Tandle Hill Trail Race | OMM | Marathon Eryri | Bronte Way Fell Race

by Richard Butterwick (Final report, hanging up keyboard after 5.5 years)

Todmorden Harriers’ Trail Championship reached its conclusion at the Tandle Hill Trail Race on Sunday with the top three men in the standings all in attendance.

Dan Taylor, who was lying in second place in the table beforehand, was the first Todmorden Harrier to finish the 5.8 mile route in 39:28 for 9^th place, closely followed by Trevor Davies in 11^th who kept the gap between them small enough to enable him to clinch the men’s Trail Champion title.

Rob Gray finished in 40:47 which cemented his third place in the Championship.

Issy Pollard was not racing but previous results meant she claimed the women’s Trail Championship.

On the day, Bev Wright was the first Todmorden woman, finishing 17^th woman in a time of 53:28.  She was followed by Louise Abdy who battled on with a suspected broken finger after a fall to finish 21^st woman and Andrea Marshall who was 23^rd woman.

Todmorden results:  9 Daniel Taylor 39:28; 11 Trevor Davis 39:41; 16 Rob Gray 40:47; 21 Jon Wright 41:45; 44 Phil Cook 47:09; 48 Nick Barber 47:25; 53 Kevin Coughlan 48:48; 73 Bev Wright 53:28; 83 Peter Ehrhardt 55:59; 85 Louise Abdy 56:19; 89 Andrea Marshall 57:01.

Mandy Goth and Rachel Skinner finished first female pair in the long class at the OMM Marathon Mountain in the Brecon Beacons.  After holding a 5 point lead overnight after the first day, they completed the two day navigational event with a 15 point lead over their closest rivals.

Mel Blackhurst was also in Wales for the Marathon Eryri, completing the 26.2 mile route in Snowdonia in a time of 3:53:05, finishing 44th woman, and 7th in the v45 age category. 

Closer to home, a trio of Harriers tackled the Bronte Way Fell Race, an 8 mile point to point race from Wycollar to Haworth.

Martin Roberts finished in 46th place in a time of 1:06:30, followed by Chris Preston in 125th at 1:20:54 and Sue Roberts crossed the line at 1:32:32 for 159th position.

Preston Half | Snowdonia Marathon | Yorkshire Coast 10k | OMM

Todmorden Harrier’s Club Road Championship was back on the agenda, but it was the recently crowned Club Fell Champion who was leading the way for the club at the Preston Guild Half Marathon.


Nick Barber recorded a time of 1:19:02 as he finished in 9th place out of over 2300 runners, in wet and windy conditions on Sunday.

Martin Stork continued his return from injury with 26th place, followed by Paul Alexander in 135th place.

Mel Robertson was the sole Todmorden lady, finishing 3rd in her age category.

Todmorden Results: 9 Nick Barber 1:19:02; 26 Martin Stork 1:24:31; 135 Paul Alexander 1:35:13; 244 Guy Whitmore 1:40:44; 302 Phil Cook 1:43:14; 467 Mel Robertson 1:48:34; 693 Nigel Hanson 1:53:44; 1107 Peter Ehrhardt 2:01:33.

In the simultaneously held Guild event, Joe Daniels took on the full Marathon distance and finished 125th in a time of 3:24:01.



A trio of Harriers were in Wales for the Snowdonia Marathon, with Darren Graham completing the 26 mile circular route around the base of Mount Snowdon in 3:40:07, whilst Julie Wyant finished in 4:24:24 and Elise Milnes completed the tough course in 5:12:00.



Robin Tuddenham finished first at the Burnley parkrun, the third different Todmorden Harrier to do so in the last three weeks.



Two Todmorden runners enjoyed a weekend double starting with the Sewerby parkrun on the cliffs above Bridlington on Saturday, with Richard Butterwick finishing first and Myra Wells in 20th place.

The following day they joined 1200 runners for the Yorkshire Coast 10k in Scarborough, with Richard crossing the line in 40:22 in 74th position and Myra stopping the clock at 57:30 in 805th place.



At the OMM Mountain Marathon, several Todmorden Harriers took on the two day navigational test in the Howgill Hills, with particularly challenging conditions on the second day.

Phil Hodgson teamed up with Calder Valley Fell Runner Phil Scarf to finish in 3rd place in the long class and first veteran pair, just ahead of Dwane Dixon and Ben Crowther who were fifth overall.

Mandy Goth and Sue Roberts finished first female pair and 35th overall, with John Crummett and Kath Brierley in 78th position, and 5th mixed vets, and Dave and Helen Wilson in 83rd place, and 6th mixed vets.

Trevor Smith teamed up with Dave Prentice in the medium class for 93rd position overall and 11th veteran pair.