It may have been the Christmas holidays but that didn’t stop our members from getting together for a social run on Pendle Hill, or from taking part in Boxing Day racing.

Christmas Eve Club Social Run

There was a great turnout for this festive social run up and around Pendle Hill.  As well as lots of our junior members and helpers, there was an additional group of senior members as well as a number of members of Trawden AC. Most people got into the festive spirit and sported santa hats and, having divided into appropriate groups, we were off.

Clayton junior members looking good to go on the Christmas Eve social run

Whether you were running with the juniors or out with the seniors, this is a brilliant social get together and really blows away the cobwebs.

Clayton Ladies Katy Thompson and Linda Lord at the Christmas Eve Run

George and Curtis after the Christmas Eve Run (or should that be slide!)

Team Holdsworth chose to have their run at a different time but still managed to look good and festive whilst out and about.

Team Holdsworth – Looking festive

Worden Park 10k – 26 December

314 runners lined up for this Boxing Day 10k. Well done to Bryan Searby who was the sole Clayton Harrier taking part in this 10k race in Leyland. He was 184th in a time of 52:14.

Full Results

Whinberry Naze Dash festive fell race – 26 December

It seems that our members don’t need much persuading when it comes to fancy dress! Lots of you dressed up and took part in this festive fell race.  228 runners raced. At time of publishing, no results are available.

Clayton Ladies ready for the festive Whinberry Naze fell race

Looking pretty good on this descent our ladies were sticking together it seems.

Clayton Ladies in action at Whinberry Naze

Awaiting Results

Ribble Valley 10K – 28 December

The race goes back over 30 years to the early 1980s when Clayton Le Moors Harriers, first organised the race in the winter as the Clitheroe 10k in parallel with their Clitheroe 10 mile road race held in the spring. Although sadly the 10 miler fell by the wayside the 10k race survived and Blackburn Harriers took over the organisation of the race in 1998.

Ron Hill at the Ribble Valley 10k. Photo courtesy of Sport Sunday

The Ribble Valley 10k now has everything a road racer wants out of a road race. The competition at the front increased in quality and times came down to regular sub 30 minute clockings for the men and Olympian Helen Clitheroe herself regularly going under 33 minutes for the women. The women’s course record is now held by her at 32mins 30 secs and in the men’s race by Jonny Mellor at 29mins 10secs. He set the record in 2011 outsprinting Alistair Brownlee, the soon to become 2012 Olympic triathlon champion.

There was a great turnout of 39 club members at this race which included the Northern Athletics 10k Championships 2014. There were some great performances from our members in a fast and competitive race.

Jonny McKenna at the Ribble Valley 10k

Jonny McKenna was the first Harrier in 33:45 and 51st place overall, and Dawn Terry was the first Clayton lady in 45:54.

Well done to our two junior members, George Pier and Jordan McDonald for a couple of excellent performances.  They are beginning to give the senior men a real run for their money.

Clayton Junior, George Pier at the Ribble Valley 10k

A special mention to one of our newest club members, Clare Wilson, who ran for the club for the first time earning herself a new personal best as well. A great start; well done Clare!

Full Results

Wansfell Race – 28 December

3.43.4 KM /407m elevationKM /407m elevation

Andrew Firth at the Wansfell race

Andrew Firth, Mark Nutter, Wendy Dodds and Colin Woolford all took part in the Wansfell race finishing in that order. Results not published yet, but Rob Hope won.

Awaiting full results

Parkrun Roundup

Recovering from the excesses of Christmas or warming up for the Ribble Valley 10k, plenty of our members took part in this Saturday’s parkrun.  Tom Brewster had a great run finishing first at the Burnley event with a number of our members finishing in the top tens at a range of parkruns. Well done all of you!

Burnley parkrun – A total of 93 runners took part.

Keswick parkrun – A total of 72 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 33 runners took part.

Running Resolutions

I asked for your New Year’s running resolutions and here’s a selection of what you came up with;

Running Resolutions from some of our members

Coming Up..

New Year Club Run
On Monday December 29th there will be a club run, walk, bike ride. (It all depends on your post-Christmas fitness and inclination!) It will be the same format as previous years. Start 1:00pm at the bottom of The Memorial Park, Great Harwood (map ref. 736 331). Approximately 2 hour run, walk or ride. Then to the Royal Hotel for food and a drink.

More Info

Boulsworth Night Race

Neil Hardiman is organising a night race on Thursday the 8th of January up Boulsworth in Trawden. It’s approx 4 miles and free to enter. It’s a Bedlamite event and promises to be a really laid back run. All you need is usual running kit and a good head torch. Registration is at the Trawden Arms from 6.15pm with the race at 7.00pm. It will be a good event for those who want to try a night event as it will be marshalled. Please let Neil know if you want to run (or marshal).

Contact info: 07946 412655. Or e-mail: hardimannj@hotmail.com.