Lantern Pike Fell Race

Report: Dave Turnbull -

Steve Vernon

The longest British fell running record at Lantern Pike held by Ricky Wilde since 1977 remained intact for another year.

Steve Vernon only days after his 13th place at the World Mountain championships in Switzerland attempted the record.

Steve eventually won the race in 30-30, 2 minutes up on England fell international John Brown at the finish with mountain bike Olympian Nick Craig in 3rd.

Steve said he would be back next year to attempt the record of 29-12, an amazing run that has stood the test of time over the years.

“I knew to break the record would be hard, Ricky was a formidable athlete who on his day was unbeatable, he was a former World record holder at 3,000 metres indoors so that shows the quality of the record ” said Steve.

Indeed it is, I spoke with Jeff Norman after the race and asked him if he had ever got near the record. Jeff who had run the Marathon for GB at the Montreal Olympics the previous year said he had, “I was second that day and couldn’t get anywhere near him!”

The Lloyds TSB juniors led the field home with wins in the various age categories. Harry Long who ran the full course winning the 16/17-year-olds’ race, also Jack Nixon taking the 14/15-year-olds’ title - I am sure in years to come will be keen to make an attempt at the record.

This Thursday the Lloyds TSB squad pay tribute to local running legend Ron Hill who will be 70 years old. Ron, who began his running career in the late 50s and went on to win the European Marathon in Athens in 1969 also the Commonwealth Marathon in Edinburgh in 1970.

He celebrates his unbroken record of running every day since 1961, and will run 5k at Littleborough with 500 athletes in acknowledgement of his pioneering contribution to marathon running over the years.    


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