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Banjac makes mark in impressive style at National Indoor

14/ 3/2006

Running

ROCHDALE HARRIER Rob Banjac claimed an impressive fourth-place finish in the under 20s 800m at the National Indoor Championships in Birmingham. His time was 1 min 54.61 sec.

Last weekend in the Howarth Hobble Fell Race - 31 miles, 4,500 ft ascent - ultra-distance runners from Rochdale Harriers recorded the following results: Chris Armour 47th, 5:08:14; Dennis Lucas 72nd, 5:33:47 and Norman Eames 73rd, 5:33:49.

Armour entered this race as part of his endurance training for an attempt at the Paddy Buckley Round which is the Welsh equivalent of the Lakeland Classic Bob Graham Round. Last year he completed a 100-mile endurance race in the USA while Lucas completed the Everest Marathon.

In the Half Tour of Pendle fell race - nine miles, 2,250ft ascent - the competitors faced bitterly cold conditions.

Rochdale's Mark Walker finished in 136th place with a time of 1:32:46. John Mayall came in 185th, clocking 1:40:53.

LONDON Marathon preparations took a back seat for Royton Road Runners last weekend when the club turned out in force (19 athletes) for the St Anne's 10-mile road race, the third in the club's championship series.

Leading the Royton contingent home was Bernard Cassidy, who finished in 51st place in a time of 64.04. Close behind were David Emanuel (58th) and Bernard Goodwin (63rd) with creditable times of 64.50 and 65.26 respectively.

Stuart Carroll, who is improving with each run, was 78th in 67.12, closely followed by Steve Shaw (84th, 67.39).

The next three Royton runners home, competing in Group Two at the club were John Kane (102nd, 69.48), Dean Burgess (106th, 70.12) and Deborah Shaw (114th, 70.37). They were all racing to gain promotion to Group One.

Other finishers were: Wayne Critchley (129th, 71.45), Ged Navesey (141st, 72.47), Chris Eavers, his first race after a serious injury, (146th, 73.25), Ian Casey (184th, 76.04), Trevor Grundy (189th, 77.04), Phil Hollins (190th, 77.11) and Helen Knight (261st, 83.26).

Two members making their debuts for the club were Natalie Yates-Bolton (340th, 98.29) and Jacque Gratton (342nd, 98.52) with veteran runner June Allingan finishing 353rd in 108.22.