MY FRECK 2011 EXPERIENCE

Having failed to obtain a number for the local half marathon I said to Keith and Marian that I would be willing to marshal the race.

May I take this opportunity to thank them both for the sterling work they have done in the last few years in organising the marshals for both this race and the Wesham 10k.

Keith e-mailed me and told me that he required me to marshal at Saltcoates/Preston New Road with Dave Dunn; Sarah Tatton (the experts at that point) and Mick Dunn. We were to meet at 2-20pm and would also have two policemen (Paul and Brian) with us.

As I was driving to Lytham I noticed the time that the sun came out – exactly 2 p.m. You cannot have Freck without the sun can you? As it turned out neither Sarah or Mick could make it so we had Graham Webster and Mick Edge.

For those who don’t know where I mean it is the place where the runners cross for the exciting long drag to the finish – all 4 miles of it – and not too far from the Land Registry on one side and McDonalds and Stanways on the other, close to Lytham centre.

I can assure you that it is not overkill to have four marshals and two of the boys in blue there as it is a dangerous part of the course with a roundabout a side road – Saltcoates – and a main road to contend with. The people who organised the marshalling at the Oldham Half 4 years ago should take note – three people at paths converging and nobody at a roundabout on a main road!

We worked out that the first runner should arrive between 2-45 and 2-50 and true to form Ben Fish flew through with the second runner in tow – a very long tow rope lasting two minutes at least!

You always think when you start marshalling that it is going to be very lonely as there are never enough to double up. However when they start passing your point you don’t have time to be bored as you spend the time cheering on the runners while directing them.

I have to say here that I did have the easy option as I was across the road from the main action and not having to stop any traffic. Mick Edge was on the bridge relaying to the Police when a runner(s) were coming; Dave Dunn and Graham Webster were controlling the traffic at the end of Saltcoates; one of the policemen at the roundabout stopping the traffic from Lytham and the other stopping Lytham bound traffic.

It worked a treat with only a couple of cars trying to escape the clutches of our intrepid 5 traffic controllers until they were stopped in no uncertain manner by policeman Paul. For some reason I thought that we would be there for at least two hours from the first runner going through but everybody was passed within approximately 1 hour. I had parked my car at the YMCA and after collecting my brolly from Marian I went back to it put it in the boot and then went for a five mile – approx – run of my own.

I went back to the 7 mile marker and then turned round and went along the lane to Rigby’s stables to get through to Lodge Lane and it was there that I did something that I have never done before when running – broke the speed limit (thank god there wasn’t a speed camera!). I ran past a sign saying 5 MPH max – I must have been doing 7-8 MPH. Now that is a first!

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful but it was a lovely day for running.

A very good afternoon spent in Lytham.

Written by: Pete Cooke

Submitted: 21^st June 2011

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor