Wake me up when September Ends

Hang on… there’s no time for lounging around. Oh no, Clayton-le-Moors Harriers have been out and at it with gusto. You’ve been fell running up the biggest mountains, at country fairs, up crags, down scree and all over the place. You have been grinding it out on longer events like the Garstang half, the Golden Ball 20 and the Gritstone Grind. And there’s also been some super fast road running at Salford and various parkruns. There’s even been a bit of hardcore triathlon this week.

MONDAY 28 AUGUST

ROYAL RUMBLE

Rick Moore was our sole runner in this Bank Holiday fell race. It’s a 5 mile route with 958ft of ascent.

Full Results

TUESDAY 29 AUGUST

KILNSEY CRAGG FELL RACE

Half a dozen Clayton vests were on show at this famous Yorkshire fell race. A short 1.2mile blast with 407ft of climbing make this event a fast and furious one.

Clayton runners at the Kilnsey Fell Race. Photo by Woodentops

Report from Ralph Baines

Because this race is on a work day I have always ended up missing it, my only other go was in 2000. I met up with Andy Firth, Mark Nutter, Ivan, and Steve Fish (All retired gentlemen of leisure) at registration, had a look round the show and at 3pm watched Richard Briscoe running the Mile track race, the only member young enough and mad enough to do both.

As Andy pointed out there aren’t many races that you can do a full recce of the course 3/4 hour before the start but we went and had a look with Darren Fishwick. There is a rope in now down the ‘Chimney’, properly secured, so no longer just a bit of old wire fence to hang onto. The race itself is a mad blast, down the 100m field, out to cross the road and beck then up the steep banking, everyone sets off at a ridiculous pace and the lactic build up has you regretting it after only a couple of minutes.

There is a flat section out along the top to catch your breath a bit then down steep to the chimney which is over before you know it and across the screes and just try to hang on. There is always a large crowd watching and Roger Ingham with his words of Yorkshire wisdom so you burst a lung for a good finish and a couple of scalps. Mark, Richard, Ivan, Andy and Steve were in very soon after me. Great fun.

Full Results

SATURDAY 2 SEPTEMBER

BEN NEVIS RACE

Twenty Clayton Harriers travelled up to Scotland to take part in the Ben Nevis race. A motley crew of first timers and more experienced runners. Danny Collinge was our first finisher in 38^th place overall with Andy Laycock snapping at his heels in 41^st and only 6 seconds behind with the 46K Matterhorn Ultraks still in his legs!

Some of the Clayton runners at the Ben Nevis Race.

Two ladies ran this year. Barbara Savage was our first lady finisher in 417^th place overall and Nicola Horsfall was 440^th.

Full Results

BLACKSHAW HEAD FETE FELL RACE

There were four Clayton runners at this 5.5 mile fell race with 899 feet of ascent. Martin Brady was our first finisher in 44^th place with Wayne McIntosh, Michael Frost and Robert Hirst making up the quartet of runners.

Full Results

GRISEDALE HORSESHOE

Two Clayton vests were on show at the Grisedale Horseshoe a 10 mile fell race with around 5000 feet of climbing.

Start of the Grisedale Horseshoe. Tim Edwards raring to go.

Report from Alan Dorrington

Huge Lakeland climbs up Birkhouse Moor, Catstycam, a scramble along Swirral Edge up to Helvellyn, tourist dodging around Nethermost and Dollywagon Pikes and a proper hard descent off St Sunday Crag. Not technical, just a quad masher. Oh and the final climb out of Grisedale Beck and over to the finish.

Alan Dorrington during the Grisedale Horseshoe race

They saved the ‘best’ till last with that one. There were broken runners all over it – literally on all fours crawling. All for £5, with a blunt organisers prerace brief full of pre-emptive bollockings. Orange squash and cheese and pickle sandwiches after. Old school

Full Results

SUNDAY 3 SEPTEMBER

BRADLEY FELL RACE

One junior runner and a couple of seniors took part in the latest BOFRA fell race.

Report from Rachael White

Helana White was the only Clayton Junior who travelled to Bradley for the Fell race.

A cloudy day which threatened but never delivered the rain. The U12 course was an up, along, up a bit more before a very fast descent, all on recent high cut grass, with lots of loose grass everywhere – (as well as cows in the next field that were running up and down alongside the runners) – Helana came 3^rd  U12, which she was pleased with.

Helana White at the Bradley fell race. Photo by Geoff Thompson

Two Clayton seniors made the trip – Martin Brady & Stephen Fish. The adult’s course started the same way as the juniors… and then carried on across the skyline to the next hill before the same fast descent.

Senior Results

U12 Results

Full Results

CASTLE CARR FELL RACE

Chris Holdsworth and Katy Thompson ran in the Castle Carr Fell Race a 15-mile with around 4000feet of ascent on a route in the private estate of Castle Carr and Midgley Moor.

