The kids are all right

As we steam towards summer, there’s racing galore! As always our members have been racing hard but the glory goes to our younger runners this week.  As well as competing in the FRA championships, lots of our young runners have been stepping up to take part in tough senior races with great success. The future is definitely looking bright for this club if their achievements are anything to go by! Congratulations are in order for Chris Holdsworth, second counter in the victorious Lancashire team in this year’s Inter Counties Championship.

TUESDAY 9 MAY

MEARLEY CLOUGH FELL RACE

There was an excellent turnout of 194 runners for this tough 3.5 mile fell race with 1247ft of climb – a record for a non championship race. Was it the weather, free pasta supper or the prize draw for the rucksack? Maybe it was all of those factors. There was a fabulous range of ages in the race with the youngest runners aged 14 and the oldest vet in his 80s.

Young Clayton runners Curtis Holt, Briony Holt and James Boult at the Mearley Clough Fell Race. Photo by David Belshaw

The race was won by Josh Boyle for the second year running. Matt Perry was our first finisher and 3^rd overall in the race. Carl Helliwell and Dave Motley joined him in the top ten.

Matt Perry on his way to 3rd place. Photo by David Belshaw

Five of our junior runners took part. Nick Hennessey was our first junior in a respectable 40^th place overall. Curtis Holt was next chased to the finish by his sister Briony who was 45^th overall and 2^nd Lady in the race.

Harry Mason stepping up to senior racing at Mearley Clough Fell Race. Photo by David Belshaw

Harry Mason had a great run to finish 113^th and Natasha Olszewska completed the junior cohort in 146^th place.

Natasha Olszewska running her first senior fell race at Mearley Clough. Photo by David Belshaw

Briony Holt was our first lady finisher and Linda Lord was 1^st LV60

Full Results

THURSDAY 11 MAY

IAN CASEY MEMORIAL COWM 5K

Jonathan Pye and Ron Chappell took part in the Ian Casey Memorial 5K. Jonathan finished in 3rd place overall with atime of 17:47.  Ron Chappel was 121st with a time of 34:36.

Full Results

FRIDAY 12 MAY

PINHAW TRAIL RACE

Another bumper turnout of Clayton Harriers for the second race of the increasingly popular Pendle and Burnley Grand Prix race series. Danny Collinge was our first Clayton finisher in 9^th place overall with Jordan McDonald and Dave Motley following on in the top 20.

Clayton runners at Pinhaw

Junior runner Nick Hennessey continues his great form to finish in 22^nd place overall and 1^st MU18. Geoff Gough was 1^st M55, Jeff Pickup was 1^st M65 and Barry Mitchell was 1^st M70

Younger generation coming through at Pinhaw Trail Race.

Our first lady finisher was Donna Airey in 88th place and 5^th lady in the race. Anita Jones was 1^st W60.

Report from Craig Nicholls

Having completed the Hameldon Hill race in what I felt to be a timely fashion, I decided that maybe I should have a go at the entire Pendle & Burnley Grand Prix. As a cross country veteran (after two full seasons now – wow) I have become accustomed to donning the Harrier Vest for weekend races but a race on a Friday Night was a whole new experience for me. The decision, however, had been made so any plans for the usual food, alcohol and TV combos were scrapped and the vest was on.

I arrived half expecting to be greeted by about 20 to 30 hardcore running enthusiasts so it came as a great relief to see there were over 200 people from all walks of life and many of them were the   usual Clayton crowd there to support the club and each other.

The run itself was the usual run up hill, run down hill, collapse at the finish sort of affair I’ve come to expect from these events. The scenery (I imagine) was epic and the view of Earby (the one time I glanced up away from my feet) as I ran back down was lovely so I can see why people love them so much and my goal for this summer will be to get fit enough to actually enjoy one.

Craig Nicholls at the Pinhaw trail race. Photo by David Belshaw

Probably the best thing about these races (for me at least) is seeing so many of our wonderful junior section at the finish line. These guys are a credit to the club and the coaches who give up their free time and are probably the biggest factor in my own development at the moment as you can’t help but be inspired by the progress they are all making.

