The heat is on!

What a scorcher! But as always you have been keeping your cool and making your presence felt. You’ve been out in huge numbers at lots of events, competing in championship races, winning medals and enduring the heat with a smile on your face.

WEDNESDAY 14 JUNE

BILLY KNOX 65^TH BIRTHDAY 5K COWM RACE

Ron Chappell was our sole runner in this 5k race. He finished in 42^nd place. A total of 48 runners took part.

Full Results

BROWN WARDLE (AND A BIT MOOR)

Five Clayton runners took part in this short 3.3 mile fell race with 1181ft of ascent. Alan Life was our first finisher in 6th place overall. Wayne McIntosh was 26th with Stephen Fish in 28th and 1st V60. Carol Life was our sole lady runner and she finished in 34th place overall and 1st LV50

Full Results

HOLCOMBE TWO TOWERS

In the first of three races this week Peter Coates joined Martin Brady for this mid week fell race.

Report from Peter Coates – Race 1

At the Holcombe Two Towers race there was just myself and Martin Brady in action for Team Clayton in this little gem of a midweek race organised by Holcombe Harriers. This is a short but surprisingly tough 4 mile fell race across and around Holcombe Moor with some steep climbs. I finished 7th overall out of a field of 109 and was first vet40 so a good evenings work which would hopefully sharpen me up for the big race at Tebay at the weekend.

Full Results

FRIDAY 16 JUNE

BARROWFORD GP 5K ROAD RACE

This fast and flat 5k race is the latest race in the popular Pendle and Burnley Grand Prix series and, as always, there was a bumper turnout of Clayton Harriers across the board.

A Race

Five fast lads took on the seriously speedy A Race with top ten finishes for Jacob Watson, Luke Turner and Matthew Duckworth. Jonathan Pye just outside in 22^nd place and George Pier in 30^th. All five with comfortably sub 20 times.  The race was won in 14:27 by Jonny Mellor of Liverpool Harriers.

Clayton fast lads in the A Race at Barrowford. Photo by David Belshaw

Full Results

B Race

A huge turnout of 65 Clayton Harriers took part in the B race with an astounding range of ages from 15 to 75.  Jon Cleaver was our first finisher in 3^rd place overall and Amanda Duffy was our first lady finisher in 32^nd place overall, 2^nd lady and 1^st F35. There were plenty of age category wins for our youngsters and vets as well. 1^st M17 for Josh Hall, 1^st F35 for Amanda Duffy, 1^st F55 for Irene Roche, 1^st M65 for Jeffrey Pickup, 1^st F50 for Julia Rushton, 1^st FJ for Beth Quinn, 1^st M75 for Richard Lawson and 1^st 7o for Marion Wilkinson.

Team Clayton out in force at the Barrowford 5K. Photo by David Belshaw

Full Results

JUNIOR RACES

U9 Race 1K Race

Charlie Plant was our first finisher in this race (she is wrongly listed as a boy!). She was 8th overall and in another show of sibling support, she went back after finishing her race to support her younger brother Olly.  Ruby Cleaver had a great race to finish 12th overall and 1st girl in her age category. Emily Johnson continues to improve and raced to 17th place.

Ruby Cleaver in action in the U9s Race. Photo by David Belshaw

U13 Race 2K Race

Racing hard against his former clubmate Dexta Thompson, Robbie Smedley had to settle for 2nd place.  Our U13 boys all ran strongly. Helana White was our first girl in the race in 11th place and 2nd girl overall in the race.

Charlie Barnes in action in the U13s Race. Photo by David Belshaw

U17 3K Race

Oue U15 and U17 runners dominated this race with strong performances all round. Nick Hennessey took the win with Michale Stevens snapping at his heels in 2nd. Millie Stubbs was our first girl and 2nd overall in the race.  There were age category wins for Nick Hennessey, Michael Stevens and Millie Stubbs.

Millie Stubbs and William Nicholls in the U17 Race. Photo by David Belshaw

Full Junior Results

SATURDAY 17 JUNE

BUCKDEN PIKE

Clear blue skies greeted the runners at the start of the Buckden Pike Fell race. Numbers were a little down this year due to a clash with the Championship race taking place at Tebay.

Mark Nutter at the Buckden Pike Fell Race, Photo by Andy Firth

Mark Nutter was our first finisher in the race in 26th place overall and took the 1st V50 win as well. Linda Lord was our only lady runner and finished in 62nd place and 1st WV65.

Linda Lord in the Buckden Pike Fell Race. Photo by Andy Firth

Full Results

MUCKLE TOON ADVENTURE FESTIVAL

Report from Dave Motley

Another annual pilgrimage to the Muckle Toon Adventure Festival for Team Perry, Team Motley & Team Clarke and this year we were joined by Team Helliwell. The festival based in Langholm in the Scottish borders is a mix of MTB, road sportive, trail running and on the event filed they have all sorts going on from trampolines to climbing walls and tent talks on various subjects. There is something for everybody from little kiddies right through to the most sporty of us, on top of this the weekend was topped off with camping, drinking and BBQ in the glorious Scottish Summer.

