Tour of Pendle | Florence Marathon | FRA Presentation

Saturday dawned and it was a cold crisp day as 12 hardy Todmorden Harriers made their way to Barley for the 30^th Tour of Pendle, the last race in the 2013 Fell and Grand Prix Championships. There was much anticipation among the 430 starters eager to get going on this toughest of South Pennine races.

Conditions were good with large parts of Pendle frozen, providing perfect conditions for fast running on a route more renowned for bogs and tussocks. The race starts with a big climb to the Trig Point near Big End followed by a fast run along the top to the Nick of Pendle. After a short run down to Churn Clough Reservoir the climbing started again up and over Spence Moor. Then came one of the highlights of the day the daredevil descent of ‘Geronimo’ , one of the steepest and most technical descent on the Fell Running calendar. 

After a gentle run back up through the middle of Pendle Hill, the race starts in earnest with 3 big climbs stacked together in the second half of the race. The last of these climbs goes back up ‘Big End’ to the Trig point and is very steep. By the time they reached it many people were suffering with cramp. One of these was Paul Hobbs who was flying in his first outing at the Tour. Despite the cramp Paul managed to keep moving to finish first Harrier in 2hrs 41. Ben Crowther stormed round the course, almost catching Paul at the end to finish next in 2hrs 42.

Next came a trio of harriers who had all been looking to break through the 3 hours barrier for the race. Marcel Ellison was the first to get up Big End and to the Trig Point, but couldn’t match the pace of Dan Taylor and Andy Mcfie on the long descent to the finish. First Dan, then Andy caught and overtook Marcel who also had the beginnings of cramp setting in. Andy didn’t quite have the legs to catch Dan who sprinted home by 2 seconds. All 3 managed to finish in 2 hrs 48 well up on their target. R

ob Gray in his first tour was accompanied round by Dwayne Dixon (who was using the run as training following recent injury layoff) The 2 started steady and managed to  finish in 3hrs 11, Joe Daniels completed the men’s entries just over 3 hrs 30.

The ladies team also used the conditions to record good times. Elise Milnes was well ahead of her 4 hour best for the route in 3hrs.51, with Mandy Goth (who is at her best for years after training for the Joss Naylor Challenge earlier in the year), last harrier home just over 4 hours.  

The other 2 Todmorden starters Craig Stansfield and Kath Brierley (both very experienced Fell competitors) dropped out of the race after not feeling at their best, proving what a difficult race the Tour of Pendle can be to complete.

Further afield and with slightly warmer weather, Andrew Bibby travelled to Italy for the Florence Marathon on Sunday. Andrew showed the good form he has had all year with an outstanding time of 3hours 28 minutes.

Following the Tour of Pendle race on Saturday, Clayton Le Moors Harriers hosted the Fell Runners Associations annual dinner and prize giving at Langho. Richard Blakeley of Todmorden collected his trophy for 1^st Place in the V70 category at the English Championships.

This had been made possible by Richard winning the last 2 races in the series to overtake his rivals for the title. 

Meanwhile in the British Championships the ladies team of Jane Leonard, Kath Brierley, Sarah Vickers, Gemma Ford, Claire Harris and Lauren Jeska took Silver Medals, capping off a good year for the ladies.

Jane Leonard finished off the prizes for the Todmorden party, with Bronze medals in both the English Champs V55’s and the British Champs V50’s. 

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Ron Hill 5k | Edale Skyline | Leigh Cross Country | Thieveley Pike

Todmorden Harriers joined almost 400 runners in Littleborough to celebrate the 75th birthday of Dr Ron Hill MBE, with the annual 5k road race that is held in his honour.

Over thirty Harriers took to the hilly course along Rochdale Road, Smithy Bridge Road, along the side of Hollingworth Lake and finishing with a downhill section back into Littleborough.

Nick Barber led the way for Todmorden, finishing in fifth position with a time of 17:04, ahead of Paul Brannigan at 17:33 for 11th place and Martin Stork in 30th place stopping the clock at 18:36.

Sarah Glyde was the first Todmorden woman, collecting the v35 prize with her time of 20:36.  Kath Brierley completed the distance in 22:18 and Mel Blackhurst in 22:36.

Derek Clutterbuck enjoyed a rare race appearance and crossed the line first v80, after a race long battle that saw him claim a 13 second advantage over his nearest rival.

