Alison Howarth represents Radcliffe AC at the Bolton Iron Man 70.38 June 2025 (by D.Cartwright) |
In a busy week of racing, Ian Swan, Head of Senior Section, headed for the hills of Rivington on Thursday for the Leo Pollard Memorial Fell Race, finishing in 48:59. A challenging route with 1,237 feet of ascent over roughly 10k, this race pays tribute to past Lostock AC Honorary Life President Leo Pollard who died in 2018.
The Bolton Iron Man series kicked off on Friday night with the Night Run, where participants ran through Bolton Town Centre and Queens Park, with one loop 5k and two loop 10k options.
In the 10k, Dominic Parry, the club’s Social Secretary, was first in for the club in a stellar time of 45:55, followed by Lucie Tighe (50:13), John Szubert (56:31) and Sara Parry (1:16:43).
Meanwhile, in the 5k, Mark Williams was the first member to the finish line in 21:09, taking 21st place overall and second in his age category. Club Chairperson Donna Cartwright was the 5th lady, 32nd overall and 2nd in her age category, finishing in an impressive 21:47. Laura Aiken (24:32), Grace Williams (32:03) and Bev Quinton (37:37) also took part.
Held on Saturday morning, Bolton was also home to the largest Iron Kids in the world with Juniors Poppy, Seth, Indie, Skyler, William, Alexandra and Benjamin enjoying various distances in the event.
Also on Saturday, likened to a ‘summer cross country’, Ken Smith finished the Green Man Trail 15k in 1:47:37, a muddy course with plenty of stiles and gates to navigate.
Seldom a weekend goes by without Kath Biddle adding another long-distance race to her accomplishments, and this one was no exception. This time, Kath finished the Maverick Peaks Ultra 55k through the Peak District National Park in 7:16:51. A mix of open moors, steep climbs and rocky descents, this ultra is known for its challenging yet scenic route with 1,214 meters of elevation.
On Sunday, members headed to Coniston, taking in the idyllic beauty spot of Tarn Hows and the elevated Beacon Tar. Karen Wells finished the 16k Trail Challenge in 2:14:55 and Paul Stevens completed the marathon in 6:29:31, with this distance enjoying panoramic views of Coniston Water and the surrounding peaks of the Old Man, Swirl How, Wetherlam and Dow Crags.
The real highlight of the week, however, was Alison Howarth competing in the Iron Man 70.3. The ‘70.3’ represents the total distance covered in miles during the event - a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and a 21.1km run, which Alison conquered in 7:28:55. Well done Alison!
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