Long-distance success caps Pickering Running Club's progress (From Gazette & Herald)

Long-distance success caps Pickering Running Club's progress

3:15pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Sport

Improved training regimes seem to be reaping rewards at Pickering Running Club with a wave of fabulous performances by nine club members in a clutch of long-distance events.

Leading the way were Jayson Cavill and Kim England, who won the men’s and ladies’ long route circuits at the Saltersgate Circuit Challenge Event. This event offers both 16 and 24-mile routes and is superbly organised by Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue. The weather was helpful for running but conditions underfoot were muddy.

Cavill set off at a good pace, using Nicholas Rigg – eventual winner of the 16-mile circuit – to gauge his speed. Once Rigg turned off for his shorter route, Cavill was left with no company to share the pace-setting but kept going well to record a resounding success in a new course record of three hours 16 minutes – winning by some 35 minutes.

Pickering celebrations were doubled when England thrilled the team by finishing fifth overall in 4-16 to win the ladies’ race. England achieved an incredible improvement of 57 minutes on her time from last year.

Nick Cousins put decades of local knowledge to good use to achieve an excellent third place overall in 4-08 mins – a time which would have won the race two years ago.

Accompanying Cousins was Steve Clough, who has long been associated with running in Pickering but now lives in Berwick-on-Tweed. Clough, a former winner of this event, recorded 4-58.

Pickering also had representation in the 16-mile circuit in Syd Youngson and Sue Slack. Both nursing niggling injuries, they completed the course together in five hours nine minutes, claiming 25th place. Slack is in training for a mountain marathon and used the experienced Youngson to learn navigation tips.

Not to be overshadowed by team-mates, Lorraine Laycock took on the Round Ripon Ultra 35.

The course takes a circular route following the northern section of the Ripon Rowel providing a scenic 35-mile route, which Laycock lapped up in a time of six hours 37 minutes.

This wonderful performance landed her a superb seventh place in the ladies’ event. She reported that the race was decorated by stunning views throughout – making the huge effort more bearable.

Competing in the Chester Marathon were three of Pickering’s long-distance specialists in Terry Greene, and Dean and Nicola Wise. The Wise duo set personal bests, Nicola clocking four hours 28 minutes 18 seconds, and Dean 4-55-43. He was close to Nicola at the halfway stage but couldn’t maintain the relentless pace. Veteran Greene, who has nearly 90 marathons under his belt, clocked 5-06-42.