What a weekend for Blackburn Harrier – Holly Bradshaw. In her first competitive competition since since winning the Great City North Games back in September 2018, Holly, In winning the British Indoor Championships set a new Championship record and went to Number 3 in the World Rankings.

 

RESULTS

With prospects of a great year ahead for Holly, she spoke to the Harriers afterwards, telling us “I don’t really know where to start, today was one of those days you just dream of. I didn’t really know what to expect going into the British Champs , I have been feeling really good in training lately but we have been focusing more on getting faster so doing more speed sessions rather than vaulting hence why I am only off a shortened approach. We made the decision back in 2018 that we would skip the indoors and work on getting faster. However we were too tempted with such exciting domestic competitions this 2019 indoors”

 

Another great day too for the Harriers as sixty athletes turned out. At the Mid Lancs League fixture at Leigh yesterday, they scored Team Wins in the U11 Girls, U13 Boys, U17 Men, Sen Women and Senior Men coupled with 2nd places for U11 Boys, U15 Girls and Senior Men’s Vet Team. In the individual results there were wins for Isaac Butler in the U13 Boys, Matt Ramsden in the U17 Men and Chris Davies in the Men’s V40 age category with Mark Chippendale 2nd V50 and Joe Gebbie 3rd U20 Man.

Seventy eight young girls lined up for the first race of the day which was for U11’s. Eve Coulson who improves every time, led the Harriers home to the Team win as she placed 6th overall in a time of 8.42 after a battle down the home straight with Erica Corns (7th), both being given the same time. Imogen Robinson was just 3 places further back (9th) in a time of 8.44 with Hannah Davies the third counter for the team in 16th place (9.03). Another storming sprint finish by Charlotte Sousa saw her cross the line in 23rd spot (9.17) with Tippi Francis in 49th (9.56), Lulu Sharp in 60th position with a time of 10.28, Isabelle Pacelli (66th) with a time of 10.38 and 8yr old Charlotte Smith edging it in a flat out sprint (68th) running 10.46.

  Eve Coulson                                                           Imogen Robinson

  Hannah Davies                                                       Charlotte Sousa

  Tippi Francis                                                           Lulu Sharp

  Isabelle Pacelli                                                       Charlotte Smith

Eighty four U11 Boys in the next race where the Harriers (22 points) finished 2nd Team to Trawden (12 points).

Coming into the home straight there was agood contest between Matthew Smith, Luke Ward (Southport) and Sam Aspey as they all strained for the 5th place – Matthew taking it in the end with a time of 7.41, Luke in 6th (7.42) and Sam in 7th (7.44). Ben Ham, running his first ever race for the Hrariers had an outstanding run to become the 3rd counter for the team in 10th place with a time of 8.07 which augers pretty well for his future. Next in was the ‘Blonde Bombshell’ that is Theo Robinson, clocking 8.20 in 17th spot with William Grundy just behind in 20th in a time of 8.26. George Ramsden who is also an improving young athlete finished in 23rd (8.32) followed by Liam Bennison in 29th (8.43), Charlie Haworth in 46th place running a time of 9.02, Findlay Carroll (48th) clocking 9.05, Felix Thompson in 50th place (9.12), George Holman running 9.38 in 62nd, Alexander Brien in 67th (9.50) , Evan Potter in a time of 10.26 (75th), Harrison Waite 80th (10.53) and Isaac Smith in 82nd (11.08).

  Matthew Smith                                                        Sam Aspey

  Ben Ham                                                                Theo Robinson

  William Grundy                                                       George Ramsden

  Liam Bennison                                                        Charlie Haworth

  Findlay Carroll                                                        Felix Thompson

  George Holman                                                      Alexander Brien

  Evan Potter                                                            Isaac Smith

Short on U13 Girls on the day with just two athletes competing which saw Kate Cookson come home in 24th place out of the 48 girls racing in a time of 8.37 and Isabelle Hartley in 39th place (9.31).

  Kate Cookson                                                         Isabelle Hartley

It was back to winning ways with the U13 Boys as they took the team 1st place with 19 points to Trawden’s 36 points in 2nd spot. Isaac Butler set off with real intent and hit the front from the gun, holding the lead the whole way round to finish the comfortable winner by 10 seconds in a time of 9.17. Dexta Thompson had another good race too, to place 6th overall in a time of 9.36 with Jonathan Brindle being the 3rd counter with a good run in 12th spot clocking 9.58. The consistency of performance for the lads showed when Daniel Smith came home next in 17th (10.14) and Codie Dewhurst in 19th (10.15).

