Trimpell 20

Another report from Harriers on tour. Thanks to David Searil for this report from the seaside. Well done to Ian and Davie:

Last Sunday, on a beautiful sunny Lancashire spring morning, around 500 runners set out on a 20 mile pre-London race. Starting at the Trimpell

 Sports & Leisure Club in the seaside town, the route wound it’s way around a variety of surfaces from dead straight former railway tracks to rather desolate empty-looking factory estates and onto the dappled sunshine of the glorious River Lune riverside trail. The course is mainly flat, mostly off-road & as picturesque ( in parts, the route does go under the M6! ) as you could want.

With finishing times ranging from 1 hour 50 to 4 hours 14 it catered for all abilities and is highly recommended by a number of Harriers who have completed this race in the past as part of their Spring marathon training.

A member of the Harriers’ support team braving the Atlantic winds the 

day before the race

Ian Hughes was the Harriers’ leading runner on the day, by a distance, finishing in 2.09.51 – only nine seconds away from his pre-race target. He finished 37th overall and 25th senior man. Not quite as accurate, although pretty close, was Davie Searil on 2.58.23. This was a minute and a half faster than he meant to be which he put down to missing mile markers 15, 16, 17 & 18. A rising mild panic led to him pushing the pace towards the end in case he went over his predicted time. At least he now knows for sure his stamina is not in doubt over the longer distance by finishing faster than he started. Davie finished 367th overall from a total of 493 finishers and 33rd MV50.

Even the local football team wore the Harriers’ colours in support! 

Some of the Scottish contingent required only vest & shorts in the mild March weather although Ian wimped out by wearing a short-sleeved tee shirt under his vest. The two Harriers representatives attempted a high-five as they sped past each other on the out-and-back course but their combined speed was so great they missed! They also missed each other at the finish as Ian was tucking in to the generous spread laid on by the hosts while Davie sped away to Morecambe seafront looking for a pub showing the League Cup Final!