It’s Character Building

Even with the most testing and extreme weather conditions you hardy Harriers have been out racing with gusto. There have been night time forays around the Darwen moorlands, fell racing in near biblical conditions, trail running on muddy tracks, and dodging monstrous waves in a coastal half marathon. Character building stuff indeed.

Friday 19 February

Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un

Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un is a night time fell race using head torches. It also includes a free chip butty at The Royal after! Runners can expect a couple of stiff climbs, open moorland, mud and a dash down to the finish.

Runners at Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un. Photo by Sue Eastham

A trio of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers took part in this night time race organised by Darwen Dashers

Full Results

Saturday 20 February

Bleasdale Circle Fell Race

Report from Sarah Helliwell

I decided it was time to get back on the fells after completing a few XCs and Ralph now being 6 months old! Bleasdale Circle looked a good circular fell race with a good amount of climbing (381m) within its 5 miles. It was a very wet and windy Saturday with bad weather warnings. The organisers had taken extra precautions and had added extra markers around the course which was greatly need as visibility up on Parlick was no more than a few meters. We held a minute’s silence before we set off as unfortunately one of Bowland Fell Runners’ young members, Joe Smith, was killed up in Glencoe in January.

Runners paying their respects at the start of the Bleasdale Circle Fell Race. Photo by Carl Helliwell

There were a good number of Clayton runners on the start line. My aim was to get round in one piece as Carl and the kids cheered us off. It was wet, boggy and leg sapping as we crossed the fields to the foot of Fair Snape Fell. As the climbing intensified so did the weather, wet and windy was an understatement! Comments for the conditions varied from “the weather was Biblical”, “character building”, “you could hardly stand” and that was “brilliant”.

After descending Parlick you made your way back over farmland to Bleasdale School where runners were greeted with hot soup and roll, and lots of cake.

Results are not out yet, however Peter Coates was the first male Clayton runner back, others included Ralph Baines, Mark Nutter, Ivan Whigham, Pete Browning, Doug Monroe and others!

We had three ladies with Katy Thompson first Clayton lady and winning the V60 prize with a 1:06, myself 1:08 and Karin Goss with a 1:13 to win the ladies team.

It’s definitely one I would do again but hopefully with better weather as the views are pretty impressive from Parlick.

Awaiting official results

Standish Hall Trail Race

Organised by Wigan Phoenix Running Club this approximately 10k trail race is completely off road on bridle paths and woodland trail. It was also the first race in our inaugural trail race series.

L-R Martin Brady, Dave Motley, Daniel Isherwood, Paul Wale, Chris Paul and James Hickie at the Standish Hall trail race. Photo by Kath Brady

Report from Dave Motley

Looking at my annual planner for 2016 (geeky I know!) I knew I had to compete at Standish Trail race in order to complete 4 from 7 in the Clayton club trail championship. So myself and Paul Wale set off from Burnley for the 45 minute drive to Standish which actually took longer as we missed the junction on the M6 due to nattering like old women. Good job navigation would not be needed on this race. We signed up and bumped into a few Clayton members on the start line; a few being the word which was a little disappointing for the first race in this new series.

2.30pm came and we were off! The course effectively a large figure of 8, two lap course through wide trails in fields and a large section through woods, the main feature due to the recent bad weather being mud, mud and more mud. On a personal note, I felt I had an OK race finishing in 6^th overall and 1^st Clayton, although I was a bit disappointed with not getting sub 40 on this fast 10K trail course, must have been the mud.

Trail running good or bad? Having never really competed on the trails before, I really enjoyed the terrain. A real mix of fast runnable tracks which would be perfect for road runners wanting to get dirty and technical parts of the course which would suit the fell runners in the club. Hopefully next trail race we will see a few more competing.

Full Results

Sunday 21 February

Cunswick Scar Fell Race

Well done to the 6 hardy Harriers who took part on a wet and windy day with tough and muddy conditions underfoot.

Just over 5 miles for the seniors with around 600′ of climbing. A fast undulating course across grassy Cunswick scar. The senior race starts with a small climb across fields, over the bypass and up to the large cairn on the Scar, over the top and along the edge. Follow the flags until you get to a sharp turn through a kissing gate to the right. Down a steep little path and through the woods…….out across the fields and back into more woods.

Senior Race

Wendy Dodds was our only senior race in this fell race. She finished in 94^th place overall and was 1^st LV60. 137 runners took part.

Junior Races

Five junior members took part. Briony was our first finisher in the U14 race with Liberty Thompson in 18^th place. Dexta finished in 4^th place in the U12 race with Helena White and Kady Thomson in 37^th and 44^th place. A special well done to Helena who completed the course with one shoe missing.

Briony Holt at the Cunswick Scar fell race.

Under 14 Race

Under 12 Race

Helena White ready for her first fell race. Dad Colin is ready for the Great North West Half Marathon. Photo by Rachael White

Full Results

Flower Scar Fell Race

Report from Sarah Helliwell

It was Carl’s turn to race on Sunday as he made his way to Todmorden. This was a first for him as well. Thankfully the weather was kinder on the Sunday with it being blustery on the tops but little rain. It started with a quick dash to some hay bales, to then scale a wall before climbing up onto the fells. Unfortunately, Carl got stuck in the scramble and had to slowly pick his way through the runners. He was happy with his run as he eventually finished 13^th out of 120 runners with a time of 64:28 and a second V40. A number of other Clayton runners were spotted with Alan life sporting a fetching trenchcoat 😉 who were all rewarded with chili and rice at the end.

Awaiting Official Results

Great North West Half Marathon

Jon Cleaver reports on the wind and waves at the Great North West Half Marathon in Blackpool this weekend.

Jon Cleaver at the Great North West Half Marathon

There was quite a crowd all huddled together underneath the promenade trying to keep from the elements before the start.

The first couple of short loops revealed what we had in store when were head on into the north westerly wind. On the flat heading north there were 20ft waves crashing against the sea wall and soaking anyone unlucky enough to get caught underneath. It was like you’d been on the log flume on the Pleasure Beach!

It was a fast pace to the northernmost turning point and then you got hammered by the wind for 2.5 miles on the way back. It was like having one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake; probably adding minimum of a minute a mile.

The turning point at 8 miles was heaven sent, you could get your pace up again and try and dodge the overhead crashing waves. And then the dreaded southern run into that headwind, the second seemed to get worse until you peeled off feeling sorry for those that still had another loop to do and onto the final push down the promenade. The wind didn’t let up all the way to the finish line.

I jogged back up to find Dan Plant who’d run really well taking out 2 people right at the line. Great finish!

Decent medal, shame there wasn’t the promised chip timing. Overall great prep for marathon training in character building conditions!

L-R Dan Plant, Jon Cleaver and Paul Hesketh at the Great North West Half Marathon

Full Results

Parkrun roundup

A bit of poor weather doesn’t stop our dedicated parkrunners who were out in force on Saturday at a range of events.

Clayton junior runner Kady Thompson flying to a new PB at Burnley parkrun. Photo by Dave Belshaw

Bolton parkrun – A total of 230 runners took part.

Burnley parkrun – A total of 230 runners took part.

Dewsbury parkrun – A total of 158 runners took part.

Fell Foot parkrun, Newby Bridge – A total of 83 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 61 runners took part.

Rockingham (Australia) parkrun – A total of 253 runners took part.

Skipton parkrun – A total of 142 runners took part.

Witton parkrun – A total of 61 runners took part.

Woodbank parkrun – A total of 179 runners took part.

Woodhouse Moor parkrun – A total of 423 runners took part