Report From Katy Thompson

Castle Carr, 15miles and 4000ft over the moors above Hebden Bridge, was the second long race in the English Fell Champs.  The route was rather contrived, to get in the necessary climbing. (If you look at the map on the Calder Valley website you will see what I mean!)  Despite a couple of recces I wasn’t completely confident of finding the way, but quite a lot of the route was flagged, and I ran most of it with Lesley Malarkey from Keswick, one of my LV60 rivals, who had been over the bits I hadn’t. Between us we got round without any major errors and I managed to pull away from her back over the moor to the finish. This was the bit I was most worried about as there are so many trods over those moors, but I managed to go in the right direction without too much deep heather, and kept ahead of Lesley to finish 2nd LV60. The longest race I’ve done for a while, but I did enjoy it and the rain kept off until after the presentation!

Full Results

GARSTANG HALF MARATHON

Four Clayton men and one Clayton lady ran in the Garstang half marathon.

Report from Robert Morrison

The race was tougher than I thought it would be but it was a good race. I wanted 3 mins faster than last time. Came home 4 mins quicker – would have been faster but believe it or not, I got stuck behind a tractor for about a kilometer on country roads. There must have been a show on there was about 30 overall. A good race really enjoyed it –  we all did well. I will definitely pencil it in for next year.

Report from Nina Kewin

The Garstang Half was a gorgeous, scenic route which I would describe as hilly rather than ‘undulating’. We were even treated to a random and quite bizarre procession of around 25 tractors along the winding country roads. This was my first half marathon and it was lovely to see Robert Morrison and Colin White waiting for me at the end – although there was only a few of us, that summed up the Clayton Team Spirit for me. Same again next year!

Full Results

GOLDEN BALL 20

Daniel Plant was our sole representative in this 20-mile race organised by the Lancaster Race Series. It’s run on a network of paths and quiet roads.

Full Results

GRITSTONE GRIND

The Gritstone Grind is a low-key ultra marathon organised by Beyond Marathon. The race follows a 35 mile, picturesque and linear route between Kidsgrove and Disley along the Gritstone Trail. Andrew Webster and Stephen Ainsworth took part and finished in 76^th and 77^th place in a time of 7:48:25.

Stephen Ainsworth and Andrew Webster at the Gritstone Grind

Full Results

HELVELLYN TRIATHLON

Report From Peter Coates

I completed the Helvellyn Triathlon on Sunday which is a tough event starting from Glenridding in the Lake District. The race began with a 1 mile swim in Ullswater followed by a 38 mile cycle with a number of challenging climbs including the 2.5 mile climb to the top of the Kirkstone Pass from Ambleside known as “The Struggle”. This was followed by a 9 mile run setting off from the transition area in Glenridding up to the summit of Helvellyn via Swirral Edge.

The weather took a turn for the worse during the race which ensured a tough race was even more challenging with strong winds making for a tough bike leg. A decision was made by the organisers during the race to run the shorter run route so we did not actually make it to the summit of Helvellyn but took the path down at Red Tarn and back down into the finish at Glenridding. I was disappointed that the run section was cut short as a technical hilly run plays to my strengths but it was the right decision made by the organisers. I had a good race without incident and I finished in 36th place overall out of a total of 395 finishers so was happy with this result.

This is a great well organised race in a fantastic location which I would recommend if anyone fancies a good challenge and something a little bit different. I will definitely be back to do next year were hopefully conditions will allow the run to go to the top of Helvellyn.

UKFAST CITY OF SALFORD 10K

Jacob Watson and Amanda Duffy tested their legs at the Salford 10K race. This is a popular and fast 10K with full road closures so athletes are out for a PB. Jacob Watson had a great run to finish in 8^th place overall with a time of 33:42. Amanda Duffy finished in 140^th overall, 10^th lady and 1^st F35 with a time of 41:22

Report from Amanda Duffy

The City of Salford 10k takes place on the quays at Media City. It’s a relatively flat course with great PB potential.  It was an excellent atmosphere with great support around the course.

Amanda Duffy at the Salford 10K

There was a 15 minute delay at the start but it didn’t seem to affect my performance.

I finished 10th female and won the v35 cat with a PB 41.22

Another great performance from Jacob Watson finishing in 8th place and another PB 33.42

Full Results

PARKRUN ROUNDUP

Burnley parkrun – A total of 438 runners took part.

Burnley junior parkrun – A total of 85 runners took part.

 Dewsbury parkrun – A total of 94 runners took part.

Lytham Hall parkrun – A total of 233 runners took part.

Lyme Park parkrun – A total of 103 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 100 runners took part.

Witton parkrun – A total of 97 runners took part.

Woodhouse Moor parkrun – A total of 511 runners took part.