Valley
Striders
Race Report

Lyke Wake Race
8 July 2006
from Mick Wrench
and Alan Hutchinson

                     Start  Finish    Race
                      Time    Time    Time
                                           * = team
                                             scorer
Valley Striders team
Pam Baird            05.45   14:59    9:14 *
Sara Dyer            06.15   16:24   10:09
Simon Vallance       08.15   14:46    6:31 *
Mick Loftus          08.30   15:01    6:31 *
Mick Wrench          08.30   14:40    6:10 *
Ross Anderson        09.00   15:56    6:56
res: Brian           05.45   14:59    9:14
Team Total (3 men, 1 woman)          28:26
 
Chapel Allerton Team
Dave Nicholls        07:30   14:57    7:27
Steve Todd           08:00   15:18    7:18
Naomi Ferguson       08:00   14:57    6:57 *
Mark Arrowsmith      08:45   15:47    7:02 *
Alison Bogie         08:45   15:25    6:40 *
Mike Robins          09:15   15:54    6:39 *
res: Dave Tynan                       7:45
Team Total (2 men, 2 women)          27:18
 
Mick writes

I admit it would have been nicer to be the sole winner but I'm content to share first place.  I guess it was the LWW equivalent of a sprint finish!  It is good to have the trophy back at the club.

It was a VS team effort for me to regain that trophy.  From the organisation and support of Alan and Bob, the initial recce run with Ross, reviewing the route beforehand with Mick, Simon and Ross to pick 'short cuts', the navigation of those 'short cuts' with Mick, keeping the pace going to the Lion Inn with Mick and Simon, support at the Lion Inn and then Simon keeping the pace going with until the last couple of miles.  If it had not have been for all that I would not be on cloud nine like I am now.  Thanks.

Captain Alan writes
 
It was great to have a Valley Striders team take part in this long established 42 mile annual race over the tough and challenging North York Moors. The organisers give the runners different start times and our wimmin were off at 5.45 am and 6.15 am (well done Sara for setting off at this unearthly hour, I know you didn't want to), and the men went off between 8.15 and 9.00. I ran the first 6 miles with our first off Simon, before turning back to the start in order to drive around the various check points to offer support, drinks etc. The first part of the run is the most scenic and also very hilly as it winds along the top edge of the Cleveland Hills. It then turns east and traverses the moors in an endless slog to Ravenscar. Fortunately the weather seemed favourable not too hot and sunny but the driest conditions under foot for many years apparently.
 
Our team performed brilliantly all completing the race and looking remarkably well afterwards considering the distance. We had excitement at the finish as we waited for the last runner to set off to come in because Mick Wrench's time was so far recorded as the fastest of the day in 6.10. Just as we all congratulated him I saw through my binoculars the figure of this runner (who has won the event several years over) appear on the top of the hill. He absolutely sprinted down the hill and into the finish and unbelievably got awarded exactly the same time as Mick's 6.10 to share joint first. This takes nothing from Mick's outstanding performance and a big well done. Mick gets to hold the coffin shaped trophy and I'm sure will bring it in to show the club.
 
Just as an observation the trophy contains the Valley Striders names of Steve O'Callaghan, Harry Bates and Mark Hoon (1990) in a fantastic time of 5.31 and then one year later Steve O' again with Jeff Coulson in one of the fastest times ever recorded of 5.04.
 
Chapel Allerton made worthy team winners particularly with the exceptional performance of Alison who told me she had knocked 1 hour 9 minutes off last year's time. But be scared, be very scared, because if we can persuade Tracey Morris to run in our team next year ...
 
Also a big thanks to non-Strider Pam Baird who stepped in to make up our 6th team member running with her friend Brian, they finished strongly in 9.14. Pam does these sort of events almost every weekend. She thought it was a little short for her liking!