ByAdrienne Olszewska

To me, to you

Teamwork was most definitely the theme this week with absolutely loads of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers taking part in relays on the fells and the British Masters Road Relays. We’ve also been representing the county at the FRA Inter County Championships and setting the odd course record.

Mearley Clough Fell Race – 12 May

Mearley Clough Fell Race is a fast and furious local classic with 1200ft of ascent. The race starts and finishes at the Calf’s Head pub in Worston. 24 Clayton Harriers took part in this midweek race. Alan Life was the first man home in 35:07 and 13^th place overall. Vicky Heys was our first lady with a time of 43:54 and 75^th place overall. Dugald McCallum was first V60.

Mearley Clough Fell Race. Photo by Woodentops

Pos	Name	Cat	Time
13	Alan Life	V50	35:07
29	Andrew Orr	V40	38:26
35	Richard Briscoe	M	38:49
37	Ivan Wigham	V50	39:03
38	Chris Whiteoak	M	39:16
39	Dave Naughton	V50	39:32
62	Mark Nutter	V50	42:19
63	Sean Clare	V50	42:22
65	Dugald McCallum	V60	42:29
67	Keith Thompson	V60	42:36
68	Peter Browning	V50	42:37
75	Vicky Heys	FV40	43:54
76	Geoff Smith	V40	43:58
77	Darren Rushton	V40	44:12
81	Rick Moore	V50	45:01
83	David Naylor	V50	45:39
87	Angela Shian	F	46:21
88	Andrew Firth	V50	46:24
89	Colin Woolford	M	46:27
93	Stephen Bury	V50	46:57
103	Carol Life	FV40	50:20
104	Susan Clark	FV40	50:39
109	Robin Nicholson	V40	51:41
111	George Thompson	V60	53:11

Full Results

Wholan Nook Trail Race – 13 May

Another fantastic turnout for this midweek race, the third in the Burnley and Pendle Grand Prix series for 2015. 57 Clayton-le-Moors Harriers took part in a field of 150 – that’s a third of all the people running! The weather conditions were near perfect, with plenty of sunshine, a pleasant temperature and not too much wind.

Danny Collinge leading the way at the Wholan Nook Trail Race. Photo by Nick Olszewski

Running in his first trail race, Danny Collinge was at the front of the pack for much of the race battling with Barlick Fell Runners’ Thomas Corrigan, but finally finishing in second place. Jordan McDonald also had an excellent race finishing in fourth place. Andrew Stubbs completed our hat trick of top ten finishers. Kevin Davies was first V55 and David Scott and Ted Orrell were the first V70 and V75 respectively.

Clayton Ladies, Bianca Bennett, Leanne Cottam and Lysnsey Birtwistle at the Wholan Nook Trail Race. Photo by Nick Olszewski

Claire Vincent was the first Clayton Lady and second lady overall in the race. Alice Pier was the only junior female and put in a great performance finishing as 7^th lady in the race. Irene Roche and Jean Knightley were first and second F55 and Karin Goss was first F65.