See you all at Clowbridge Reservoir on Wednesday

Full Results

SATURDAY 13 MAY

BROUGHTON HEIGHTS (INTER COUNTIES)

Congratulations to Christopher Holdsworth whose great form continues as he represented Lancashire in this year’s UK Inter-Counties Fell/Hill Running Championship. In a very strong field he finished in 7^th place overall with a time of 42:22 making him second counter in the winning Lancashire team.

Chris Holdsworth representing Lancashire at the UK Inter County Fell Running Championships. Photo by Woodentops

In the ladies’ race, Louisa Powell-Smith finished in 19^th place making her third counter in the Lancashire team who finished in fourth place.

Full Results

FAIRFIELD HORSESHOE

Four Clayton Harriers took part in this classic, Lakeland fell race. Starting and finishing at Rydal Hall the 9 mile route incorporates 2999ft of climbing. Andy Laycock had a great race to finish in 16th place. Wendy Dodds was our sole lady runner and finished in 195th place. Wayne McIntosh and James Williamson completed the Clayton cohort finishing the race together in 263rd an 264th place respectively.

Andy Laycock in the Fairfield Horseshoe fell race. Photo by Richard Gardiner

Full Results

SUNDAY 14 MAY

CHESTER DEVA AQUATHLON

Well done to Ellie Root who took part in the Chester Deva Aquathlon. After a good solid swim and a decent run on tired legs (having raced at Pinhaw), she finished in 9th place in the girls youth category.

GREAT WHERNSIDE JUNIOR UPHILL

Well done to Josh McKay, Helana White, Jenson Bentham, Christopher Brown, Ella Dorrington, Jackson McKay and Briony Holt who ran at the 5th round of the English Junior Championships at Kettlewell. The uphill only races up Great Whernside featured long steep, grassy climbs on the lower slopes for the younger age groups and rougher rockier terrain for the U15s and above.

This is the toughest level of competition in fell running and our Juniors have been doing the club proud with their efforts at this race(and during the series as a whole), competing on the hardest courses for Juniors in the country.

U13 Race

U15 Race

Jackson Mckay in the U15 Race. Photo by Alan Dorrington

U17 Race

Briony Holt in the U17 race. Photo by Alan Dorrington

Full Results

PLUSNET LEEDS HALF MARATHON

Paul Foster was our sole runner in the popular PlusNet Leeds Half Marathon.  He finished in 713th place with a time of 01:38:45

Report from Paul Foster

My favourite event bar none. The city of Leeds really gets behind this event every year and the support around the entire 13 miles is incredible, from the thousands cheering you on in the city centre to the street party atmosphere in the surrounding districts. Every year there are bands, pipers on the route, and this year there was even a women’s choir. Yorkshire loves its sporting events.

Paul Foster at the PlusNet Leeds Half Marathon

The sun was beating down for the third year in a row, and although not as hot as last year, the many hosepipes spraying cold water courtesy of some residents were very welcome. There are quite a few longish hill sections on the run and I was happy with my time of 1:38:45 which was an improvement of 9 minutes over last year, placing 675 out of a field of nearly 6800.

Full Results

WORDEN PARK 10K

Another resounding win for fast lad Danny Collinge at the Worden Park 10K. Dawn Terry was our only lady runner and she finished in 158th place in 50:24.

 Jack Maguire took part in the fun run finishing in 39^th place with a time of 09:29

PARKRUN ROUNDUP

Abingdon parkrun – A total of 343 runners took part

Bournemouth parkrun – A total of 491 runners took part.

 Burnley parkrun – A total of 351 runners took part.

Dewsbury parkrun – A total of 129 runners took part.

Dolgellau parkrun – A total of 39 runners took part.

Lytham Hall parkrun – A total of 157 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 91 runners took part.

Rutland Water parkrun – A total of 246 runners took part.

South Manchester parkrun – A total of 577 runners took part.