05-07-2025
Lostock AC duo mark individual parkrun milestones
Lostock AC members excelled at the annual Leo Pollard Duathlon.
The duathlon is for Lostock AC members, family and friends and participants can complete the duathlon solo or be part of a relay. The Duathlon begins with a 5k bike ride starting at on Georges Lane, Horwich, at the top of Wilderswood. The cycle starts with a fast decent along Georges Lane, then turning left on Matchmoor Lane. It is then a climb up Burnt Edge Lane to Mast Road where the run commences. After the run, it was back to the bikes to repeat the original loop.
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In the solo race, Josie Greenhalgh was this first to finish in an epic 42mins 31secs. Andy Laycock followed shortly behind in 45:12 and Rachel Hancock was next is 49:50, then Sally McCoy 50:28 and Clive Worthington in 57:44.
In the team duathlon, Mary White and Alan Sweatman were first in 45:17, second was Nikki Hancock and Katie Edern in 49:30, third was Greg Kilshaw and Gaz Foulkes in 51:13 and finally Heather Soden and Jon Tuson in 53:14.
To ensure all members could take part, participants were allowed to complete a 3.8-mile trail run, taking in the summits of Two Lads and Burnt Edge. First male was Tommy Smith in 28:43, then Mark Shuttleworth in 34:27 and Phil Holland in 35:04. The first and only female was Hazel Hatfield in 43:10.
Other results: Dave Parry 35:27, Gareth Pratt 35:39, Chris Baker 41:46, Paul Lacey 43:11, Ian Burns 43:18, Ian Johnson 45:56, Brian Halton 45:56.
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For the next instalment in the Fell Championships, three Lostockers travelled to Darwen to compete in Aggie's Staircase - a challenging four-mile run with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet.
The race starts with a narrow uphill climb along a single track before reaching the base of the climb up to Darwen Tower. From the tower there is a gradual decent down a stone path to the bottom of Jacobs Ladder. As the name suggests, this is another steep climb then runner head around the back of Darwen Tower via a 'flat' runnable section. A stile then marks the start of a steep rocky section.
The bottom of this decent reveals the start of Aggies Staircase which the race is named after and represents a section which really can only be tackled with a zombie-style climbing technique due to the terrain. Runners then head back to the start for a fast finish.
Greenhalgh had an amazing race, getting a course PB of 39:59 and coming first in her age category, and she was followed by Shuttleworth, in 43:57. Tommy Smith did not have the race he had planned, he erroneously believed it started at 7.30pm when it started at 7pm. He did cross the start line at 7.05pm but this did put him at a disadvantage. Despite this, he was able to make his way up the field, finishing in 44:33.
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It was the June instalment of the Media City Race series and regular racers, Jo McManus and Rachel Stevens, took part in the 5k. McManus had a fantastic race, finishing in 21:59 and third in her age category, while Stevens followed in 26:03.
Dynamic duo, Tony Maxwell and Sheila Garewal joined 277 runners taking part in the Trawden seven-mile trail race. Organised by Trawden AC, it starts at the recreation ground next to Trawden village which lies a couple of miles south east of Colne. The first km consists of one-and-a-half laps round a large grass field and then it's on to an anticlockwise route through the scenic countryside. After a short road section, there's a left turn onto an asphalt track which passes through a farmyard, and then it is back on to grass to cross a field. Asphalt and gravel paths then take you downhill to briefly enter the village before a sustained uphill to reach a tricky stone path on an undulating moorland ridge.
After passing the water station just after halfway it was a left turn downhill to reach the relative cool of a shady wooded section next to Wycoller Brook. The bridge across the brook led to a public road for the relatively gentle couple of kms climb back to the recreation ground. Another half lap of the grass field took competitors to the finish line.
The run was enjoyable but tough race, with a gruelling elevation gain of 700 feet. Maxwell finished in an impressive 154th with 1:10:45 and Garewal in 1:26:07.
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It was a momentous occasion at Haigh Woodland Parkrun where Andy Laycock completed his 300th parkrun and club member Allan Jones complete his first ever one.
Parkrun results: Haigh Woodland - Tommy Smith 19:53 (sixth male and second in age category), Gareth Pratt 23:34 (third in age category), Anthony Sutton 23:38, Chris Baker 24:38, Mark Shuttleworth 25:08, Brian Halton 25:39, Andy Laycock 26:04, Rachel Hancock 26:56 (first in age category), Matt Carney 27:35, Greg Kilshaw 28:01, Paul Lacey 28:02, Chris Taylor 28:33, Katie Edern 28:37 (first in age category), Rachel Stevens 28:57 (third in age category), Lynda Hardman 29:19 (Haigh PB), Ian Burns 30:07 (third in age category), Markus Stevens 31:04 (Haigh PB), Gillian Caldwell 32:12 (first in age category), Karen Taylor 36:19, Allan Jones 43:42 (second in age category), Bev Atherton-McKenna 51:29, Heather Soden 51:31, Jeanette Brandon 51:33; Bolton - Mel Goodall 28:27 (third in age category); Fell Foot - Tony Maxwell 25:07 (second in age category), Sheila Garewal 31:35.