Pos	Name	Cat	Time
2	Danny Collinge	M	32:02
4	Jordon Mcdonald	MJ	32:43
7	Andrew Stubbs	M45	33:28
11	Russ Clarke	M	34:03
14	Richard Stevenson	M	34:15
15	Jonathan Pye	M	34:36
18	George Pier	M	34:47
19	Kevin Davies	M55	34:49
22	Paul Hesketh	M50	35:01
23	Carl Helliwell	M	35:13
24	Matthew Duckworth	M	35:42
26	Michael O Donnell	M40	35:55
29	Richard Briscoe	M	36:42
32	Nick Roscoe	M45	37:26
34	Chris Funnell	M45	37:39
38	Chris Snell	M	37:52
40	Stephen Ainsworth	M55	38:03
43	Jon Hanson	M	38:24
48	Andy Bradley	M45	38:46
49	John Wilcock	M50	38:51
51	Claire Vincent	F	38:55
52	Jeffery Pickup	M60	39:08
55	Gary Balmer	M40	39:02
63	Stephen Biscombe	M60	40:03
65	Andrew Webster	M45	40:19
68	Ryan Clarke	MJ	40:39
72	Stephen White	M60	40:51
74	Andy Quinn	M40	41:06
75	Alice Pier	FJ	41:17
76	Sean Clare	M50	41:24
82	Irene Roche	F55	41:55
85	Jason Pier	M45	42:32
90	Andrew Howarth	M55	43:07
91	Stuart Proctor	M	43:09
93	Martin Griffin	M50	43:32
97	David Scott	M70	43:05
99	Richard John	M	44:00
100	Paul Wale	M45	44:33
101	Lynsey Birtwistle	F35	44:37
103	Elizabeth Mullan	F	44:46
104	Jean Knightley	F55	44:52
106	Joanne Bennett	F45	44:59
107	Dawn Terry	F50	45:02
108	Andrew Taylor	M55	45:38
110	Sarah Angelone	F	45:55
118	Biancia Bennett	F	46:56
119	Rachel Todd	F40	47:15
120	Martin O Rourke	M50	47:19
124	Ted Orrell	M75	47:59
128	Stephen Fish	M60	48:26
131	Leanne Cottam	F35	48:44
132	Robert Hirst	M60	49:22
135	Joanne Motley	F	50:02
139	Ron Chappell	M65	51:01
140	Stuart Barker	M45	51:16
143	Michelle Butschok	F40	52:08
146	Karin Goss	F65	54:54

Wholan Nook Trail Race Results

John Carr 5k Series Race 2 – 13 May

The John Carr Series consists of three 5k races held on Wednesdays during May (6th, 13th and 20th in 2015) in memory of a former member of the Saltaire Striders running club who tragically died aged 30.

The races are based at Esholt Sports & Social Club in Esholt near Bradford and start at 7.30pm. Please note there is a 10 minute jog to the start from the race HQ.The course is held mainly on private roads through the Yorkshire Water estate but finishing on the quiet mainly traffic free roads of the village. It is a fairly flat, fast course.

Jonny McKenna and Laura Hesketh have been representing the club in this super fast series of races.

Pos	Name	Cat	Time
8	Jonny McKenna	M	16:07
85	Laura Hesketh	F	19:06

Full Results

The Ian Casey 5K at Cowm Reservoir – 14 May

Report from Richard Lawson

Ian Casey collapsed and died in a marathon after 15 miles in around 2010. He was a member of Royton Road Runners and this is why 67 of them turned up for this fast 5K. Four of us went and Bob Hirst ran near his PB to record 25:44. Jack McGuire managed a sub 30, Richard failed by a long way to win the M70s but wife Val did a post hip op PB of 33:47, but was still 2nd W70. These races have a good atmosphere and raise a 5-figure sum for charity each year

Full Results

Old County Tops – 16 May 2015

Congratulations to Ladies Fell Captain Jean Brown and Nicky Spinks for 1st Ladies in the Old County Tops in a new ladies record of 8.28.06. Excellent performance!

Jean reports;

The Old County Tops is described on the organisers website as ‘a 37 mile/10,000ft event (distance and climb dependant on whether you go the right or wrong way). The Race starts in Great Langdale and takes in the tops of Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston after which the competitors are fed and watered.’

It is run in pairs – which adds a different element to the race! I have done it three times before and it is one of my favourites. This year for the first time I had a female partner -Nicky Spinks. Nicky is nationally renowned for her long distance challenge records, but was planning on supporting leg one of a Bob Graham round at midnight the night before so I hoped she would be slowed to my pace! We worked well as a team, each with our strengths – Nicky tweaked her ankle early on so I was faster down, and she was faster on the ascents. It was tough on the tops with a strong cold wind – my face went numb in the wind on the way back from Coniston!

We finished in 22nd overall in 8 hours 28 minutes. 1st ladies team and a new ladies course record which we were extremely pleased with.

