November Roundup

This month has seen much rain, and, inevitably, MUD! We’ve had some great team and individual results in the Red Rose Cross Country league, with its climax at a typically muddy Marl Pits. Read about Jack Villiers’ individual success below.

The Tour of Pendle seems to have divided runners into those who loved it and those who, er, didn’t! Again, there’s a couple of race reports to illustrate the difference.

Unfortunately, with the start of December being so busy for all our team, this edition of the Roundup is shorter than normal. Please consider writing for the next edition, maybe as you wake up on New Year’s Day (optimistic I know). All contributions to roundup@claytonlemoors.org.uk.

It just remains for me to wish all our lovely Orange Army a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!

Helen

Jack Villiers – Red Rose Cross Country Season

First of all I would like to say a massive thank you to my mum and dad,  Phil (my coach) and everybody else that has helped me achieve 2nd under 17 male in the Red Rose Cross Country League.

The start of the Red Rose Cross Country League is Leigh, which is flat as a pancake. I placed 6th, the U17M team 2nd – for me at this point I was just wanting to medal as a team, and thought medalling individually was highly unlikely. 2 weeks later was Bolton, the most eventful of the four in my case. Half way round the course is a water crossing, where I decided to take a dip in the water which was unbelievably cold!

I finished 4th at Bolton and the team first.

Jack managing to avoid the mud at Bolton. Photo; David Belshaw

Todmorden was now up on the Red Rose Cross Country list. The course had to be changed because of the amount of rainfall, so it was quite muddy. I finished 4th as in the previous fixture and the team finished 2nd behind Horwich.  At that point I thought I was still unlikely to get an individual medal.

Last of all my favourite race  – Marl Pits. Going into the final race I still thought it was highly unlikely of me medalling individually. It was not until about halfway round my dad told me I had to keep 2nd in order to place 2nd overall in the Red Rose Cross Country League. Coming towards the end of the race, whilst being chased by the other competing athletes, I really had to push myself in order to achieve 2nd.

Overall, I’m really I’m proud to have come 2nd overall in the League and really proud to be part of amazing team, again finishing 2nd.

Enjoying your health and fitness

by Ian Hargreaves

I have always considered myself very lucky with regard to my various sporting activities, I have managed to be injury free all through my football career to when I finished in my late forties, and when I took up running, I only had the usual little niggles, which were usually easily shaken off or forgotten after a pint or two after the race.

However, the Ribble Valley 10k, on New Years Eve 2016, proved a turning point for me, I ran a PB of 48.44 but woke up the following day in all sorts of pain around my hip area. It eventually settled over the next few days and I continued running in discomfort for the next 18 months, having lots of physio between races.

Eventually, with my racing getting slower and slower and with my running buddies Lucy, James and Donna giving me loads of grief at training, I decided to see a consultant. The verdict in January 2019 was Rheumatoid Arthritis in both hips and they would both need replacing over a 12 month period, and the final insult from the consultant was that I would not run again.

Now for someone at 57, having had a pain free sporting career, this shouldn’t be the end of the world but I was devastated by it. Running was where I cleared my head, it was where I met like minded people who were just brilliant and who every week helped me get over the pressure of work with a pint after training sessions.

On April 5th 2019 I had my left hip replaced and had six weeks working from home before getting back to the office, by three months I was jogging and did my first 5k in August. Please don’t tell my consultant, I tell him I am doing lots of cycling!!

Whilst I will never be the same international athlete I once was, (no cheeky comments please) I can at least attend training and do Burnley Parkrun, which allows meet to meet up with all my fellow athletes and catch up on all the Clayton chat.

Ian with James and Lucy

I am due to have my right hip replaced in 2020 and am confident I will be back running again after that. Watching all the progress of our fabulous juniors and our amazing Cross Country and Fell and Trail runners will keep me focused whilst I recuperate.
So, all I would say to you fellow athletes is, enjoy every run as if it is your last, as you never know what is round the corner, and the gift of being a Clayton Club runner is one to be cherished.

Cheers Ian

Race Reports

Myserscough 10 Mile Road Race

Report by Irene Roche

The Myerscough 10 Mile road race was a well organised and enjoyable event to start December off. An early start, 10am, took us a long quiet country roads with a good touch from Jack Frost. Careful treading made sure the runners had to take extra care.