Todmorden results:  5 Nick Barber 17:04; 11 Paul Brannigan 17:33; 30 Martin Stork 18:36; 38 Dan Taylor 19:05; 41 Paul Alexander 19:24; 45 Robert Gray 19:28; 51 Ben Crowther 19:38; 79 Sarah Glyde 20:36; 88 Michael Harper 20:51; 97 Andrew Bibby 21:08; 104 Simon Galloway 21:31; 110 Richard Butterwick 21:34; 135 Kath Brierley 22:18; 138 Kevin Coughlan 22:26; 143 Phil Cook 22:34; 145 Melanie Blackhurst 22:36; 152 Keith Parkinson 22:59; 176 Richard Leonard 23:28; 210 Bev Wright 24:40; 224 Jane Leonard 25:28; 233 Nigel Hanson 25:41; 242 Mandy Goth 25:56; 246 David Leslie 26:02; 248 Julie Wyant 26:06; 258 Ray Poulter 26:28; 263 Andrea Marshall 26:42; 271 Peter Ehrhardt 27:03; 306 David O'Neill 29:00; 346 Derek Clutterbuck 35:26; 349 Ian Stansfield 36:21. 

Steve Bateson's Ron Hill 5k photos...

After being rearranged due to snow drifts on the original scheduled date in the spring, the Edale Skyline Fell Race was blessed with sunshine and blue skies at the weekend as the 34km Peak District race made up the final round of this year’s English Fell Championships.

Nick Barber recorded his highest finish in a Championship race, with 29^th place after 3:09:01, with Paul Brannigan finishing in 49^th position in 3:22:27.  Rob Tyson completed the route in 3:58:09 for 129^th place.

Mel Blackhurst was the first Todmorden woman in 160^th with a time of 4:08:01, followed by Kath Brierley in 201^st in a time of 4:21:37 and Jane Leonard in 251^st at 4:51:00.

David Leslie completed the Todmorden finishers with 270^th position in a time of 5:35:20.

A trio of Todmorden runners were present at the first fixture of this year’s Red Rose Cross Country League held on a fast dry course at Leigh Sports Village.

Martin Stork completed the course in 62nd place in a time of 38:59, followed by Dan Taylor in 85th with a time of 40:23.

Andrea Marshall was 83rd in the women’s race, with a time of 27:45.

There was a large entry for the Thieveley Pike Fell Race, with Andrew Wrench finishing in 6th place, and first v45.

Stephen Pullin just edged out Jamie Wrench as they finished 27th and 29th respectively, with Jamie claiming the first u18 prize.

Martin Roberts was 41st, with James Riley 59th and Phil Cook in 81st place.

In the junior races, Mayah Brooks finished first U12 girl, whilst Jaden Riley was second U12 boy.

Todmorden runners dominated the U8 boys race with Alex Duffield finishing first.  Noah Lane was second, with Harvey Riley third and William Beresford in fourth place.

Hades Hill Fell Race | Ben Nevis Race

Todmorden Harriers dominated the entries at the Hades Hill Fell Race on Thursday, with twenty seven Harriers making the short trip to Whitworth for the race that traditionally marks the end of the summer fell racing season.

The forecast rain held off making for ideal conditions for the 5 mile race that climbs steeply past Brown Wardle Hill and Middle Hill to reach the highest point on Hades Hill, followed by a return by the reverse route.  The firm running allowed Josh Tighe of Northumberland Fell Runners to set a new course record of 31:04, almost 2 minutes ahead of his nearest rival. 

There was a close battle between Andrew Wrench and Nick Barber to be the first Harrier home as they finished third and fourth respectively, with Paul Brannigan finishing in seventh place.

Kath Brierley was the first Todmorden woman, finishing fourth woman, and first v55, followed by Jane Leonard seventh woman, and first v55 and Jackie Holden was twelfth woman back.

Todmorden Results: 3 A. Wrench 33.42; 4 N. Barber 33.49; 7 P. Brannigan 35.11; 15 D. Taylor 37.16; 18 J. Wrench 38.04; 19 T. Davis 38.1; 21 R. Gray 38.33; 25 J. Alan 39.08; 34 M. Roberts 40.11; 39 P. Alexander 41.12; 44 S. Galloway 41.56; 45 A. Bibby 41.58; 60 A. Glyde 43.57; 62 Kath Brierley 44.19; 63 P. Cruthers 44.3; 68 Jane Leonard 44.58; 69 R. Butterwick 44.59; 77 Jackie Holden 47.01; 82 K. Coughlan 47.48; 83 R. Leonard 48.01; 90 Kirsty Patton 48.52; 91 D. Leslie 48.53; 94 Andrea Marshall 51.34; 98 D. Collins 52.13; 103 Sue Roberts 53.56; 107 P. Ehrhardt 54.3; 116 D. O'Neill 59.59.

Jon Wright completed his 20^th consecutive Ben Nevis Race, completing the 9 mile route up and down Britain’s highest mountain in 1:52:37 for 30th place, winning the Wallace Plaque in the process for being the first police runner.

Craig Stansfield finished in 1:54:55 for 40^th position, with Andrew Horsfall in 123^rd, at 2:10:26, and Marcel Ellison in 144^th position at 2:13:14.

