Race report by Jo:
Race report by Jo:What do you get when you mix 9 enthusiastic Lostockers, 580 fellow 5k runners + a load of 10k runners, and a town centre that’s more zigzag than Strava can handle? (As proved by Rachel H Garmin) The Ironman Night Run, of course – Bolton’s own tour of potholes, park paths, and Peter Kay’s favourite taxi drop-off.
The Ironman Night Run is the official “warm-up act” for Bolton’s Ironman. Lostock turned up in force for their second race of the week (because we love suffering just enough to do it twice in 3 days). Le Mans Crescent was buzzing. Hundreds of runners packed in tightly like sardines in a tin! ready to take on Bolton’s finest 5k rollercoaster. 580 5k runners, a swarm of 10k warriors, and 9 brave Lostockers ready to make their mark.
The route was your usual Bolton maze: sprint out of Le Mans Crescent, dodge potholes, turn left at confusion, loop through Queens Park, and back again via enough twists and turns to make your Garmin cry. The big finish? A hero’s welcome on the iconic Ironman carpet, outside the town hall.
Luke was first home for Lostock, flying through the course in a brilliant 22:22, finishing 37th overall. Now, last time we checked, Luke was one of our junior superstars. Apparently, the official results listed him as 8th in the Men’s 45–49 category, which either means he’s aged dramatically mid-race, or the timing system had a bit too much Lucozade. Either way – cracking run, Luke!
Johanna was hot on his heels, finishing in 22:29, bagging herself 39th place overall and a shiny 2nd place in the FV40category.
Hazel stormed in shortly after with a 22:43, securing 43rd place and 3rd in the F45 category. Smooth, speedy, and making it all look annoyingly effortless. Next came Chris, crossing in 23:06 for a solid 52nd place. Reliable as ever, no drama – just consistent, quality running. Then came Rachel who powered home in 24:24, finishing 82nd and clinching 3rd in the F50 category. A top finish with a smile – a masterclass in measured running.
Markus deserves a special shoutout – he’s been grafting hard and it paid off with a sub-30 performance, coming in at 29:47 for 209th place. That’s progress you can measure – literally! Lynda kept things tidy and consistent, finishing in 27:57, slotting into 163rd place, while Gillian put in a phenomenal performance, clocking 30:57 to take 1st in the F70 category and finishing 251st. Sadly, Rachel didn’t get to finish this time – she stopped mid-race to help her sister, who took a tumble. A huge show of kindness and selflessness – the true spirit of running. We’re all wishing her sister a speedy recovery and sending Rachel a virtual medal for being an absolute star.
