Golden glow for Pickering Running Club’s Lorraine Laycock (From Gazette & Herald)

Golden glow for Pickering Running Club’s Lorraine Laycock

2:57pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Sport

IT has been a busy period for Pickering Running Club’s Lorraine Laycock as she builds towards her spring target of 55-mile ultra-marathon.

First up was the Golden Fleece Circuit, a 27.5-mile navigation circuit from South Cave over the Yorkshire Wolds. Conditions were perfect and, following a fast start, Laycock completed the route in four hours 16 minutes, knocking 45 minutes off her time from last year’s race. This earned Laycock 11th place overall and, impressively, the title of first female.

Seven days later, Laycock tested herself against more than 400 other competitors and freezing, snowy conditions in the Haworth Hobble. This highly competitive event is raced over 32 miles of gritstone hills with an astonishing 4,500 feet of ascent.

This was one of the hardest routes Laycock has ever done, so she was pleased with her time of five hours 50 minutes. To underline her growing strength, Pickering’s queen of endurance managed a strong finish.

Sadie Pattison has also been increasing her distances. She contested the Haweswater half-marathon in the Lake District and, having had to disrupt her running rhythm to shed warm clothing at the two-mile mark, she ran freely to clock a fine time of two hours, six mins, three seconds.