Codie Dewhurst (2898) – Isaac Butler (2903) – Dexta Thompson (2902)

  Dexta Thompson                                                    Jonathan Brindle

  Daniel Smith                                                           Codie Dewhurst

Our U15 Girls team (37 points) ran well to finish 2nd in the team race to Chorley (12 points) – Hollie Cubbon had one of her best races of ther season to be the first counter for the Harriers, taking 10th place in a time of 10.23 with Eleesha Charnley in 13th (10.29), Leah Hoole in 14th (10.35) and Ella Hardman in 33rd spot running a time of 12.30.

L-R Eleesha Charnley – Leah Hoole – Hollie Cubbon – Ella Hardman

  Hollie Cubbon                                                         Eleesha Charnley

  Leah Hoole                                                             Ella Hardman

It was 4th place in the U15 Boys Race won by Kendal-Helm (Composite). David Holman led the Harriers home in 10th place clocking 12.47 which was another good run following his 3rd placed finish in the Lancashire Schools Championships the previous week. A solid run from Hayden Mercer saw him place 18th overall in a time of 13.33 with George Whittaker in 25th (13.55), Thomas Brooks in 27th (14.00), Danny Woodcock one place behind in 28th and given the same time of 14.00 and Rory Teare in 35th place (14.51).

  David Holman                                                         Hayden Mercer

  George Whittaker                                                  Danny Woodcock (2912) – Thomas Brooks (2909)

Rory Teare

The U17 Men’s race provided another Team win for the Club as they scored 23 points to Rossendale’s 30 points in 2nd place. Matt Ramsden set off in 2nd place behind the Kendal athlete with Sam Hodkinson in 3rd. As the race progressed, Matt and Sam took it on to occupy 1st and 2nd places in the race and that is how it finished up with a really emphatic performance by Matt, winning in 17.20 with Sam in 2nd spot clocking 18.08 and Harry Wilkin (20th) in 20.58 who was the 3rd counter in helping the Harriers take the team win. Amy Davies ran a time of 13.59 for 5th place in the U17 Women’s race.

U17 Boys Winners Sam Hodkinson (2921) – Matt Ramsden (2917) – Harry Wilkin (2918)

Matt Ramsden & Sam Hodkinson

  Harry Wilkin                                                            Amy Davies

The Senior Men and Senior Women teams following their win at the previous Mid Lancs fixture at Towneley Hall backed that up here at Leigh with another double headed win. The Senior Women’s race saw the Harriers get their three counters across the line in the first eleven places and led by Annabel Ralph who set off right at the front of the Race and finished 3rd overall in a time of 19.59. Great support from Carmen Byrne who crossed the line in 7th place in a time of 21.11( 3rd V35) and Ellen Sagar-Hesketh in 11th running a time of 21.34. Lindsay Davies was next home in 40th (23.58) and followed by Michelle Teare (85th) out of the 155 strong field clocking 26.58 with Nicola Hartley and Helen Dawson-Smith both clocking 28.28, finishing in 114th and 115th places respectively.

Annabel Ralph (392) – Ellen Sagar-Hesketh (2847) – Carmen Byrne (2856)

  Annabel Ralph                                                        Carmen Byrne

  Ellen Sagar-Hesketh                                              Lindsay Davies

  Michelle Teare                                                       Nicola Hartley

Helen Dawson-Smith

The Senior Men’s race featured two hundred and fifty one runners and was won by Rob Danson in 32.02 with Luke Minns in 2nd (32.23). The Harriers had their six counters all home in the first 25 places which saw them take the Team win with 96 points from Lancaster & Moreambe in 2nd (110 points).

Marc Hartley had a really good run (33.44) to place 7th overall, supported by Tom Blaney in 11th with a time of 34.36 and just outkicking Chris Davies in 12th (34.38) who also won the V40 age group category along with Jacob Watson also having a good run in 17th spot (35.03). Next Harrier across the line was Mark Chippendale with a strong run clocking 36.19 in 24th place and 2nd V50 on the day, followed home by Joe Gebbie just one place behind (25th) and 3rd U20 man on the day in a time of 36.21. John Horrocks was next home for the Club with a pretty solid run of 37.11 in 38th place with Danny Maynard in 108th in a time of 40.51, V50 Chris Balderson in 113th (41.20) and Allan Hartley in 223rd place (49.37).

