Midsummer Madness | Round the Resers | Warrington 10k | Aggies Staircase | Oldham 10k | Nice Ironman

Todmorden Harriers enjoyed a successful weekend of Midsummer Madness, the three day fell running event organised by Calder Valley Fell Runners.

The series started on Friday evening in Mytholmroyd with the Whicken Hill Whizz Fell Race, a steep 4.5k climb up to the Sheepstones trig point and back down.

Todmorden’s men and women both recorded second placed teams, with Paul Hobbs in 11^th position, followed by Jack Crummett, second under16, and Ben Crowther in 21^st and 23^rd places respectively.

Jane Leonard was fifth woman, followed by Issy Pollard sixth and Louise Abdy in 13^th place.

The Reservoir Bogs race on Saturday, required runners to make their own route choices after being handed the location of the checkpoints to visit on the day, leading to some confusion after a group of runners leapfrogged into the lead after missing a checkpoint.

There was no such problem for the Todmorden runners who navigated their way around with skill, with Ben Crowther putting in a master class to finish fifth on the day, Paul Hobbs in ninth and Dave Collins in 12^th place to land the men’s team prize.

That was matched by Todmorden’s ladies who also won the team prize, with Kath Brierley finishing third woman, Jane Leonard fourth and Issy Pollard eighth placed woman.

The final race on Sunday, was the Tom Tittiman Fell Race, a fast 6.4k course where Paul Hobbs finished in sixth place, Ben Crowther in 14^th and Jack Crummett in 17^th position.

Kath Brierley finished fourth woman, with Issy Pollard ninth and Jane Leonard tenth woman as they once again recorded second place team in both the women’s and men’s standings. 

In the overall series standings, Paul Hobbs finished in third place and Ben Crowther in seventh.  Mick Craven finished the series in 21^st, and first v55.

Jane Leonard ended the series as second placed woman, and 26^th overall, with Issy Pollard in third place and Louise Abdy sixth placed woman for the series.

Reg Czudek completed the Todmorden three dayers in 44^th position for the series.

On Wednesday, Richard Butterwick finished in 114^th position at the Round the Resers 5 mile Trail Race in Tintwistle with a time of 37:44 for the two lap course around Vale House Reservoir in the scenic Longendale Valley and Myra Wells crossed the line in 49:03 for 198^th place.

Paul Alexander improved his 10k personal best at the Warrington 10k, on Thursday, recording 41:14 for the flat course.

Marcel Ellison finished in 36^th place at Aggie’s Staircase Fell Race in Darwen on Thursday in a time of 35:17 for the 6.4km course, and followed that up at the weekend with 28^th place at the Trawden 7 trail race with a time of 4628.

John Lloyd finished in 7^th place at the inaugural Milltown 10k in Oldham, completing the hilly circuit in 35:42 whilst Michael Harper finished in 41:01 for 25^th position.

Chris Preston was in France for the Nice Ironman Triathlon, where she completed the event in 14 hours 30 minutes to finish 15^th in her age category.  The event started with a 3.8km swim in rough seas, followed by a 180km cycle and a full marathon distance run to finish.

Otley 10 | Buckden Pike | Cwm Pennant | Holcombe Two Towers | Cannonball Relay | Hendon Brook

The Otley 10 formed the latest round of Todmorden Harriers’ Road Championship last Wednesday.

Trevor Davies was the first Todmorden runner to complete the tough hilly course in 31^st position with a time of 1:04:39, followed by Ben Crowther in 65^th and Michael Harper in 87^th place.

Sarah Glyde recorded a time of 1:13:14 to finish ninth lady and strengthen her place at the top of the ladies standings.

Richard Blakeley finished first v70 with a time of 1:20:10.

Todmorden Results: 31 Trevor Davis 1:04:39; 65 Ben Crowther 1:08:57; 87 Michael Harper 1:10:27; 115 Paul Alexander 1:12:52; 123 Sarah Glyde 1:13:14; 177 Lee McCluskey 1:18:20; 195 Richard Blakeley 1:20:10; 269 David Leslie 1:27:17; 298 Peter Ehrhardt 1:31:45.
 

Photo by Anna Brannigan

The latest round of the English Fell Championship took place at the weekend, with the Buckden Pike Fell Race in the Yorkshire Dales.

In the ladies race Jane Leonard was the only Todmorden representative as she finished 3^rd v55 lady, and 50^th overall.

Dwayne Dixon was the first Harrier home in the subsequent men’s race, finishing in 71^st position, followed by John Lloyd and Nick Barber who were separated by just a few seconds as they finished 88^th and 89^th.

Richard Blakeley finished third v70 to keep in the running for a championship medal.

Todmorden Men’s Results: 71 Dwayne Dixon 37:48; 88 John Lloyd 38:41; 89 Nick Barber 38:47; 155 Dave Collins 43:26; 177 Garry Quested 44:27; 219 Mark Whitaker 47:30; 252 Richard Blakeley 51:18; 268 Ray Poulter 57:04; 276 Peter Ehrhardt 59:46.

 

Lauren Jeska finished first woman in the Cwm Pennant Horseshoe Fell Race in North Wales, recording 3:07:29 for the 24km race.

At the Holcombe Two Towers Fell Race James Riley completed the 5 mile route in 43:45 for 31^st position, whilst Clare Kenny claimed the v50 prize with a time of 47:05 and 43^rd place overall.

