Haigh Hall Relays

SATURDAY 17TH MARCH 2007

I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THE LOSTOCK MEMBERS WHO TURNED OUT FOR THESE RELAYS

We started the day entering two team, one mixed team and one veteran's team
The mixed team was made up of Dave Clemence, Duncan Crompton, Derek Lord and Caroline Scholes.
On the start line first was Duncan, this I have to say is probably in my opinion the hardest leg as most of the really fast runners go first and you get swept along to fast at the beginning and normally pay for it coming back up the hill to the finish. Duncan made his mark with a very good time 26:19 bringing his team (mixed team) home in second place. The next person on standby to run the second leg was Caroline, off she went, if those of you reading this don't know, the course is a new one and was changed last year extending the course to 3.9 miles, half downhill and the other half up hill. Caroline did a very good job keeping her team in second place with a very good time of 27:01, she handed over to Derek Lord who is a relatively new runner for the club, those of you who don't know him that's because you don't turn up for the track on a Tuesday, this is the place that we normally get our new runners to sign up.( Well Done Pete Hopley). So off Derek goes, and making his way strongly around the course with a time of 26:39 pulls the team to first overall mixed team, now it's really getting exciting, can we hang on, after all this is Lostock we're talking about. Derek hands over to Dave, who as we know has been out for a very long period, so this was the moment of truth; can Dave keep us in pole position?
As Dave is taking his top off near the start line they release the entire last leg runners together, Dave throw's his top down and quickly set off. Can he hang on I hear you say, well Dave crosses the finish line in a fantastic time of 25:30 bringing the team home in first position, Well done team.
Can I Just mention Again, 1st Mixed Team? Well Done

Now we move on to our other team which is our veterans team consisting of Keith Thomas, Arnold Melling, Neil Smith and Mick Green.
On the start line first is Keith, now we all know that Keith is running very well, but let me tell you he has been plagued with the flue and a back injury. Keith sets off and finishes in a remarkable time of 21:51, which puts the team in overall place of 7th and 1st vet. Keith hands over to Arnold and he puts in a very respectable time of 24:15 keeping us in fist vets position. I would like to mention albeit he doesn't like anyone knowing but Arnold is almost 60 years old. Arnold then hands over to Neil, who has been putting in the miles which is part of his preparation to run a long distance race later on in May, but hasn't done any speed, and we all know to run this type of race you do need speed. Neil finished his leg in a creditable 24:56 and puts us back in third position. Neil hands over to Mick Green, well what can I say, Mick is running very well indeed and to turn out to run for the team after what he and his family are going through is just remarkable. Mick I would like to take the opportunity on behalf of all the Lostock runners, just to say our thoughts and prayers are with you and you're family. Mick finishes in a magnificent time of 23:18 placing the veterans team third overall.
I would like to mention that this was a tremendous effort from all four runners and would like to add the final statistics: -
Keith Thomas finished in 1st position for leg one (Vets)
Arnold Melling finished in 1st position for leg two (Vets)
Neil Smith finished in 3rd position for leg three (Vets)
Mick Green finished in 3rd position for leg four (Vets)

Vets Fastest of all Legs (top ten)
1st Keith Thomas
7th Mick Green
WELL DONE TO BOTH TEAMS, THIS IS A GREAT ADVERT FOR LOSTOCK AC

Stewart Jones