Muckle Toon Trail Races. L-R Matt Perry, Jo Perry, Sarah Helliwell, Carl Helliwell, Dave Motley and Russ Clarke

The races themselves are tough and testing trail routes with lots of climbing and the 25 degree heat certainly didn’t help. The 10k & half marathon were on the Saturday and set off at the same time with a route split after about a mile. I found the initial climb tough after last week’s 22 for 22 on Pendle and the 85 miles in my legs was really showing. After the first few miles I found myself in about 7^th or 8^th but with a big descent to come I found my legs and seemed to carry the momentum through the field for the next 10 miles feeling stronger and stronger. I eventually finished the race in 3^rd place managing to gain that position after about 12 mile. Matt Perry runner up at the race last year had to settle for another 2^nd with Russ Clarke in 5^th and Carl Helliwell in 12^th.

Whilst us blokes were out doing the half, the wives were tearing up the 10k with Mrs Perry finishing the tough 10k course in 41^st position in a time of 62:16 and Mrs Helliwell 51^st in 65:46. Mrs Motley was chief babysitter on Saturday so I think she had the harder job looking after 6 kids whilst we got to run, however she did get her break and ran the 5k on the Sunday in a time of about 27mins. A belting weekend and Team Motley will be back for more in 2018

Muckletoon 10K Trail Race

Full Results

Muckletoon Trail Half Marathon

Full Results

PILLING 10K SERIES  – RACE 2

Laura Hesketh was our sole representative in this 10K road race. She finished in 8th place overall and the first lady runner with a time of 37 minutes dead

Full Results

TEBAY

Peter Coates joined nine other Clayton Harriers to compete in the third race of the FRA British Championships at Tebay. Super vets Kieran Carr and Wendy Dodds took first place in their respective age categories with Jack Holt taking 2^nd in his.

Tebay Fell Race. L- R Kieran Carr, Jack Holt, Peter Coates, James Williamson, Neil Hardiman and David Bagot

Report from Peter Coates Race No.2

Over 450 runners with a good turnout from Clayton lined up for this championship race in gloriously hot sunshine. The heat was going to make this 8.1 mile race with 3000Ft of ascent an absolute beast particularly with what was warned as being a extremely tough final climb up Blease Fell.

I soon settled into the race after what was quite a chaotic start to the race with runners choosing different lines up the rough track. I spotted Dave Bagot up ahead just before we began the climb to Rispa Pike and set my sights on reeling him in and managed to pass him on the boggy path just after the summit. The next few miles were a mix of killer climbs and fast descents. I still felt strong as I reached the summit of Linghaw and began an exhilarating descent off the fell towards the stream crossing before the final killer climb up Blease Fell which looked massive. This was a real tough climb in very hot weather but I managed a good climb and still felt strong when I finally reached the summit. It was then a case of running the final 2 miles on a long gradual descent back to the finish in Tebay.

Barbara Savage at the Tebay Fell Race. Photo by Steve Angus

What a fantastic race in stunning scenery in glorious sunshine and one which I thoroughly enjoyed running against the UK’s top fell racers. I finished just ahead of Dave Bagot who had a great race considering his heroics of the previous weekend on Pendle so massive respect to Dave!

Full Results

SUNDAY 18 JUNE

FATHER’S DAY 10K

James Dunderdale was our only runner in the Father’s Day 10K race organised by Lancaster Race Series. He finished in 7th place overall with a time of 41:57.

James Dunderdale in the Fathers Day 10K

Full Results 

FRECKLETON HALF MARATHON

A quartet of Clayton Harriers took to the scorching roads of Freckleton for this half marathon race. David Moynihan was our first finisher in 69th place.  Sarah Angelone was our first lady finisher in 125th place.

Sarah Angelone and Janine Pollard ready for the Freckleton Half Marathon

Report from Sarah Angelone

Well what can I say about the freckleton half? It was the hardest race I’ve ever done!!! In scorching heat with no wind the hardest battle was not the physical pain but the mental battle to keep going. Luckily the water stations, armed with sponges and showers were a god send and something I eagerly kept a look out for throughout the route and after each one looked like I’d been for a swim never mind out for a run!!! Glad I got round the gruelling 13.2 miles but I wouldn’t want to do it again.

Full Results

HELM HILL RACES

Report from Peter Coates –  Race No. 3

BOFRA race at Helm Hill Kendal.  I decided to do this race after we stopped up in the Lakes following the previous day’s race at Tebay.  This was my first BOFRA race and I enjoyed the low-key feel although with runners of the calibre of Ben Mounsey and Simon Bailey competing the quality of the field was definitely not low key.  This was a relatively short 3.3 mile race and I was not sure how the legs were going to feel following the previous days tough racing.  The race starts with the climb up Helm Hill and my legs felt dead going up the short climb but once at the top my race head took over and I tried to pick runners off were I could along the twisty paths and sharp climbs and descents.  I was pretty shattered at the finish but I did enjoy the race and didn’t do too bad considering.