 At the Cannonball Hill Roller Relay Myra Wells, Ian Stansfield and Jackie Hesketh finished second team.

Mel Blackhurst finished fifth lady at the Hendon Brook 13.5mile road race with a time of 1.53.52 and Kevin Coughlan stopped the clock at 1.58.20.

Joss Naylor Challenge | Hebden Bridge Fell Race | Cannonball Hill Roller

Todmorden Harriers chairman Mandy Goth and her husband Phil Hodgson became the first married couple to complete the Joss Naylor Challenge.


Joss’s challenge involves climbing 30 mountain tops, crossing some 48 miles of mountain terrain and ascending over 17000 feet. The route starts in Pooley Bridge, Ullswater and finishes at Greendale Bridge, Wasdale. Each age group has a specific time limit varying between 12 and 24 hours with different times for men and women.

They started at 5am in the morning and it was touch and go as the 14 hour deadline approached. They finished with a nail biting sprint off the final summit to finish at 7pm precisely.

The challenge was particularly significant for Mandy who only two weeks previously had been given the all clear from breast cancer.

They were supported by numerous friends from Todmorden Harriers and Achille Ratti Climbing Club and were met at the finish by Joss Naylor MBE.

The good weather attracted a sizeable entry for the club’s Hebden Bridge Fell Race on Thursday evening, including one runner from the United States.

Ian Holmes of Bingley Harriers won in a time of 45:23, followed by Wharfedale Harrier Christian Holmes in 45:43.

John Lloyd was the first Todmorden runner to complete the 5.8 mile course, followed by Peter Bowles in 16th Rob Tyson in 30th place.

Holly Page of Calder Valley Fell Runners was first woman in a time of 52:56.

Mel Blackhurst was the first Todmorden woman, finishing eighth lady, followed by Kirsty Pattern and Sarah Hughes for the club.

Todmorden Results: 3 John Lloyd 46.50; 16 Peter Bowles 50.50; 30 Robert Tyson 54.01; 32 Dave Collins 55.03; 33 David Baldaro 55.58; 46 Andrew Bibby 58.14; 51 Duncan Ritchie 59.25; 55 Benjamin Beckwith 60.43; 69 Paul Cruthers 63.22; 71 Richard Blakeley 63.32; 72 Mel Blackhurst 63.35; 79 David Leslie 64.26; 91 Graham Milnes 70.58; 98 Kirsty Patten 73.43; 101 Blair McKay 76.30; 104 Sarah Hughes 77.00; 105 Ben Hopkinson 80.14.


Joseph Hobbs was the sole Todmorden representative at the latest round of the junior English Fell Championships, finishing in fourth place at Sedburgh.


At the second Cannonball Hill Roller race, Dan Taylor went one better than the week before and finished first in a combined time of 13:12 for the one mile uphill and one mile downhill race.

Myra Wells finished second lady and seventh overall, with Ian Stansfield in eighth position.

Yetholm Hill Race | Cannonball Hill Roller | Pennine 10k | Dartmooor Discovery Ultra

Todmorden Harriers’ ladies team kept up their challenge for a medal in this year’s British Fell Championship with a third place at the Yetholm Hill Race in the Scottish Borders near Coldstream.


The eight mile race featured 2500 feet of ascent and formed the second round of the four races in this year’s Championship.

Having previously recorded a second place in Northern Ireland, the result leaves the club in third place in the current standings, and only two points off the leading club.

Lauren Jeska led the team in, crossing the line as sixth lady, and 73rd place overall. Sarah May was 15th lady and Gemma Ford 21st lady.

Dan Taylor kept up his current strong form to finish first Todmorden man in 105th place, followed by Andrew Bibby in 142nd.

Jane Leonard finished in 164th, a few seconds ahead of Kath Brierley with Richard Leonard a further two minutes back.

Todmorden Results: 73 Lauren Jeska 1:19:41; 105 Dan Taylor 1:25:16; 106 Sarah May 1:25:18; 131 Gemma Ford 1:29:06; 142 Andrew Bibby 1:31:25; 164 Jane Leonard 1:37:37; 168 Kathleen Brierley 1:38:00; 182 Richard Leonard 1:40:02.



The first in a new series of Hill Roller Races was held on Carr Road, Portsmouth on Wednesday. The unique format saw runners running one mile uphill and then one mile downhill, with the times then combined.

Alex Whittem of Calder Valley Fell Runners set the fastest times of the night on both the uphill and downhill legs, to win in a combined time of 11:39.

Todmorden’s Dan Taylor finished in second place with a combined time of 12:44, with Keith Parkinson in fifth place in 16:05.

Myra Wells was first woman in 21:47, whilst Ian Stansfield’s 28:32 saw him home as third counter for Todmorden as they claimed the team prize.



There was a further new local race on Sunday, which saw a pair of Harriers join 1150 runners in Burnley for the Pennine Lancashire 10k.

Karen Gray finished in 261st place with a time of 50:31 and Ian Stansfield completed the course in 1:11:54 for 939th place.


Robin Tuddenham travelled further afield for the Dartmoor Discovery Ultra Marathon, a 52km road race, where he finished in first place in 3 hours 57 minutes 42 seconds.