Awaiting results

RA Inter Counties Championship – 16 May

A handful of our younger club members travelled down to Betwys-y-Coed in Wales to take part in the FRA Inter Counties Fell Running Championships – 16 May

L-R Ryan Clarke, Jordan McDonald and Curtis Holt. Clayton junior runners representing Lancashire at the FRA Inter Counties Championships. Photo by Jacci Clarke Mellor

Alice Pier ran in the Women’s Under 16 race, Curtis Holt and Ryan Clark ran in the Under 16 Mens race, Jordan McDonald ran in the Under 18 Mens race and Christopher Holdsworth ran in the Senior Men’s race.

Alice Pier running in the FRA Inter Counties Championships at Betws-y-Coed. Photo by Jane Pier

All of them ran well and were a credit to the club and the Lancashire county team. Most of them were counters in the team placings. Full Results

British Masters Road Relay Championships – 16 May

Team Clayton at the British Masters Road Relays . Photo by John Roche

Report by John Roche

A very early start of 7:00am saw around 40 Clayton-le-Moors Harriers making the journey to the British Masters Road Relays at Sutton Park – Sutton Coldfield – Birmingham.

This is possibly the best road running relay in the calendar. Sutton Park is perfect for this type of event, set inside 2000 acres of beautiful parkland. The course is one lap and quite testing in places with nowhere to hide from spectators encouraging you to keep pushing through the pain barrier.

Clayton-le-Moors Harriers has great history of success at this event and this year would hopefully continue that trend. This year we had the company of the tangerine army of ladies on tour with most of them attending for the first time and as you would expect the nerves were jangling all morning preparing for the start.

Silver Medallists L-R Christine Leathley, Karin Goss, Chris Egerton

Bronze Medallists L-R Jean Knightley, Katy Thompson and Irene Roche

It was another fantastic day for Clayton-le-Moors Harriers thoroughly enjoyed by everyone that made the journey. The weather was sunny as usual …thanks ‘Shack’. The return journey was a happy one with a few medals and some tremendous individual performances from; Karin Goss, Irene, Mark Aspy (Legend), Dave Naughton to name just a few.

Post race – smiling faces have returned

The newbies also had a memorable day with many PB runs (Well done) and wearing our vest with pride in such a prestigious event. Personal thanks to all the last minute ‘stand in’ runners.

Garry Wilkinson… ‘Always a fantastic day and a chance to run the best of the best’. It’s only a short distance but with the adrenaline and pushing yourself to the limits, this is the hardest type of racing and you need to be mentally tough to succeed’ .

Full Results

Charlesworth Chase – 16 May

5.2 mile 1200 ft : BS From Craven Arms in Appletreewick to Simons Seat and back.

Robert Hirst was our sole representative in this fell race finishing in 77th place with a time of 1:08:49.

Full Results

Calderdale Way Relay – 17 May

Leg 1 Runners L-R Carl Helliwell, Dave Bagot, Chris Holdsworth, Jonny McKenna, Michael O’Donnell and Kieran Mitchell. Photo Adrienne Olszewska

88 teams of runners lined up to start the 2015 Calderdale Way Relay with Clayton-le-Moors Harriers fielding an impressive 4 teams (3 mens teams and a ladies team). There were some brilliant runs across the teams.

Team Clayton at the Calderdale Relays. John Wilcock, Nick Olszewska, Katy Thompson, Alison Dugdale, Sarah Whittaker ,Barbara Savage

A special mention must be made for the remarkable organisational and support skills of Mens’ Fell Captain, Dave Motley, who not only kept appearing at each leg to support his runners but went on to run our fastest Leg 5 with Ryan Wilkinson. I think he may have cloned himself to do it!

The Amazing Captain Motley, co-ordinating the Mens’ teams and still managing to run leg 5 at the Calderdale Relays.

Our Mens A Team were in third place in the first two legs but began to lose places after that. Despite a set of fast legs the third place spot remained out of reach and their final position was 7th.

Handover at the start of Leg 2 with the Clayton-le-Moors A Team. Photo Adrienne Olszewska

POS

TEAM

Leg 1

Leg2

Leg 3

Leg 4

Leg 5

Leg 6

Team A

Chris Holdsworth

Lee Smith

Jordan McDonald

Paul Thompson

Dave Motley

Breton Holdsworth

Jonny McKenna

Russell Clarke

George Pier

Andrew Stubbs

Ryan Wilkinson

Jacob Watson