  Marc Hartley                                                           Tom Blaney

  Chris Davies                                                           Tom Blaney

  Mark Chippendale                                                  Joe Gebbie

  John Horrocks                                                        Danny Maynard

  Chris Balderson                                                      Allan Hartley

L-R Jacob Watson – Chris Davies – John Horrocks – Tom Blaney – Joe Gebbie – Danny Maynard – Marc Hartley

Barcelona Half-Marathon – Sunday February 10th

The Harriers went on tour at the weekend, this time to sunnier climes, as they took on the famed Half-Marathon in Barcelona. Looking for new personal bests, the lads certainly delivered with Team Captain Paul Guinan What a great weekend with Blackburn Harriers, a brilliant race in a fantastic city, great times by the guys, loved every minute of it, we are the in a great place at present and I’m so pleased I’m a part of this. The lads have done us all proud, we have a very special group of runners”.

Before the Race………….

Back Row – John Chaplin – Jack Hindle – Danny Teare – John Cookson – Andrew Knowles – Paul Bradshaw — Front Row – Karl Billington – Paul Brindle – Tim Raynes – Paul Guinan

Tim Raynes had a fabulous day as he led the Harriers home in the race which featured thousands. Tim clocked a big new PB as he placed 59th overall with a time of 68.40 reducing his previous best time (70.39) by some two minutes. Jack Hindle was the next Harrier firing on all cylinders, as he too, set a new PB clocking 72.44 (151st) – an improvement by a full minute. Karl Billington made it the third new PB of the day coming home in 187th position with a time of 73.58 in only his second ever half-marathon and an improvement by nearly 10 minutes over the time clocked in his first half of 83.13 run in 2016. Yet another new PB, this time from Paul Bradshaw as he chopped nearly two minutes off his previous best of 79.59 to clock 78.08 in 409th place. Team Captain Paul Guinan was next through the line in a time of 84.18 (1030th), followed by V60 John Chaplin with an excellent time of 87.45 (1506th). This run by John puts him in 2nd place in the National V60 Rankings which is a fabulous achievement. Just a couple of minutes behind John came Paul Brindle who ran a time of 89.27 (1895th) followed by John Cookson (3591st) in a time of 97.16 for the 5th new PB of the day as he shaved over half a minute off his previous best time set in 2016. A minute further back came Andrew ‘training for an Ironman’ Knowles in 4013th position clocking 98.36 and Danny Teare who made it six new PB’s on the day with his time of 1hr 48.18 – sixteen seconds faster than his best to-date and in 6386th spot.

…And after the Race

After the Race Photo – Back Row – Matt ‘I am going to Barcelona in the morning’ Nuttall – Tim Raynes – John Cookson – John Chaplin – Jack Hindle – Danny Teare – Andrew Knowles —-Front Row – Paul Bradshaw – Karl Billington – Paul Guinan – Paul Brindle

The lads had a great time as some of them commented to the Club after the Race:-

Tim Raynes “Absolutely fantastic weekend in the February sunshine of Barcelona. Thanks to Guiney for organising, and all the other lads for making it a great weekend. Great course, good conditions, great field … perfect recipe. My race went pretty much to plan, really happy to PB by almost 2 minutes. Well done to all the other lads for some fantastic runs!”

Karl Billington Great race at Barcelona couldn’t ask for a better for a better half. Great course, well support and great conditions. Happy with a 9min PB. Shout out to El Capitan guiny for the organisation”.

Paul Bradshaw Cracking Race, well organised and seamless. Happy to PB and run a nice even race”

Obligatory post race ‘refuelling’ with John Cookson – Andrew Knowles – Danny Teare

Sportscity Indoor Winter Series – Sunday February 10th

U15 Ben Boocock and U17 Myah Booth were racing at the latest of the Indoor Meetings held at Sportscity over the weekend. Benran the 60m, a distance which he hasn’t raced previously and had a great run, placing  2nd in a time of 8.14. His second race of the day saw him equal his Silver Medal run in the Northern Championships recently over 60m Hurdles, as he clocked 9.24 to win his Heat. U17 Myah Booth also ran the 60m Hurdles finishing in 2nd place in her Heat with a time of 9.46.

RESULTS

Valentines 10k – Sunday February 10th

Calum Holmes ran in the Valentines 10k this morning won by Karl Darcy in a time of 31,43. Calum Holmes came 6th out of field of 256 runners, clocking a time of 36.09.