Radcliffe AC - 40 Years and Still Running!13 May 2024 (by D.Cartwright) |
Radcliffe Athletics Club celebrated their 40th anniversary in style on Sunday, with a special re-introduction of the annual Close Park Relays.
Taking part in teams of four, each runner completed two laps of the Terry Nortley Mile around Close Park, on a day full of life and sun-drenched celebration with music, food, fancy dress, and festivities galore. And it is no coincidence that the relays took place where they did, with the late Terry Nortley being a former president of Radcliffe AC, and a runner for the preceding club, the Radcliffe Harriers.
At the post-race awards, Radcliffe AC’s current club president and founding member Tom West (pictured) was presented with a special award by the club committee, in recognition of his 40 years of dedication, commitment, and ongoing service to the club.
A total of 38 teams took part in the relays, and the overall winning team Bury’d in the PAC completed the combined total of 8 miles in a lightening quick 48 minutes, 38 seconds. However, the most important prize (best team name) went to Slow Farah, narrowly beating The hare and 3 Tortoise, and coming way ahead of the Plodding Penguins. This was a day when taking part was way more important than winning!
Saturday saw the fourth round of the fell running championships Run The Moors, with The Cake Race in Saddleworth. Yes, there was lots of cake. Craig Norman was first over the line for Radcliffe, and 19th overall, clocking 1 hour, 24 minutes, 59 seconds, followed by Neil Greenhalgh in 1:41:56, Mark Garner in 1:42:31, and Kathryn Davies, who came a fantastic first in her age category (FV60) in 1:55:45.
Elsewhere, Karen Doherty took part in the Bluebell Trail 10 at Dalkeith near Edinburgh, finishing the hilly trail race in 1 hour and 34 seconds.
Rounding off an ultra-weekend of racing, five Radcliffe athletes took on the formidable 47 mile / 75 km ultra-marathon race The Lap over the weekend. On a route that circumnavigates England’s largest and most iconic lake and includes an elevation of 2500 meters, Gary Adkins came a magnificent 29th out of 699 finishers, in 10 hours, 38 minutes, 55 seconds. Mia Derbyshire was Radcliffe’s first female finisher in 13:16:58, and was followed by Ian Swan and Si Foulkes in 14:13:15, and Kath Biddle in 16:44:11. Fantastic efforts all round.
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