Clare Harris crossed the line in 2:39:57 for 318^th place, with Mandy Goth in 427^th with a time of 3:04:42 and Rhys Watkins not far behind in a time of 3:06:19 for 434^th place.

Turner Landscape | Pilgrims Cross | Saddleworth 6 | Howtown Fell Race | Darwen Gala | Rusland Show

Mytholmroyd's new post box safely out of reach of flooding

Richard Blakeley clinched the gold medal in the v70 age category of the English Fell

Championships, at the Turner Landscape Fell Race, by finishing first v70 on the day.

Jane Leonard also kept herself in the hunt for a medal in the women’s v55 category with a third place on the day.   

With the gold medal already destined for Lyn Thompson of Keswick AC who holds an unassailable lead, Jane finds herself in a three way fight for the remaining two medals, which will go down to the wire at the final counting race in September.

John Lloyd was the first Todmorden man to finish the 17km route, with his 44^th place taking him into the senior men’s points for the first time.

Paul Brannigan finished in 87^th position, with Dave Collins in 125^th and Dan Taylor in 155^th place.

Kath Brierley was Todmorden’s only other female entrant, finishing 27^th woman, and 182^nd overall.

Todmorden Results: 44 John Lloyd 1:35:33; 87 Paul Brannigan 1:43:57; 125 Dave Collins 1:50:00; 155 Dan Taylor 1:56:36; 176 Andrew Bibby 2:02:28; 182 Kathleen Brierley 2:03:14; 206 Jane Leonard 2:09:00; 213 Mark Whitaker 2:11:58; 218 Richard Blakeley 2:13:22; 227 Richard Leonard 2:15:52; 252 Peter Ehrhardt 2:36:21.

On Wednesday evening, Marcel Ellison was 29^th position at the Pilgrims Cross Fell Race in a time of 44:57, whilst Kevin Booth completed the 6 mile route in 53:43 for 90^th place.

Five Harriers took to the roads of Saddleworth on the same evening for the 6 mile Road Race.  

Paul Alexander was the first Todmorden runner around the two lap course, finishing in 66^th place with a time of 40:45, followed by Richard Butterwick in 44:31 for 104^th position and Bohuslav Barlow in 189^th place with a time of 51:13.

Myra Wells finished in 59:49 for 239^th place and Ian Stansfield was 252^nd in a time of 1:09:12.

The club Fell Championship moved onto the Howtown Fell Race on Saturday, with unseasonal weather bringing rain and mist to the Lake District course, leading to several runners going astray.

Craig Stansfield had no such problems as he finished in 8^th place with a time of 2:32:33 over the 20 kilometre route.

Clare Harris finished in 37^th place, and first v55 woman, with a time of 3:36:35 and David Leslie completed the course in 4:06:16.

A pair of Harriers were in attendance at the Darwen Gala Fell Race at the weekend, with Marcel Ellison finishing in 21^st place in a time of 29:51, with Jack Crummett not far behind at 30:32 for 24^th place.

Robin Tuddenham finished in 9^th place at the 5 mile Rusland Show Fell Race with a time of 36:24.

Blisco Dash | Todmorden 5k | Towneley 10k

Several Todmorden Harriers were in the Langdales for the Blisco Dash, the latest counter in both the British and English Fell Running Championships.

Jane Leonard was the sole representative in the women’s race, as the club was hit by absences due to injuries and holidays, and finished in 58:02 for 32^nd place and 2^nd v55 to keep alive her individual medal prospects.

In the men’s race, a trio of Harriers battled it out with Nick Barber the first back across the line in 45:54 for 71^st place, with John Lloyd in 77^th and Craig Stansfield in 79^th position.

Richard Blakeley finished first v70 to keep him in the running for a medal also.

Todmorden results: 71 Nick Barber 45:54; 77 John Lloyd 47:10; 79 Craig Stansfield 47:30; 104 Dave Collins 51:55; 130 Peter Bowles 54:22; 168 Andrew Bibby 58:38; 182 Mark Whitaker 1:03:28; 188 Richard Blakeley 1:04:08; 200 Peter Ehrhardt 1:14:03; 205 Paul Brannigan 1:22:08.

The Todmorden 5k series switched to a new route on Wednesday for the second of four races in Centre Vale Park.  The improved circuit made for faster running with Gary Shaw of Burnley AC setting the pace at 15:57.  Max Wharton running for Halifax Harriers crossed the line in 16:25 just ahead of Calder Valley’s Alex Whittem in 16:37.

Martin Stork continued his return from injury to finish first Todmorden Harrier in 18:46, chased in by Dan Taylor in 16^th and Rob Gray in 19^th position.

Mel Siddall finished 5^th woman and 47^th overall in a time of 22:41, with Bev Wright and Andrea Marshall in finishing 8^th and 11^th women respectively.  Myra Wells finished 14^th woman, and first v55.

