Onwards and upwards

Ben Nevis dominates this week with a good turnout of Clayton Harriers.  What an adventurous bunch you are! I have spotted Clayton-le-Moors Harriers at fell races all over the place, super fast 10k races, track meetings, ultra distance events and parkruns.  I am exhausted just looking at the pictures!

Tuesday 1 September

Kilnsey Crag

Richard Briscoe and Stephen Fish took part in this fast and furious fell race at Kilnsey Show. Towards the end of the afternoon, the annual Kilnsey Sports take centre stage, notably the famous fell races, involving the punishing ascent and descent of famous Kilnsey Crag, one of the toughest fell running tests in the sport. It’s a 1.2 mile race with 407ft of climbing.

Stephen Fish doing some synchronised descending at the Kilnsey Cragg Fell Race. Photo by Woodentops

Photos and results on Woodentops

Thursday 3 September

Hades Hill Race

45 runners took part in this out and back race with some hard ascents; 1181ft of climbing and 5 miles in total. Eight club members took part. Chris Snell was the first Clayton man home finishing in 16^th place in a time of 42:29 with Nigel Weaver following in 18^th Place. A Howarth was 1^st V55.

Awaiting Official Results

Saturday 5 September

Ben Nevis Race

A group of  nineteen club members headed north to take part in this hugely popular race up the highest mountain in Great Britain. 320 runners finished this 8.7 mile race with 4419ft of climbing.

Team Clayton at the Ben Nevis Race. Photo courtesy of Mark Nutter

Dave Bagot was our first runner to finish with a new PB despite the heat.

Dave Bagot, first Clayton runner to finish the Ben Nevis Race. Photo by Daniel Taylor

Jon Sharples was awarded a Connochie Plaque for completing his 21^st Ben Nevis Race as well as finishing as 2^nd Vet 60.

Jon Sharples receiving the Connachie Plaque for completing 21 Ben Nevis Races.

Richard Briscoe reports

Celebrating a fine day on the Ben. L-R Neil Hardiman, Andrew Graham (Trawden), Dave Motley and Richard Briscoe

A brilliant weekend for everyone at Fort William. Tough conditions with the heat didn’t really help with the full Scottish breakfast. Did really well on the climb but struggled at Red Burn. Gutted didn’t beat last year’s time of 2 hr 27, was 5 minutes off, but overall it was a brilliant weekend. Well done to everyone especially Dave Bagot who was the first Clayton back

Ryan Wilkinson Reports

One of the best weekends away with a cracking bunch of lads.

As always Team Clayton was out in force in the Highlands this weekend. Fantastic run from all, congratulations to David Bagot on being the first Clayton member over the line in a time of 1hour 57 minutes, followed by Neil Hardiman the BEAST, also just nipping under the 2 hour mark. Gary Wilkinson put a real shift in to hold me off all the way and we had a great battle on the way down but the OLDER & wiser Wilky made sure I was behind him at the finish.

Dave Motley being chased down, or rather up, by Garry Wilkinson, Photo by Daniel Taylor

Great run from Dave Motley, Dominic Carr who had a great battle & was very close at the finish then followed on by Lee Smith on his first attempt at the Ben. Well done to Jon Sharples, Mark Nutter, Chris Funnell on all completing the race under the 2 & a half hour mark. Richard Brisco was as entertaining as ever & had a decent run even after 10 pints…Andrew Firth was as strong as ever completing the course in 2.34, really well done to Nick Roscoe who really cracked on with it this year. Barbara Savage got stuck in to it and came across the line in 2.45, David Nield was just 9 minutes behind after holding off Stephen Burn & Nicholas Horsfall who was just under the 3 hour mark, closely followed by Mark Taylor & Andrew Dugdale. Robin Nicolson ran the course in 3.08. All in all the weekend was fantastic & really good to see everyone doing TEAM CLAYTON PROUD!

Full Results

Blackshaw Head Fete

Blackshaw Head is a village above Hebden Bridge in the upper Calderdale Valley. The Blackshaw Head Fell Race is part of the village fete held each year on the Saturday after the August bank holiday. Four club members took part in this 5.5 mile race with 899ft of ascent.

Alison Dugdale at the Blackshaw Head Fell Race. Photo by Woodentops

Alison Dugdale was our first Clayton Harrier to finish and our only lady in the race. Vet runners Robert Hirst, Michael Frost and Ron Chappell completed our quartet of runners.

Full Results – photos woodentops

Bullock Smithy Hike

Nicholas Olszewski ran in this 56 mile event. It forms part of the Run Further series of events for ultra-distance runners. He finished in 18^th place with a time of 12:13. The route is a circular tour of the Peak District skirting around the highlights of the National Park utilising the Pennine Way, Pennine Bridleway, the Limestone Way, Gritstone trail, and others. The weather was kind and the scenery was spectacular.

Nicholas Olszewski (far right) about to make a brew, er, run the Bullock Smithy. Photo by Adrienne Olszewska

Yours truly was also present but due to injury was a hiker rather than a runner. I waltzed into the finish a considerable time later. (21 hours and 6 minutes)

Nick’s points keep Team Clayton in 6th place in the RunFurther Ultra distance leaderboard. Martin Terry didn’t run in this event but is looking likely to take 1st Vet 50 in the series

Full Results

Sunday 6 September

Alice’s Run (Mytholmroyd)

Martin Brady at Alice’s Race.