But the frost didn’t appear to cramp our style. Fellow runners from Clayton and clubs far and wide joined in banter along the way which helped to make the miles go by and before you knew it the last mile marker appears.
The route was well marshalled with plenty of support along the way.

Irene at the Myserscough 10 MilemRoad Race

A definite recommendation for 2020 with a prize for everyone at the finish, Lancashire cheese. ?

Tour of Pendle – Report 1

by Alex Braysford

Brutal!

Alex Braysford at Tour of Pendle

Tour of Pendle – Report 2

by Michelle Abbott

Well… this was my first longggg fell race after the foot fracture and I absolutely loved it! After the first climb it was pretty flat in the first 8 miles, but then that took a massive change – well Hello Hills!! 3 peaks here I come!! And – bye Cassie,as I lost her (ooops) sorry, I got carried away again up the climbs and on the descents until I got back to the trig with no one in sight. I nearly went the Pendle Fell race route so decided to wait for a few runners to arrive just to double check I was going the right direction, before taking on the final decent off Pendle and back into Barley, loved it will definitely do it again next year.

Michelle on the Tour of Pendle

Results Roundup

2nd November – English Cross Country Relays – Resultse

2nd November – Black Lane Ends Fell Race – Results

2nd W overall – Barbara Savage; 1st W40 – Jane Ryan; 1st W60 – Irene Roche; 2nd W60 – Jean Knightley; 3rd W60 – Julia Taylor; 1st M50 – Neil Hardiman; 2nd M55 – Mark Nutter; 2nd M60 – Jack McGuire; 2nd M65 – Richard Bellaries.

2nd November – Shepherd’s Skyline Fell Race – Results

3rd M40 – Adrian Cheetham; 1st FU23 – Briony Holt.

3rd November – 36th Dressers through the Villages, Wheelton – Results

9th November – Todmorden (Red Rose Cross Country League) – Results

3rd U15B Team – Robbie Smedley, William Woodruff, William Nicholls; 2nd U17M Team – Jack Villers, Jackson Mackay, Peter Stevens; 3rd U20W – Nicola Moynihan; 1st U20M – Charlie Parkinson; 2nd V40M – Adrian Cheetham; 2nd L65 – Katy Thompson; 1st L70 – Christine Leathley.

9th November – Hyndburn (Mid Lancs Cross Country League) – Results

3rd L20 – Briony Holt; 2nd L55 – Kath Wallis; 2nd L65 – Karin Goss; 1st L55 Team – Kath Wallis, Irene Roche, Dawn Terry;

10th November – Andy O’Sullivan 3k, Cowm – Results

2nd MJ – Michael Stevens; 3rd MJ – Peter Stevens; 2nd FJ and 2nd F overall – Helana White; 1st M60 – John Roche; 2nd F40 – Cassandra Smedley; 2nd F60 – Irene Roche; 2nd F55 – Yvonne Wickham.

16th November – Moorhouse’s Tour of Pendle Fell Race – Results

17th November – Preston 10 mile Road Race – Results

3rd F & 1st F35 – Laura Hesketh

17th November – Chorley Fire 10k – Results

17th November – Arnside Knott Fell Race – Results

17th November – Run Through Blackburn 10k – Results

23rd November – Liverpool (Mid Lancs Cross Country League) – Results

2nd L65 – Christine Leathley

24th November – Lee Mill Fell Relay – Results

24th November – David Staff Fell Race – Results (PDF file)

Mark Nutter at the David Staff Fell race. Photo by Stephen Fish

30th November – Marl Pits (Red Rose Cross Country League) – Results

3rd U15B Team – Robbie Smedley, William Nicholls, William Woodruff; 3rd U15G Team – Ella Dorrington, Sianna Smith, Helana White; 2nd U17M – Jack Villiers; 3rd U17M – Jackson Mackay; 1st U17M Team – Jack Villiers, Jackson Mackay, Peter Stevens; 2nd L20 – Briony Holt; 2nd L60 – Irene Roche; 1st L65 – Katy Thompson; 3rd L60 – Jean Knightley; 1st L70 – Christine Leathley; 3rd U20M – Charlie Parkinson

Red Rose Cross Country League – Provisional Overall Results

2nd U15B Team; 2nd U17M – Jack Villiers; 2nd U17M Team; 3rd L20 – Briony Holt; 2nd L65 – Katy Thompson; 1st L70 – Christine Leathley

Parkrun Roundup

A look at our runners’ latest PBs at our local parkruns.