Happy New Year!

Here’s to the new year ahead of us and all the challenges that it may bring.  Our club members will no doubt have a huge range of events lined up, fast as lightning road running, technical fell running, cross country or ultras.  We are looking forward to seeing what you all get up to this year. In fact, you have already started with a decent turnout at the Pendle New Year parkrun, the Billy Knox New Year’s Day Awakener, and the Lancashire County Cross Country Championships to name but a few!

Club New Year Social Run

Report from Mick Green

I, with the help of friends, have been putting on a New Year run / walk /bike ride for a few years. Each year we try to find a footpath that most of the people who come may not have been on before. That bit is getting harder each year. The format is the same each year, set off at 1pm for a social 2 hour run / walk or bike ride. 

Club Members at the annual New Year social run in Great Harwood

Then it is down to the Pub Royale, formally the Royal Hotel, for food and drink. The present and previous owners of the pub have never charged us for the food they put on for us. I ask the people who have the food to make a small contribution and the money collected is offered to the pub owners who always refuse it and ask for it to go to a charity.

Over the years we have donated money to various charities including, The Lifeboats, The British Heart Foundation, a school in Botswana, Asthma UK and so on.Thanks to everyone who has donated

I will start looking at this year’s route soon and look forward to seeing everybody in December.

Club Road Palladium 2014

The 2014 Ladies’ Road Palladium Champion is Jackie Kershaw.  The 2014 Men’s Road Palladium Champion is Steve Biscomb. Congratulations to both of you.

Full Results

Lancashire Cross Country Championships – Saturday 3rd January

It was a cold and rainy start to proceedings but despite the mud and the miserable weather it was a great start to 2015.  The Vet 40 men took Bronze Team (Breton Holdsworth, Garry Wilkinson, Andy Orr, John John Wilcock. Dave Scott  was 1st V70. Clayton ladies took 4th team position, Jean Knightley won the silver medal for LV55 category, Katy Thompson won the silver medal for V60 category and Christine Leathley won bronze for the V65. It was also a great start to 2015 for the juniors; 2nd U11boy for Jackson McKay, 2nd U13 girl for Briony Holt, plus 3rd team place U13 girls, and 2nd team place U15 boys.

U-11 Boys

U-11 Girls

U-13 Boys

U-13 Girls

Team Result – 3^rd place

L-R  U13 Girls Team – Ellie Root, Liberty Thompson, Millie Stubbs, Briony Holt

U-15 Boys

Team Result – 2^nd place

U-17 Men

U-17 Women

Senior Women

Team Result – 9^th place

Vets team – 4^th place

Senior Men

Breton Holdsworth swapping the road for the mud at the Lancashire XC Champs. Photo by Autumn Howard

Team Result – 6^th place

Vets team – 3^rd place

Full Results

KWL Scout Scar Fell Race – 4th January

A classic 5 mile blend of fast hilly cross-country on rough limestone tracks with stupendous 360 degree views. The  race starts with a fast charge across the flat field before heading out onto the rough Scar area where the pace settles.

Katy Thompson reported that Clayton Ladies Jean Brown, Wendy Dodds, Carol Life and Katy Thompson took part. Also Jack Holt, Alan Life and one other. A good, fast course and a record field, she said.

Awaiting full results.

Central Lancashire New Year Half Marathon – 4th January

Well done to Tanya Bunkham who was the sole Clayton-le-Moors Harrier at this half-marathon event.  She finished in 208th place with a time of 1:49:45 in a field of 449 runners.

Full Results

Belle Vue Racers Hit the Trail  – 4th January

Peter Butterworth came 40th in this 5-mile race through  Reddish Vale Country Park with a time of 33:14. 269 runners took part

Full Results

Billy Knox NYD Awakener – 1st January

7 club members kicked off the New Year with this 5k trail race in Whitworth. Great performances from the ladies in this event. 87 runners took part.

Angela Shian and Vicky Heys at the Billy Knox Awakener. Photo by Steve Bateston

Full Results
Photos by Runningpix.co.uk

Auld Lang Syne Fell Race – 31st December

“The costumes and enthusiasm were better than ever and it was fantastic to see so many folk having a grand, if rather chilly, day out. The prize giving was legendary as you would expect. Hopefully see everyone there next year.” said 4 times ALS champion Alistair Brownlee.

Clayton vest visible at the start of the Auld Lang Syne Fell Race. Photo by woodentops.org.uk

To quote the Yorkshire Post ‘This event attracts both elite runners and those taking part in fancy dress meaning the field had everything from Olympians to Ostriches and for everyone there was a bottle of Daleside beer. Alistair has been competing in the race for more than 10 years, brother Jonny won the race back in 2012 finishing 3rd this time. British triathlete champion Mark Buckingham came in 2nd, while Ian Holmes who dominated the race for a decade finished in 4th and first V40’.

Chris Holdsworth chasing the Brownlees at the Auld Lang Syne Fell Race. Photo by woodentops.org.uk

First Clayton Harrier was Christopher Holdsworth, finishing in 11th place with a time of 41:35. First Clayton Lady was Vicky Heys, finishing in 59:09.

395 runners finished the course and there were 2 retirements.

L-R Lee Smith, Neil Hardiman, Garry Wilkinson, Dave Motley, Dave Bagot

 Full Results and Race Reports

Ward Green Six – 28th December

Missed this one on last weeks roundup.  This race is described as a 2 lap course with a testing climb. Sole Clayton-le-Moors Harriers representative was Breton Holdsworth who had an excellent run finishing in second place in a time of 33:29. “Not bad for being nearly half a stone heavier”, he said. Not bad indeed!

Full Results

Late Results from Whinberry Naze Fell Race

Results from the Whinberry Naze fell race on Boxing Day

Full Results

New Year’s Day parkrun at Pendle

Well done to the 10 Clayton-le-Moors Harriers who managed to get up and out to the New Year’s Day parkrun at Pendle. We had 3 top ten finishers and a new PB as well. What a great start to the year!

Parkrun roundup

Preston parkrun – A total of 238 runners took part.

Brockwell parkrun, Herne Hill – A total of 186 runners took part.

Carlisle parkrun – A total of 178 runners took part.

 Walsall Arboretum parkrun – A total of 238 runners took part.

 Burnley parkrun – A total of 192 runners took part.

Dewsbury parkrun – A total of 99 runners took part.

Pendle parkrun – A total of 35 runners took part.

Fell Foot parkrun, Newby Bridge – A total of 163 runners took part.

Coming up…

For the fell runners; the Flower Scar Fell Race will be a counter in the 2015 FRA English Championship and entries open 5/1/2015. Let’s try and get a good turn out for this event.

For the road runners; the Winter Warmer 10k on 8th February is the first race in the Club Road Championship 2015. Come on Team Clayton get this in your diary there is also a 2k junior race on the same day.

Mid Lancs Cross Country – Towneley 10th January

Marion Wilkinson, Junior Co-ordinator, ” Don’t forget, this is home turf and training ground for our juniors. We know every blade of grass; so less pressure = better running! Let’s have a good turnout for this local event.”

Club President Dave Scott, ” Towneley can be a good fast course for our Road Men and speed training for the Fells. If you are not shopping or decorating, try to run here, or even help, and ensure a good Clayton turn out.”

If you don’t intend to run but want to help, Paul Archer is organising the races on the club’s behalf. He needs lots of help on the day: setting up the course, marshalling, supervising the finish and collecting equipment after the races. So, if you can help in any way, please contact Paul straight away.

01254 823587 or paularcher09@hotmail.co.uk