kati was another athlete to have a good day, with three pb’s including 11.9s (G1) to win the sprint hurdles, 26.6s for 2nd in the 200m (G2) and 13.0s (G3) for 3rd place in the 100m. Another of the victorious relay team, Lauren Bugler, won the 800m in a time of 2.25.2 (G2) and the fourth member of the quartet, Katy Alderson, was 2nd in the Long jump with 4.49m (G2).
In a terrific weekend of competition at the Lancashire Track & Field Championships at Stanley Park, Blackpool, U15 sensations Kati Williams and Darren Evans stole the limelight as Preston Harriers athletes collected a glittering haul of 68 individual medals, with 27 Champions, and three Championship Best Performances (CBP).
Darren Evans only competed in three U15 events, so could not match Kati in number of medals, but his success rate was 100% as he won the shot putt with 11.96m, the discus with 38.58m and the hammer with a massive pb and CBP of 46.54m.
U17 Harriet James was close behind collecting 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal. The first medal was special as Harriet moved up to the U20 age group to compete in the 100m hurdles. In only her second race in the event she won with a time only 0.1s behind the eleven year old CBP. Harriet followed this with gold in long jump, her favourite event, with a leap of 5.32m and finished Saturday with a new pb of 12.5s and silver in the 100m. Sunday saw Harriet collect a bronze medal in high jump with 1.55m as well as setting new pb’s in both heat and final of the 200m, taking silver in 25.7s.
James Bretherton was another athlete to have a 100% success rate. On Saturday U15 James took gold in the 400m with a time of 54.3, taking 1.5s off the previous CBP, and on Sunday took gold in the 800m with a time of 2.09.6.
Kati Williams was competing in the championship for the first time and was worried about the competition she would face. U15 Kati started the first day with the 75m hurdles and won in a time of 12.0s. Next was the 300m and a silver medal with a time of 43.7s. This was quickly followed by the 100m, and an extremely close finish saw Kati win to pick up her third medal of the day with a time of 13.0s. The second day saw her winning bronze in the high jump with 1.35m followed by a win in the 200m, despite carrying a slight injury and being in third place with 25m to go! In total Kati had an extraordinary haul of 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.
Over an undulating course on a very warm day Preston Harriers, Neil Allen ran the South Cheshire 20 mile from Shavington, near Crewe, on the 11th May. Neil was 42nd in a time of 2:56.19. The winner was Ray Plant, who was 10 minutes clear in 1:57.39.
Hot and humid conditions made it difficult to post fast times at the Golden Ball 5k in Lancaster for the 5 Preston Harriers who competed. Over a testing course which included a particularly difficult climb, Gary Wilson continued his comeback finishing in 17.18 and 11th (2nd V40). Dave Watson, who has a particular dislike of the heat, was 15th in 17. 51. Steve Mort had a pleasing run completing the course in 20.35 with Eddie Little, another victim of the heat, struggling with 21 28. In a particularly strong women’s field, Anne Sweeney ran well in a very closely fought race finishing 6th (2nd V45) in 19.40. The winners of the men’s and women’s races were Eddie Simpson in 15.17 and Rebecca Robinson in 16.36 (5th overall).
A number of Preston Harriers took part in the 2008 London Marathon on 13th April, although not as many as in previous years. The ever-green Alan Appleby finished 4th V60 in a very good time of 3:02.35. Alan went through the half-way point in 1:29.50. David Parkington was the first Preston Harrier home in 2:59.17 and Phil Morley was 46th in the V50 category with a time of 3:02.35. Derek Winsland finished in 3:58.31, Kathy Griffiths in 4:06.22. Ben Hulme in 4:17.51, Jenny Locks in 4:32.19, Domencio Cornacchlone in 5:23.37 and Kerry Stevens in 5:37.11.
The first Mid Lancs. track & field meeting took place at the Robin Park Arena, Wigan on 12th April on a cold afternoon, despite plenty of sunshine. With so many competitors, the times of the events slipped back extensively although that didn’t bother Simon Woan in the senior men’s 100 metre race as he took first place in his heat with 11.0s. Simon was also 4th in his 200m race, with 23.2s. U17 Richard Morrell was 5th in the 1500m with 4.41s
Neither the 9.00am start nor the heavy rain stopped nearly 600 runners take part in the Bolton 10k on the 13th April. The demanding course, with its many turns and twists, did not produce many personal bests with the exception of Marian Hesketh who ran a pb of 41.40 and finished as 1st V50 and 9th overall in the women’s race.
First home of the five Preston Harriers was Anne Sweeney, quickly regaining her fitness after a lay off, to finish in 40.51 as 1st V45 and 4th overall. A solid run by Barbara Gillies, who completed the course in 1.03.13, ensured Preston Harriers received the 2nd women’s team award. Dave Large and Paul Langan completed the Preston Harriers representatives with runs of 42.51 and 44.44 respectively.
Preston Harriers made their presence known at this years Wray 10k. On a good day The Wray 10k is a challenging course but was made even more so with some very wet conditions. Matthew Livingstone had a storming race being virtually unchallenged and winning by a clear 2 minutes 20 seconds in 34.20. David Watson (3rd and 1st V40) also had a strong run in 37.25 followed in by Willie Gardner (4th & 2nd V40). Phil Morley (5th & 1st V50) then completed the prize haul in 38.40. Phil Lakeland (V50) also finished in 44.57.