Peter Coates at the BOFRA Helm Hill Race.

Full Results

OLDHAM 10K

BRITISH  ATHLETICS EUROPEAN MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

 Report from Chris Holdsworth

Three Peaks Fell Race 2015 – Constant hail, sleet, snow and wind leading to mild hypothermia.

Tour of Pendle 2015 – Cramp so bad that I almost had to get evicted off the Big End for squatting so long… AND almost being beaten by Dave Motley *Shudder*

Edinburgh Marathon 2016 – re-aggravation of a hip injury from mile 15 and pushing through to the end (Possibly not so clever in hindsight).

Howarth Hobble 2017 – Blowing up with 6 miles to go after 26 miles of tough, boggy, brutal running and looking as well as Jonathon Brownlee did after THAT infamous moment.

Home International Race, Sedbergh 2017 – now joins the list of toughest races I’ve endured!

Making my England debut, I’d hoped to have kinder conditions, but the forecast (unsurprisingly for the middle of June) provided intense, windless heat on the Sedbergh Hills.

Chris Holdsworth ready for his England debut. Photo by Sophie McIntosh

The race began shortly after 1pm and despite the weather, I quickly found myself in 2nd place on the tail of leading England runner Chris Smith. Having reduced my miles for the race, my legs were feeling very good. However, the warmth soon sapped and drained everything I had and I found myself in massive oxygen depletion earlier than usual. Summiting and returning down the way we came, I felt my dry and dehydrated hamstrings both begin to strain and pull… A painful run back down on tender legs, the next loop back round will be one I won’t forget in a while.

Chris in action.

I’d never felt sick whilst running before, I’m usually quite adept at keeping myself composed and well, but the next slog up the climb brought on involuntary retching, blurred and diminishing vision, and the tightening of lungs, throat and every muscle in my legs.

Success for Chris on his England debut.

I was running for England though, there wasn’t any chance I was going to let my pace drop any further – so I clawed and battled my way back to the summit, and endured the pain all the way back down.

Gold medal winning England Team

Finishing 6th in the World Mountain Trials race and 3rd in the Home Internationals, I was able to help England secure victory and a gold medal – as well as a bronze medal, two shredded hamstrings and one hell of an Englishman’s sunburn for myself… well worth the pain!!

AWAITING FULL RESULTS

TRAILBLASTER

A men’s team, a ladies’ team and a number of juniors gave the club a real presence at this year’s Trailblaster endurance event featuring laps in and around Towneley Park.

Team Clayton at the Trailblaster endurance event.

Report from Michelle Abbott

The event and support was amazing with loads of people coming down to give their support and run laps with us (too many to mention but you were all brilliant) which was amazing. It was definitely a bit too hot to be out for 12hrs, but with team and family support and pure grit we got through every lap together which paid off in the end. At 7.30pm already tired and ready for a lie down ,I was anxiously waiting for Nina to come in so I could get out and equal the record of 25 laps I knew I had to be back before 8 so that Cassie could get out and complete the 26th lap –  so no pressure!

After a hot 5 laps I was off with a little help from one of our juniors,Sophie, who ran the full lap with me and the support coming into the last 1.7 was amazing with George Pier running along with me for the last push. I got in with 3 mins to spare. we got the ladies 12hr team win and record! We will be back again. Such an amazing team effort – male and female.

Junior Runners at the mini Blaster. Photo by David Belshaw

Everyone worked really hard with well deserved wins all round even for our juniors who took on a full lap in the miniblaster. Matthew Jackson leading all the way with Lennon on his tail until the last K when Lennon pulled in front and won by 6 secs leaving Matthew in second – sibling rivalry keeps them pushing.

 Report from Lynsey Birtwistle

I can honestly say that this is one of the best days running I have ever had. Both teams performed so well in the heat and the team spirit was amazing. It was so hot out there and each lap got harder and harder.

Trailblaster Ladies Team

Lots of friendly Clayton faces came down to cheer us on and join in with our massive spread of food in the party tent!!! The last couple of hours were brilliant and both teams worked well together to win both men’s and women’s team prizes. Cannot wait for next year!

PARKRUN ROUNDUP

Abingdon parkrun – A total of 347 runners took part

Burnley parkrun – A total of 340 runners took part.

Burnley junior parkrun – A total of 120 runners took part

Concord parkrun, Sheffield – A total of 88 runners took part.

Cuerden Valley parkrun – A total of 209 runners took part.

Mile End parkrun – A total of 278 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 94 runners took part.

Witton parkrun – A total of 116 runners took part.