Martin Brady was our sole representative at this race finishing in 51st place with a time of 49:11

Full Results

Bradley Fell Races

Three club members took part in in this 3.7 mile BOFRA fell race

Rick Moore battling to the finish at the Bradley Show Fell race. Photo by Woodentops

Junior Races

Lennon Jackson at the Bradley Show junior fell races. Photo by the Woodentops

Lennon and Matthew Jackson took part in the U12 race. Lennon was 16^th with a time of 7:19 and Matthew, running his first fell race, was 21^st with a time of 7:39. There were 40 runners in this race. Well done Team Jackson! (pics Michelle Abbott)

Full Results

Guisborough 3 tops

This is an 8.1 mile race with 2149ft of ascent and is the final race of the English Fell Running Championship for 2015. Still awaiting official results for this event but on the entry list are:

Kieran Carr, English Vet 70 Fell Running Champion. Photo by Dave Aspin

Wendy Dodds, Jean Brown, Angela Shian, Vicky Heys, Katy Thompson and Linda Lord for the ladies. John Rusius, Kieran Carr and Peter Browning for the men.

Wendy Dodds and Kieren Carr are looking likely to have come first in their respective vet categories.

Awaiting Results

Loweswater Show – No information

Pendle AC Open Meeting

Ellie Root and Millie Stubbs took part in the Pendle AC open meet at Seedhill in the 1500m. Both girls ran well with Millie taking the lead early on. They worked well as a team to come across the line together in a time of 5:29 minutes. Both girls got a PB and a medal; Gold for Ellie in the U15 and Silver for Millie in the U13 in their first official track meet. Well done girls!

Ellie Root and Millie Stubbs. Photo by Sam Root

Fellow juniors Dexter and Liberty Thompson were representing Burnley AC and won medals for 800m.

Salford 10k

Over 3000 runners took part in this 10k race. The event starts and finishes at the plaza area between the Lowry Theatre and Lowry Outlet Mall before following a route around Salford Keys, Media City and over to Trafford Park. This 10k is becoming one of the most popular and recognised 10ks in the North West.

Dan Balshaw was our first finisher in 16^th place overall and a time of 34:43. Terry O’Leary bagged himself a top 50 finish and Bryan Searby and Stephen Biscomb both finishing in the top 10% of the field. Club legend Ron Hill finished just under the hour mark.

 Full Results

Shelf Moor

Described as a tough category AS fell race, The six mile route taken by the Shelf Moor race has three of the area’s aircraft wrecks within close proximity. One is at the top of the very steep climb called James s Thorn, the remains of which nestle in the peat on the 1800 foot contour. Two more straddle the summit of Higher Shelf Stones, at 2038 feet virtually the top of the Peak District. Certainly the views from the trig point there are on a clear day quite extensive.

Following markers to the north the far side of Dowstone Clough is picked up. Then runners will hurtle down the soft peaty terrain, and from Lightside emerge at the track that leads to the finish near the bus turning circle at the end of Shepley Street in Old Glossop.

Ivan Whigham and Stephen Fish took part. Ivan came in 30^th in 57:24 and Steve in 81^st with a time of 1:09:00. There were 90 runners in this event.

Awaiting Official Results

Tiree Ultramarathon

11 miles long, 6 miles wide, famed for it’s white sandy beaches, blue skies, unspoilt landscape, and no midges! Tiree’s coastline is rugged, beautifully carved, and adorned with long stretches of firm sandy beach. The complete circumference takes in 35 miles of the finest Hebridean scenery. And that is the Tiree Ultramarathon – The Land Below the Waves.

Martin Terry at the Tiree Ultramarathon

Well done Martin Terry who came second in this ultra.

Awaiting Official Results

Wigan 10k

Almost 3000 runners took part in this 10k race. The route takes in some of the town’s land marks as it starts in the town centre on Market Street heads onto Parsons Walk between Wigan College and the new Wigan Youth Zone, then around the DW Stadium and into Martland Park Industrial Estate before heading back to the town centre via a loop of Mesnes Park and a finish on Market Street.

Report by Ian Hargreaves

Elouise Pemberton and Ian Hargreaves at the Wigan 10k

Around 3000 runners arrived at the well organised Wigan 10k start line on a sunny Sunday. Two Clayton Harriers, Elouise Pemberton and myself, geared up to smash our PB’s on a fast flat course, cheered on by great support received all along the route from the locals. Nice easy route, only made slightly difficult as the weather got hotter and hotter, but thankfully we both got our PB’s, with Elouise achieving a fabulous 50.19 and me happy with 52.04. A must to run again and hopefully with more Clayton Crew next year

Full Results

Parkrun roundup

Another week filled with new PBs and first time visits to various parkruns this week. At Burnley three of our younger runners challenging the senior runners and taking top five positions. Lennon Jackson and Sophie Ashworth showed great team spirit by running with new team mate Helana. Oh, and PBs galore! At Pendle, John Hartley continues to finish high up with Paul Brannon, Paul Hesketh and Martin Brady giving him a run for his money. Tom Brewster

Burnley parkrun – A total of 280 runners took part

Our juniors pacing each other at Burnley parkrun. Photo by David Belshaw

Team Holdsworth – Roanna, Breton and Rosie the dog. Photo by David Belshaw

Pendle parkrun – A total of 55 runners took part

Dewsbury parkrun – A total of 102 runners took part.

Heaton parkrun – A total of 501 runners took part.

Redcar parkrun – A total of 107 runners took part

Skipton parkrun – A total of 185 runners took part

***CLUB FELL CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT***

As Thieveley Pike clashes with the first Mid-Lancs fixture, Thieveley will now not be the final Club Fell Championship race. A replacement race to be announced shortly.

Ron Hill’s 77th Birthday Race

Organised by Andems Runners and assisted by Rochdale Harriers

2:00 pm Saturday 26^th September 2015 from the Oxford Pub, Whitworth Rd, Rochdale, OL12 OSW. Andems are staging Ron’s 77^th Birthday 5K, this is a Road & Trail Race through Residential area Dr Ron Hill has long been regarded as Britain’s Greatest ever long distance Athlete.