Ian Stansfield won the v70 prize, finishing in 75^th place.

Todmorden Results: 14 Martin Stork 18:46; 16 Dan Taylor 19:01; 19 Rob Gray 19:10; 24 Darren Tweed 19:29; 26 Paul Alexander 19:52; 27 Ben Crowther 20:02; 36 Mark Anderton 21:02; 37 Simon Anderton 21:04; 47 Mel Siddall 22:41; 54 Richard  Butterwick 23:55; 57 Bev Wright 24:19; 63 Andrea Marshall 27:03; 66 Myra Wells 28:21; 75 Ian Stansfield 34:33.

Robin Tuddenham finished first at the weekly Burnley parkrun on Saturday, recording 17:45 for the 5km route in Towneley Park.

Towneley Park was also the focus for the Towneley 10k on Sunday with Richard Butterwick completing the new course based upon the former Cliviger 6 route in 48:25 and Myra Wells in 1:01:31.

Wasdale Horseshoe | Ian Terry 5k | Todmorden 5k | Widdop Fell Race

The Wasdale Horseshoe Fell Race proved a suitable test as it formed the latest round of the English Fell Championships.  The 35 km route that traverses several high Lakeland Peaks including Scafell Pike and Great Gable, already had a reputation as one of the hardest events in the calendar, and was made all the tougher by the high temperatures that led to around 100 runners dropping out from the 300 that chose to start.

Craig Stansfield revelled in the conditions to complete the route in 4:59:47 for 41^st place, with Dwane Dixon not far behind in 54^th place, in a time of 5:08:30.

Ben Crowther completed the distance in 5:43:31 for 101^st position, followed by Andy McFie in 199^th with a time of 5:56:24 and Peter Bowles in 128^th place in 6:01:51.

Jane Leonard finished in 6:16:26 for 26^th woman, and 3^rd v55, and Clare Harris was 33^rd woman in 6:45:05 and 4^th v50.

On Tuesday evening John Lloyd claimed first place at the Ian Terry Memorial 5k in Littleborough in a time of 17:15, with Myra Wells crossing the line in 30.27 for 82^nd place.

Photo by Keith Parkinson

The following evening John was back in action, but this time as race organiser of the Todmorden 5k, the first in a series of weekly evening races in Centre Vale Park. 

Former Todmorden runner Chris Smale, now running for Bingley Harriers, won in a time of 17:15, with Robin Tuddenham in 3^rd place for the Harriers at 17:40.

Dan Taylor and Martin Stork ran a close race, crossing the line in 7^th and 9^th places respectively, with Dan just 5 seconds ahead in 18:52, as Todmorden won the team prize.

Darren Tweed crossed the line in 14^th position with 19:40, with the same advantage over Paul Alexander 15^th place.   Simon Anderton finished in 20^th place in 21:05, a couple of places and 10 seconds ahead of brother Mark Anderton.

Mel Siddall was the first Todmorden woman to finish in 23:34 collecting the women’s v50 prize in the process.  Andrea Marshall completed the distance in 26:21 with Myra Wells first v55 in 28:29 as the trio also won the women’s team prize.

Ian Stansfield finished in 46^th and Jim Smith in 47^th place. 

On the same evening, there was another sizeable Todmorden entry at the Widdop Fell Race, which followed a 7 mile moorland loop.

Steve Pullan was the first Harrier to finish in 1:00:01 for 21^st place, with Rob Gray in 31^st with a time of 1:01:46 and Dave Collins half a minute behind in 35^th place. Paul Cruthers finished in 94^th position in 1:11:51.

Kirsty Pattern was the first Todmorden woman, and 11^th woman overall, in 1:20:05, with Sarah Hughes and Jackie Holden completing the distance in the same time of 1:22:31 for 15^th and 16^th women.

Peter Ehrhardt was the next to finish in 1:27:47, followed by a trio of Harriers in 1:32:06 as Claire Duffield, Moyra Parfitt and Mel Blackhurst came in together.

In the Widdop junior races, Jack Crummett finished in 2^nd place in the under 16’s race.

Joe Hobbs and Alex Duffield battled it out at the front of the under 8’s race, finishing in 2^nd and 3^rd place, with Ben Hodgkinson in 11^th place.

On Saturday, Robin Tuddenham finished in 104^th position at the Snowdon Mountain Race in a time of 1:34:08 for the 10 mile race up and down Wales’ highest mountain.

A pair of Harriers were in Middleton for the Moonraker 10k on Sunday, in slightly cooler conditions than of late, with Myra Wells finishing in 107^th and Richard Butterwick in 108^th place, just under the hour mark.

Bohuslav Barlow completed the Pudsey 10k in a time of 57:05 for 207^th position.